This book explores the origins and development of geographic variation, divergence, and speciation. In particular it is concerned with genetic divergence as it is usually found on continents, among groups of populations isolated only by distance. Although earlier writers on this…
From the publisher. Evolutionary biology has witnessed breathtaking advances in recent years. Some of its most exciting insights have come from the crossover of disciplines as varied as paleontology, molecular biology, ecology, and genetics. This book brings together many of tod…
"The intimate associations between plants and the insects that eat them have helped define and shape both groups for millions of years. This volume is a treatment of the evolutionary biology of herbivorous insects, including their relationships with host plants and natural enemi…
What are the evolutionary mechanisms and ecological implications behind a pollinator choosing its favourite flower? Sixty-five million years of evolution has created the complex and integrated system which we see today and understanding the interactions involved is key to enviro…
Evolutionary biology has long sought to explain how new traits and new species arise. Darwin maintained that competition is key to understanding this biodiversity and held that selection acting to minimize competition causes competitors to become increasingly different, thereby…
The origin of biological diversity, via the formation of new species, can be inextricably linked to adaptation to the ecological environment. Specifically, ecological processes are central to the formation of new species when barriers to gene flow (reproductive isolation) evolv…
The 'Adaptive Landscape' has been a central concept in population genetics and evolutionary biology since this powerful metaphor was first formulated by Sewall Wright in 1932. Eighty years later, it has become a central framework in evolutionary quantitative genetics, selection …
In a flurry of post-war productivity, Niko Tinbergen re-established his lab in Leiden, wrote landmark papers and his famous book The Study of Instinct, and founded the journal Behaviour to serve the burgeoning field of ethology. Tinbergen and his senior assistant, Jan van Iersel…
Snake-eyed skinks are relatively small lizards of the genera Panaspis and Afroablepharus. Along with closely-related scincid taxa, the allocation of these genera has been constantly rearranged based on morphology, ecology and biogeography. Members of these genera occur primarily…
One of the fundamental questions in biology is the origin of species. Considerable insights into the processes that drive speciation have come from ancient lake systems. In this thesis, I present insights into speciation processes by investigating the species radiations of the a…
Laboratory experiments were designed to identify distinct biological attributes that might separate and help clarify the taxonomic status of one indigenous and six exotic populations of Diaeretiella rapae (M'Intosh). Experiments were conducted to investigate courtship and mating…
Oceanographic features such as currents, fronts and upwelling cells have been recognised as possible factors driving population differentiation within species. The Benguela Current is one of the oldest upwelling systems in the world, located off the west coast of Southern Africa…
This thesis explores the far-reaching impacts of sexual conflict over care on a suite of traits in the penduline tit family (Remizidae), further confirming the intricate relationships between parental care, mating systems and sexual selection. The results reveal the first geneti…
The evolution of isolating mechanisms within a species population impedes gene flow. This allows isolated populations to diverge along different trajectories, which may ultimately lead to the formation of new species. Our attempts to understand the evolution of isolating barrier…