Evolution in Isolation: The Search for an Island Syndrome in Plants

by Kevin C Burns

Oceanic islands are storehouses for unique creatures. Zoologists have long been fascinated by island animals because they break all the rules. Speedy, nervous, little birds repeatedly evolve to become plump, tame and flightless on islands. Equally strange and wonderful plants have evolved on islands. However, plants are very poorly understood relative to animals. Do plants repeatedly evolve similar patterns in dispersal ability, size and defence on islands? This volume answers this question for the first time using a modern quantitative approach. It not only reviews the literature on differences in defence, loss of dispersal, changes in size, alterations to breeding systems and the loss of fire adaptations, but also brings new data into focus to fill gaps in current understanding. By firmly establishing what is currently known about repeated patterns in the evolution of island plants, this book provides a roadmap for future research.

Genres: Ecology

236 pages, Hardcover

Published June 27, 2019

Reviews

[Fabio Mologni · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book for specialist but written in an easy and accessible way so also an amateur can enjoy this reading.

The aim of the book is to provide a review of all the scientific knowledge about an island syndrome in plants. The island syndrome refers to specific characteristics recurrent in species living on island (e.g. gigantism). While this appealing idea has been tested many times for the animal kingdom, in plants a comprehensive work was still missing.

I really appreciate that this book, compared to many other scientific works of this kind, is in no way a heavy reading, especially if you have a basic knowledge of biology.