The Birds of Northern Melanesia: Speciation, Ecology, and Biogeography (Hardcover)

by Ernst Mayr (Author), Jared Diamond (Author) "Northern Melanesia's avifauna has been molded by the physical and biological environment in which it has evolved..." (more)
Key Phrases: weak subspecies, endemic allospecies, allospecies level, Northern Melanesia, New Guinea, New Britain (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Scientific American
"In this book we present a comprehensive, detailed study of speciation for all resident land and freshwater bird species of Northern Melanesia." Broad as it is, that statement does not fully convey the solidity of the book or the amount of work and time that went into it. The encyclopedic result covers 195 bird species on 76 islands of the Bismarck and Solomon archipelagos, which lie east of New Guinea and constitute Northern Melanesia. Mayr, the eminent evolutionary biologist who is professor emeritus of zoology at Harvard University, has studied Melanesian birds since 1929. Diamond, professor of physiology at the medical school of the University of California at Los Angeles (and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Guns, Germs, and Steel, among many other popular books), has made 19 expeditions to the South Pacific to study birds in pursuit of his interest in ecology and biogeography.

Editors of Scientific American

Review

"Clearly, The Birds of Northern Melanesia represents a labor of love by the authors, who sink their teeth into a rich subject. In doing so, they follow the analytic approach that they have previously shown to be so productive." -- Bruce M. Beehler, Science
"Summarizing data from hundreds of biologists working in Northern Melanesia for more than a century, the authors completely revise the taxonomy of the region's birds, and include no fewer than 128 pages of tables, maps and appendices. Their book constitutes a compendium and analysis of data on the degree of taxonomic distinction of every species and every island population, their ecological and biogeographic attributes, and the sources of the colonists."--Nature
"In this landmark book, two of the world's most distinguished biologists shine a spotlight on one of the most fascinating aspects of evolution. ... no one is better qualified than the two authors to address this subject area. ... Their detailed data set makes this book of huge importance to ecologists, biogeographers and population biologists, as well as those studying speculation."--New Scientist
"This book may come to be regarded as the single most important publication on evolutionary biology since Darwin's (1859) momentous treatise On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. Two of the most powerful intellects in zoology today, Mayr and Diamond, have collaborated to produce an exceptional book of far-reaching importance. This work greatly extends our understanding of the processes of avian biogeography and evolution. Here at last we have a holistic study of an entire avian community that provides a template for hall future studies. Furthermore, it underscores the value of faunistic studies, which unfortunately have become increasingly unfashionable. ... Both Mayr and Diamond have an unrivalled experience of Melanesian birds, both in the field and museum. Consequently, this is not just a theoretical book written from the safety of the laboratory or armchair. These guys really know their subject."--K.David Bishop, Standford University and Kincumber, NSW


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Product Details

• Hardcover: 548 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195141709
• ISBN-13: 978-0195141702
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: No customer reviews yet. Be the first.
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,089,104 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)