Biogeography: a brief introduction

Throughout our history, humans have been fascinated with the geography of biological diversity – where particular kinds of organisms are found (or not found), and why. Biogeography is that branch of science that investigates the spatial and temporal patterns in the distribution of biodiversity. It is a highly multidisciplinary discipline that draws from fields such as geography, evolutionary biology, systematics, genetics, ecology, paleontology, geology, and climatology, and has important applications in conservation biology and human ecology. This book is intended to provide a concise introduction to the science of biogeography, including the history of its development, basic principles, and its importance in meeting today’s ecological challenges.