Plant Microevolution and Conservation in Human-influenced Ecosystems - Softcover

Briggs, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521521548 ISBN 13: 9780521521543

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2009

Synopsis

As human activities are increasingly domesticating the Earth's ecosystems, new selection pressures are acting to produce winners and losers amongst our wildlife. With particular emphasis on plants, Briggs examines the implications of human influences on micro-evolutionary processes in different groups of organisms, including wild, weedy, invasive, feral, and endangered species. Using case studies from around the world, he argues that Darwinian evolution is ongoing. He considers how far it is possible to conserve endangered species and threatened ecosystems through management, and questions the extent to which damaged landscapes and their plant and animal communities can be precisely recreated or restored. Many of Darwin's ideas are highlighted, including his insights into natural selection, speciation, the vulnerability of rare organisms, the impact of invasive species, and the effects of climate change on organisms. An important text for students and researchers of evolution, conservation, climate change and sustainable use of resources.

About this title

About the Author

David Briggs is Emeritus Fellow of Wolfson College, University of Cambridge. He completed his BSc and PhD from Durham University. He has served as Demonstrator in Botany, Botany School, University of Cambridge from 1961–1964; a Lecturer in Botany, University of Glasgow from 1974–2001; and Lecturer in Botany, and Curator of the Herbarium, Department of Plant Sciences at Cambridge University from 1974–2001. He has a lifelong interest in conservation, evolution, genetics and taxonomy. His practical conservation experience includes being a former member of the Wicken Fen Committee of the National Trust and the Milngavie Civic Trust. He was formerly the Chair of Cam Valley Forum - an action group active in the conservation of the Cam, its flood plain and tributaries. He has co-authored Plant Variation and Evolution, also by Cambridge University Press, now in its third edition.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521521548
• ISBN 13: 9780521521543
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 618