Land bridges : ancient environments, plant migrations, and New World connections /

This book focuses chiefly on plant biogeography, or the study of the distribution of plant species. The discipline has Victorian roots and is an important component of allopatric speciation, supporting classical neo-Darwinian explanations for how new species form. After a brief introduction, Graham (Missouri Botanical Garden) presents the basic descriptive data for six land bridges: Western Beringia (Siberia and Kamchatka), Eastern Beringia (Alaska), North Atlantic (Greenland to North America), Antillean (in the Caribbean), Central American, and finally the Magellan connection to Antarctica. The text is replete with historical anecdotes and miscellaneous details that touch on a wide variety of subjects, both historical and scientific. Also included is a chapter on case studies in long-range plant dispersal. The references are extensive, and this may be one of the more useful features of the book. This is an important addition to any collections that maintain holdings in plant biogeography. Climate change scientists who wish to gain some classical background in Cenozoic paleobotany and plant migration may have some interest. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals. --Paul K. Strother, Boston College