Evolution and Ecology Program

EEP Books
Cambridge Studies in Adaptive Dynamics

Adaptive Speciation Edited by Ulf Dieckmann, Michael Doebeli, Johan A. J. Metz, and Diethard Tautz Cambridge University Press (2004). From the Back Cover Unraveling how biological diversity originates through speciation is fundamental to understanding the past, present and future of life on Earth. Promoting an ongoing paradigm shift, Adaptive Speciation elucidates how selection driven by biological interactions can trigger the adaptive splitting of lineages. Recent advances in speciation theory are carefully explained and confronted with celebrated empirical examples of speciation under natural selection. With an emphasis on potentially intricate interplay between geographic patterns and ecological processes of speciation, this book seeks to move beyond the default preception of speciation as mere side effect of geographic isolation. The resulting richer perspective enables adaptive speciation to be appreciated as a major force in the generation of biological diversity. Written for students and researchers alike, this book provides a thorough treatment of the newest developments in speciation science.


Introduction "[W]e hope to contribute to an intellectual process, vaguely akin to adaptive diversification itself, by freeing research on species formation from the constraint of always having to view speciation processes through the allopatric lens. The formation of new species appears to be more complex, and also more fascinating, than the traditional view suggests. Thus, a plea for pluralism: an open mind and a diverse array of perspectives will ultimately be required to understand speciation, the source of our planet's biodiversity."

Table of Contents Part A - Theories of Speciation Part B - Ecological Mechanisms of Speciation Part C - Patterns of Speciation

Book Review in The Quarterly Review of Biology "In the pile of recent speciation books that sit on the researcher's desk, this volume will be well worn with handwritten notes in the margins. Expect to highlight ideas for new directions in research, scribble exclamation points where known systems have been stretched thin to accommodate new ideas, and renew the appreciation for the importance of frequency-dependent selection."

Book Review in Ecology "The contributions are generally well written and synthesize a great deal of the primary literature. The thorough index is well cross-referenced and this alone makes the volume very useful for those interested in speciation. The presentation is aided by many excellent graphical representations, especially of simulation data, and the liberal use of boxes to provide details without disrupting the flow of arguments."

Book Review in Ecoscience "To conclude, despite sounding negative at times, the utility of this book is great. It provides an overview of speciation theory from several points of view and provides summaries of some of the best empirical research programs on speciation. The book provides fresh ideas and the chapters dealing explicitly with adaptive dynamics challenge the views of the modern synthesis. Ultimately, this book will be useful to anyone interested in speciation."

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