Book Review

by Paul Ganderton

Spellerberg IF and Sawyer JWD. 1999. An Introduction to Applied Biogeography. Cambridge University Press. pp xiii + 243. ISBN 0 521 45712 2.

Biogeography might be said to hold the key to ecosystem analysis. Certainly the distribution of plants and animals is crucial in many areas of ecological science. This text tries to unite biogeography with some of its uses. The first chapter discusses the history of the subject showing how and why it was used. Subsequent chapters work systematically through the subject. This starts with classification and its use in conservation etc. The ecological slant is continued with an examination of island biogeography. The book then turns to why distributions are where they are with chapters on geology and evolution and ecological patterns. Since we need data for analysis the next chapter focusses on how we get information (an interesting diversion not often seen in texts). The final three chapters look at human impact (the "applied" side) in terms of habitat fragmentation, linear landscapes (i.e. corridors) and future developments (e.g. the impact of climate change). Each chapter has its references. Boxes for more detailed information add to the work presented. Often the theoretical side of a subject is presented without justification or even the excitement of usage. Given the impact of, say, climate change, on the Earth then anything that increases awareness of the application of a science is to be welcomed. It covers its unusual ground, providing the student with a clear overview.