Biogeography of Australasia

- The first book-length synthesis devoted to Australasian biodiversity, offering an overall summary of the biology and geology of the region

- Introduces the main concepts used in evolutionary biogeography

- Illustrates many case studies of phylogeny and distribution in Australasia with reference to geological history

Over the last decade, molecular studies carried out on the Australasian biota have revealed a new world of organic structure that exists from submicroscopic to continental scale. Furthermore, in studies of global biogeography and evolution, DNA sequencing has shown that many large groups, such as flowering plants, passerine birds and squamates, have their basal components in this area. Using examples ranging from kangaroos and platypuses to kiwis and birds of paradise, Biogeography of Australasia examines the patterns of distribution and evolution of Australasian biodiversity and explains them with reference to tectonic and climatic change in the region. The surprising results from molecular biogeography demonstrate that an understanding of evolution in Australasia is essential for understanding the development of modern life on Earth. A milestone in the literature on this subject, Biogeography of Australasia will be a valuable source of reference for students and researchers in biogeography, biodiversity, ecology and conservation.