This book focuses on the evolution, biogeography, systematics, taxonomy, and ecology of New World and Australasian marsupials, greatly expanding the current knowledge base. There are roughly 140 species of New World marsupials, of which the opossum is the best known. Thanks to recent research, there is now an increasing amount of understanding about their evolution, biogeography, systematics, ecology, and conservation in the Americas, especially in South America. There are also some 270 marsupial species in the Australasian region, many of which have been subject to research only in recent years. Based on this information and the authors extensive research, this book provides comprehensive insights into the world's marsupials. It will appeal to academics and specialized researchers, students of zoology, paleontology, evolutionary biology, ecology, physiology and conservation as well as interested non-experts.
Introduction.- Section I. Evolution and Diversification: Checklist of
New World Marsupials.- Taxonomy and Diversity of Living New World Marsupials
.- Cenozoic Metatherian Evolution in the Americas.- Paleogene Metatherians
from the Itaboraķ Basin: Diversity, Affinities, and Paleobiogegraphic
Context.-Postweaning Skull Growth in Living American and Australasian
Marsupials: Allometry and Evolution.- Evolutionary Diversification of Skull
Morphology in Faunivorous Marsupials: A Comparison between the American and
the Australasian Lineages.- Morphology, Form and Function in Didelphid
Marsupials.- Hair Microstructure Diversification in Neotropical Marsupials:
the Roles of Phylogenetic Signal and Adaptation.- Patterns of Phenotypic
Evolution and Diversification in the Short-Tailed Opossum Genus Monodelphis.-
Section II. Biogeography: From Bergmanns to Copes rules: An Overview on
the Trait Variation in New World Marsupials.- A Macroevolutionary Approach to
Study the Age-Area Relationships for the New World Marsupials.- An Overview
of Species Richness and Beta Diversity Patterns of New World Marsupials.-
Diversification of the Didelphid Marsupials of South America..- Diversity and
Endemism of Marsupials in the Guiana Region (northeastern Amazonia).-
Diversity, Endemism, and Biogeographical History of Marsupials from the South
American Dry Diagonal.- Spatial Patterns and Drivers of Species Richness
and Endemism of Marsupials in the Atlantic Forest in eastern South America.-
Section III. Ecology: Population Dynamics of Neotropical Marsupials.- More
than Semelparity or Iteroparity: Diversity of Reproductive Strategies in New
World Marsupials.- Movement Patterns, Habitat Selection, and Home Range of
New World Marsupials.- Positional Behavior and Locomotor Performance of New
World Marsupials: Links with Habitat and Substrate Use.- Food Habits of New
World Marsupials.- Feeding Patterns of Marsupials in a Neotropical Savanna:
Intra- and Interspecific Diet Variation and Seasonal Patterns.- Activity
Patterns of New World Marsupials.- IV. Conservation.- Conservation
Biogeography of Living New World marsupials (Didelphimorphia, Microbiotheria,
and Paucituberculata)..- Effects of Habitat Loss and Fragmentation on
Assemblages, Populations, and Individuals of New World marsupials.-. Effects
of Habitat Loss and Fragmentation per se in Didelphid Marsupials of the
Atlantic Forest.- Left Out of the Pouch: Marsupials and the Coverage Provided
by Protected Areas in Brazil.-. Unraveling Human-Wildlife Interactions in
Urban Areas: the Case of Didelphis aurita in a Large Metropolis.- Habitat
Loss, Fragmentation, and Transformation are threatening a Relict Marsupial
from Southern South American Temperate Rainforests.- Concluding Remarks.
Nilton Cįceres work focuses mostly on the ecology and evolution of mammals, particularly marsupials, rodents, carnivores, and primates. Nilton is a Professor in Vertebrate Zoology and Animal Behaviour at the Federal University of Santa Maria and a Research Fellow of the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). He has written more than 150 journal articles and book chapters, as well as been editor and co-editor of Marsupials of Brazil (2006 and 2012) and The Mammals of Rio Grande do Sul (2013). His research has had international collaborations with, among others, Argentinean, Spanish, Italian, and English researchers, focusing mainly on the Neotropical fauna.
Christopher R. Dickmans work focuses mostly on the ecology of mammals and on a range of projects in applied conservation and management. Chris is a Professor in Ecology (personal chair) at The University of Sydney and a Fellow of both the Australian Academy of Science and the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. He has written more than 500 journal articles and book chapters, as well as several monographs on marsupials including the award-winning A Fragile Balance: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Marsupials and Secret Lives of Carnivorous Marsupials (with Andrew Baker); he is also co-editor of Marsupials and Predators with Pouches: The Biology of Carnivorous Marsupials. He is the recipient of several national and international awards, including the Troughton Medal from the Australian Mammal Society and the C. Hart Merriam award from the American Society of Mammalogists.
Daugiau apie elektronines knygas