Biogeography: Introduction to Space, Time, and Life - Softcover

MacDonald, Glen M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1119904587 ISBN 13: 9781119904588

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 2025

Synopsis

Introduce students to the diversity embraced by the discipline of biogeography, revised and updated throughout

Biogeography: Space, Time and Life provides a comprehensive introduction to the study of large-scale geographic distributions of life, focusing on ecology, evolution, physical geography and conservation. Now in its second edition, this award-winning textbook illustrates key concepts in biogeography using engaging empirical examples of modern plant and animal distributions, long-term evolutionary history and current conservation challenges.

With an accessible style and clear structure, Biogeography defines fundamental terms from biology and physical geography, describes ecological biogeography and the biological features of the physical environment, explains key concepts in historical biogeography, explores the Earth’s diverse biogeographic subdivisions, current issues in conservation and more. Student-friendly chapters cover topics including biological interactions, speciation and extinction, changing continents and climates, human evolution, modern biodiversity, the relationship between humans and plants, animals and other organisms, and the role of biogeography in conservation.

• Introduces basic concepts in the study of animal and vegetation distributions, including various human and environmental impacts on these distributions
• Examines how biological factors such as heat and predation impact different species of plants and animals
• Features short biographical sketches of major figures in the field and examples of the natural histories of various species
• Considers the application of biogeographic theory and techniques for the benefit of conservation and sustainability
• Includes a companion website for students, as well as an instructor’s site with supplementary teaching resources

Designed for students across a wide range of disciplines, from the biological and physical sciences to the social sciences and humanities, Biogeography: Space, Time and Life, Second Edition is an excellent textbook for undergraduate courses in biogeography, Earth systems science, and environmental studies.

About this title

About the Author

GLEN M. MACDONALD is Distinguished Professor, Endowed Chair of California and the American West in Geography, Director of the UC White Mountain Research Center, and Chair of UCLA Canadian Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, authored Op-Ed pieces for the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Sacramento Bee, and received numerous research and teaching awards.

From the Back Cover

Now in its second edition, Biogeography: Introduction to Space, Time, and Life introduces students across a range of disciplines to the study of the geographic distributions of life. With a focus on physical geography, ecology, evolution, biodiversity, and conservation, this award-winning textbook describes the essential aspects of animal and vegetation distributions, and how factors such as, climate and the physical environment, biological interactions, and human activity impact species of plants and animals.

Assuming no previous background in the subject, Biogeography illustrates key concepts using engaging empirical examples of both modern plant and animal distributions and long-term evolutionary histories of different species. Student-friendly chapters provide a well-rounded account of ecological and historical biogeography, species dispersal, speciation and extinction, human evolution and impacts, the Earth’s biogeographic subdivisions, modern biodiversity, how the application of biogeographic theory and techniques can benefit conservation and sustainability, and much more.

Including access to companion websites for both students and instructors, Biogeography: Introduction to Space, Time, and Life, Second Edition is an excellent textbook for undergraduate courses in biogeography, earth science, and environmental studies.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1119904587
• ISBN 13: 9781119904588
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 528