Evolution and Ecology: The Pace of Life

Description

The mechanisms of macroevolutionary change are a contentious issue. Paleoecological evidence, presented in this book, shows that evolutionary processes visible in ecological time cannot be used to predict macroevolutionary trends, contrary to Darwin's original thesis. The author discusses how climatic oscillations on ice-age timescales are paced by variations in the Earth's orbit, and have thus been a permanent feature of Earth history. There is, however, little evidence for macroevolutionary change in response to these climatic changes, suggesting that over geological time, macroevolution does not occur as a result of accumulated short term processes. These conclusions are used to construct a postmodern evolutionary synthesis in which evolution and ecology play an equal role. Written by a leading paleoecologist, this book will be of interest to researchers in both ecology and evolutionary biology.

'... stimulating and thought-provoking.' Peter D. Moore, Biologist ' ... useful and thought-provoking ... I recommend this book for palaeoclimatologists and biologists alike for a new perspective on the link between orbital-scale climate change and biological processes.' Endeavour ' ... unlike any current text dealing with pre-Quaternary palaeoecology ... This volume is innovative and timely. It deserves to be read by all palaeoecologists, irrespective of the geological period upon which they work, and should be required reading for anyone about to embark on producing a geological or ecological text.' The Holocene 'This volume is innovative and timely. It deserves to be read by all paleaoecologists ... and should be required reading for anyone about to embark on producing a geological or ecological text.' F. M. Chambers, The Holocene 'Bennett has provided a thought-provoking book that should interest a broad audience of evolutionary biologists, ecologists, and Quaternary scientists. The synthesis he provides should encourage players from all three specialities to begin sharing the same field.' Anthony D. Barnosky, Montana State University 'This is a challenging and thought-provoking book.' Mike Walker, Quaternary Science Reviews