Evolution of Island Mammals (eBook)

ALEXANDRA VAN DER GEER is an independent researcher, presently guest researcher at Naturalis, the National Museum of Natural History of the Netherlands and at the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment at the University of Athens, Greece. She publishes on various subjects, including insularity, primatology and the relation between humans and animals. Among her previous books are Animals in Stone and Hoe dieren op eilanden evolueren. GEORGE LYRAS is curator of the Museum of Geology and Palaeontology of the University of Athens, Greece. His research focuses primarily on the evolution of carnivores and of insular mammals. He currently specializes in evolutionary processes of the mammalian skull under strong selective forces. JOHN DE VOS is curator of the Dubois Collection and the Collection of Pleistocene mammal fossils from the Netherlands and the North Sea at Naturalis, the National Museum of Natural History of the Netherlands. His expertise and fi eld of research include the taxonomic, systematic, geographic and stratigraphic research of the Pleistocene mammals of Southeast Asia in relation to fossil humans and fossil island faunas. MICHAEL DERMITZAKIS is emeritus professor in the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment at the University of Athens, Greece, and former vice-rector of the same university. He is a recognized expert in the fi eld of island biogeography of the Aegean Archipelago and the advocate of international research on the palaeoecology of Greek islands.

Preface

Part I Beyond the Mainland

1 Introduction

2 History of Island Studies

3 Factors that Influence Island Faunas

4 Cyprus

5 Crete

6 Gargano

7 Sicily

8 Malta

9 Sardinia and Corsica

10 The Balearic Islands

11 Madagascar

12 Java

13 Flores

14 Sulawesi

15 The Philippines

16 Japan

17 The Southern and Central Ryukyu Islands

18 The Californian Channel Islands

19 The West Indies

Part III Species and Processes

20 Elephants, Mammoths, Stegodons and Mastodons

21 Rabbits, Hares and Pikas

22 Rats, Dormice, Hamsters, Caviomorphs and other Rodents

23 Insectivores and Bats

24 Cervids and Bovids

25 Hippopotamuses and Pigs

26 Carnivores

27 Patterns and Trends

28 Evolutionary Processes in Island Environments

29 Extinction of Insular Endemics

References

Index

"This book is an important addition to the library of any
Quaternary mammalian palaeontologist and will likely be useful to
those whose interests extend back deeper into the Cenozoic. The
book is well illustrated and very well researched, with an
excellent set of references. I suspect that it will become the
starting point for many future researchers and research
projects." (Geological Journal, 1 March 2013)

"I laud the authors on undertaking a work of this
magnitude, and commend it to anyone interested in the remarkable
beasts that once populated the little places on Earth."
(J Mammal Evol, 1 February 2011)

"With many examples and more than 50 pages of up-to-date
bibliography, this book is particularly interesting for students
and professional researchers in evolution."
(Mammalia, 28 June 2012)

"It is generously illustrated and nicely presented. Island
biota will continue to provide a fascinating arena for the study of
evolution, and this book highlights the value of taking a broader
view than the brief snapshot in time provided by contemporary
insular biota alone." (BioScience, 1 April
2012)

"Van der Geer et al. Have done a thorough job of providing an
up-to-date overview of what is now known about the diversity,
adaptations, biogeographical histories, and ultimate extinction of
these quite remarkable creatures: elephants the size of large dogs,
lemurs that hung from branches like sloths, rodents the size of
ponies, and many other examples of adaptation in action." (The
Quarterly Review of Biology, 1 June 2011)

"Figure quality, including 26 color plates, is excellent.
Comprehensive index and reference list included. Highly
Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through professionals in
paleontology and zoology." (Choice, 1 March 2011)

"That aside, there's a lot of material in here that's
fascinating to the non-specialist". (Fortean Times, 1 March
2011)

"This superb book looks at the evolution, and extinction, of
placentals ranging from the Oligocene to the present . . . a well
published textbook, superbly illustrated with drawings and
photographs, that it would be fun to read through a little before
sticking it on my shelf as a reference book for the future."
(Troglodyte4, 2010)