Evolution of Biological Diversity

Within the current context of global interest in biological diversity,this is a timely review of the most recent research into the evolutionaryorigins of biological diversity and the processes of speciation, from renownedscholars. Recent studies have discovered considerable genetic and morphologicalvariation both between and within populations of the same species. Yet therelation between this intraspecific variation and the processes of speciationremains poorly understood. When, how, and why do new species arise? The chaptersin this book explore the question of how variation arises within species; someemphasize the ecological and behavioural basis of differentiation; others arguefor the role of natural selection in generating speciation. Several chaptersfocus on the important emerging links between sexual selection, sexual conflict,and population differentiation. The final chapters of the book take a broaderperspective on the question, and explore the fossil record for data on theorigination of species diversity - and extinctions - in the past.

Anne Magurran is Professor of Ecology and Evolution at the University of St Andrews. Sir Bob May is Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government, and is based at the Department of Zoology, University of Oxford.