Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols Used xiii 1. The Importance of Islands 3 2. Area and Number of Speicies 8 3. Further Explanations of the Area-Diversity Pattern 19 4. The Strategy of Colonization 68 5. Invasibility and the Variable Niche 94 6. Stepping Stones and Biotic Exchange 123 7. Evolutionary Changes Following Colonization 145 8. Prospect 181 Glossary 185 References 193 Index 201

The Theory of Island Biogeography

Since 65 million years ago (Ma), Earth's climate has undergone a significant and complex evolution, the finer details of which are now coming to light through investigations of deep-sea sediment cores. This evolution includes gradual trends of warming and cooling driven by tectonic processes on time scales of 10(5) to 10(7) years, rhythmic or periodic cycles driven by orbital processes with 10(4)- to 10(6)-year cyclicity, and rare rapid aberrant shifts and extreme climate transients with durations of 10(3) to 10(5) years. Here, recent progress in defining the evolution of global climate over the Cenozoic Era is reviewed. We focus primarily on the periodic and anomalous components of variability over the early portion of this era, as constrained by the latest generation of deep-sea isotope records. We also consider how this improved perspective has led to the recognition of previously unforeseen mechanisms for altering climate.

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Trends, Rhythms, and Aberrations in Global Climate 65 Ma to Present

Bones of recent mammals in the Amboseli Basin, southern Kenya, exhibit distinctive weathering characteristics that can be related to the time since death and to the local conditions of temperature, humidity and soil chemistry. A categorization of weathering characteristics into six stages, recognizable on descriptive criteria, provides a basis for investigation of weathering rates and processes. The time necessary to achieve each successive weathering stage has been calibrated using known-age carcasses. Most bones decompose beyond recognition in 10 to 15 yr. Bones of animals under 100 kg and juveniles appear to weather more rapidly than bones of large animals or adults. Small-scale rather than widespread environmental factors seem to have greatest influence on weathering characteristics and rates. Bone weathering is potentially valuable as evidence for the period of time represented in recent or fossil bone assemblages, in- cluding those on archeological sites, and may also be an important tool in censusing populations of animals in modern ecosystems.

Taphonomic and Ecologic Information Form Bone Weathering

An Astronomically Tuned Neogene Time Scale (ATNTS2012) is presented, as an update of ATNTS2004 in GTS2004. The new scale is not fundamentally different from its predecessor and the numerical ages are identical or almost so. Astronomical tuning has in principle the potential of generating a stable Neogene time scale as a function of the accuracy of the La2004 astronomical solution used for both scales. Minor problems remain in the tuning of the Lower Miocene. In GTS2012 we will summarize what has been modified or added since the publication of ATNTS2004 for incorporation in its successor, ATNTS2012. Mammal biostratigraphy and its chronology are elaborated, and the regional Neogene stages of the Paratethys and New Zealand are briefy discussed. To keep changes to ATNTS2004 transparent we maintain its subdivision into headings as much as possible.

The Neogene Period

Bioavailable nitrogen is increasing due to human activity, rapidly outpacing increases in another essential nutrient, phosphorous. Penuelas et al. show that this increasing imbalance between these nutrients is likely to significantly affect life and limit carbon storage in this century.

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01096291/document

Human-induced nitrogen–phosphorus imbalances alter natural and managed ecosystems across the globe

Evolution and escalation, an ecological history of life

Aim To analyse the fossil species assemblages of rodents and lagomorphs from the European Neogene in order to assess what factors control small mammal biogeography at a deep-time evolutionary time-scale. Location Western Europe: 626 fossil-bearing localities located within 31 regions and distributed among 18 successive biochronological units ranging from c . 27 Ma (million years ago; Late Oligocene) to c . 3 Ma (mid Pliocene). Methods Taxonomically homogenized pooled regional assemblages are compared using the Raup and Crick index of faunal similarity; then, the inferred similarity matrices are visualized as neighbour-joining trees and by projecting the statistically significant interregional similarities and dissimilarities onto palaeogeographical maps. The inferred biogeographical patterns are analysed and discussed in the light of known palaeogeographical and palaeoclimatic events. Results Successive time intervals with distinct biogeographical contexts are identified. Prior to c . 18 Ma (Late Oligocene and Early Miocene), a relative faunal homogeneity (high interregional connectivity) is observed all over Europe, a time when major geographical barriers and a weak climatic gradient are known. Then, from the beginning of the Middle Miocene onwards, the biogeography is marked by a significant decrease in interregional faunal affinities which matches a drastic global climatic degradation and leads, in the Late Miocene ( c . 11 Ma), to a marked latitudinal pattern of small mammal distribution. In spite of a short rehomogenization around the Miocene/Pliocene boundary (6–4 Ma), the biogeography of small mammals in the mid Pliocene ( c . 3 Ma) finally closely reflects the extant situation. Main conclusions The resulting biogeographical evolutionary scheme indicates that the extant endemic situation has deep historical roots corresponding to global tectonic and climatic events acting as primary drivers of long-term changes. The correlation of biogeographical events with climatic changes emphasizes the prevalent role of the climate over geography in generating heterogeneous biogeographical patterns at the continental scale.

Small mammal (rodents and lagomorphs) European biogeography from the Late Oligocene to the mid Pliocene

Le gisement pliocène supérieur de Saint-Vallier (Drôme, France)

The late Oligocene birds of the Crechy quarry (Allier, France) with a description of two new genera (Aves: Pelecaniformes: Phalacrocoracidae, and Anseriformes: Anseranatidae). The Crechy quarry includes several fossiliferous layers, the fauna of which has been dated by micromammals to the latest Oligocene (reference-levels MP 29 and MP 30). Most of the birds belong to the same species as those which are widespread in the early Miocene localities (MN 2a) of the Saint-Gerand-le-Puy area. However, they differ from these Miocene avifaunas by the presence of a primitive form of Phalacrocoracidae,Borvocarbo guilloti n. gen. n. sp., and by a small representative of the Recent family Anseranatidae,Anserpica kiliani n. gen. n. sp. Most of these forms are aquatic birds which probably lived on lakes or on their shores.

The late Oligocene birds of the Créchy quarry (Allier, France), with a description of two new genera (Aves: Pelecaniformes: Phalacrocoracidae, and Anseriformes: Anseranatidae)

Marguerite Hugueney

Papers

Evolution and escalation, an ecological history of life

Small mammal (rodents and lagomorphs) European biogeography from the Late Oligocene to the mid Pliocene

Le gisement pliocène supérieur de Saint-Vallier (Drôme, France)

The late Oligocene birds of the Créchy quarry (Allier, France), with a description of two new genera (Aves: Pelecaniformes: Phalacrocoracidae, and Anseriformes: Anseranatidae)

Le gisement pliocène supérieur de Saint-Vallier (Drôme, France): synthèse biostratigraphique et paléoécologique