In this Book
- Ecological Niches and Geographic Distributions (MPB-49)
- Book
- 2011
- Published by: Princeton University Press
- Series: Monographs in Population Biology
This book provides a first synthetic view of an emerging area of ecology and biogeography, linking individual- and population-level processes to geographic distributions and biodiversity patterns. Problems in evolutionary ecology, macroecology, and biogeography are illuminated by this integrative view. The book focuses on correlative approaches known as ecological niche modeling, species distribution modeling, or habitat suitability modeling, which use associations between known occurrences of species and environmental variables to identify environmental conditions under which populations can be maintained. The spatial distribution of environments suitable for the species can then be estimated: a potential distribution for the species. This approach has broad applicability to ecology, evolution, biogeography, and conservation biology, as well as to understanding the geographic potential of invasive species and infectious diseases, and the biological implications of climate change.
The authors lay out conceptual foundations and general principles for understanding and interpreting species distributions with respect to geography and environment. Focus is on development of niche models. While serving as a guide for students and researchers, the book also provides a theoretical framework to support future progress in the field.
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- pp. v-viii
- Acknowledgments
- pp. ix-x
- 1. Introduction
- pp. 1-4
- Part I: Theory
- 2. Concepts of Niches
- pp. 7-22
- Part II: Practice
- 5. Species’ Occurrence Data
- pp. 62-81
- 6. Environmental Data
- pp. 82-96
- 7. Modeling Ecological Niches
- pp. 97-137
- 8. From Niches to Distributions
- pp. 138-149
- Part III: Applications
- 10. Introduction to Applications
- pp. 185-188
- 11. Discovering Biodiversity
- pp. 189-199
- 13. Species’ Invasions
- pp. 215-225
- 14. The Geography of Disease Transmission
- pp. 226-237
- 16. Conclusions
- pp. 256-257
- Appendices
- Appendix A: Glossary of Symbols Used
- pp. 261-265
- Appendix B: Set Theory for G-and E-Space
- pp. 266-267
- Bibliography
- pp. 281-314