Habitat fragmentation and global climate change are the two major environmental threats to the persistence of species and ecosystems. The probability of a species surviving such changes is strongly dependent on its ability to track shifts in the environmental, either by moving between patches of habitat or by rapidly adapting to local condition. These 'solutions' to problems posed by environmental change depend on dispersal propensity, motivating our desire to better understand this important behavior. This book is a comprehensive overview of the new developments in the study of dispersal and...

This book is a unique collection of evolutionary and ecological perspectives in the study of biodiversity. The book traces past landmarks, current questions, and future trends in biodiversity research ranging from the evaluation of the fossil record and molecular phylogenies in looking at the genesis of diversity to population, community, and ecosystem-level approaches in understanding patterns of species persistence. Subject reviews, case studies, and discussions of techniques are combined to produce a state-of-the-art volume that will be welcomed by students and researchers in fields...

Now that so many ecosystems face rapid and major environmental change, the ability of species to respond to these changes by dispersing or moving between different patches of habitat can be crucial to ensuring their survival. Understanding dispersal has become key to understanding how populations may persist. Dispersal Ecology and Evolution provides a timely and wide-ranging overview of the fast expanding field of dispersal ecology, incorporating the very latest research. The causes, mechanisms, and consequences of dispersal at the individual, population, species, and community levels are...