Past and future rapid environmental changes the spatial and evolutionary responses of terrestrial biota ; [proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop "Past and Future Rapid Environmental Changes: The Spatial and Evolutionary Responses of Terrestri

Numerous experts including ecologists, geneticists, paleontologists and climatologists, investigate the response of terrestrial organisms to changes in their environment. The volume comprises an introductory and a final chapter by the editors as well as another 35 contributions. These are divided into six sections: 1. past environmental changes - the late-Quaternary; 2. spatial responses to past changes; 3. mechanisms enabling spatial responses; 4. evolutionary responses to past changes; 5. mechanisms enabling evolutionary responses; 6. predicted future environmental changes and simulated responses. The overwhelming and unanimous conclusion of all contributors is that forecasted global environmental changes pose a severe threat to the integrity of ecosystems worldwide and to the survival of at least some species. Front Matter....Pages I-XIV Introduction....Pages 1-8 Front Matter....Pages 9-9 Past environmental changes: Characteristic features of Quaternary climate variations....Pages 11-29 Modelling late-Quaternary palaeoclimates and palaeobiomes....Pages 31-52 Front Matter....Pages 53-53 Spatial response of plant taxa to climate change: A palaeoecological perspective....Pages 55-72 The response of New Zealand forest diversity to Quaternary climates....Pages 73-80 Character of rapid vegetation and climate change during the late-glacial in southernmost South America....Pages 81-90 Holocene tree migration rates objectively determined from fossil pollen data....Pages 91-101 Flora and vegetation of the Quaternary temperate stages of NW Europe:Evidence for large-scale range changes....Pages 103-117 The response of beetles to Quaternary climate changes....Pages 119-127 Fossil Coleoptera assemblages in the Great Lakes region of North America: Past changes and future prospects....Pages 129-142 The response of Coleoptera to late-Quaternary climate changes:Evidence from north-east France....Pages 143-151 The spatial response of mammals to Quaternary climate changes....Pages 153-162 The spatial response of non-marine Mollusca to past climate changes....Pages 163-177 Front Matter....Pages 179-179 Reinterpreting the fossil pollen record of Holocene tree migration....Pages 181-193 Mechanisms of vegetation response to climate change....Pages 195-204 Plant invasions:Early and continuing expressions of global change....Pages 205-216 Invading into an ecologically non-uniform area....Pages 217-225 Migratory birds and climate change....Pages 227-238 Tree demography and migration:What stand level measurements can tell about the response of forests to climate change....Pages 239-254 Structural changes in the forest-tundra ecotone:A dynamic process....Pages 255-263 Front Matter....Pages 179-179 Modelling the structural response of vegetation to climate change....Pages 265-272 Front Matter....Pages 273-273 Species’ habitats in relation to climate, evolution, migration and conservation....Pages 275-286 The evolutionary response of vertebrates to Quaternary environmental change....Pages 287-302 The weight of internal and external constraints on Pupilla muscorum L. (Gastropoda:Stylommatophora) during the Quaternary in Europe....Pages 303-318 Late-Quaternary extinction of large mammals in northern Eurasia:A new look at the Siberian contribution....Pages 319-339 Front Matter....Pages 341-341 Variation in plant populations:History and chance or ecology and selection?....Pages 343-355 Genetics and adaptation to climate change:A case study of trees....Pages 357-370 Climate change and the reproductive biology of higher plants....Pages 371-380 Space and time as axes in intraspecific phylogeography....Pages 381-388 Migratory birds: Simulating adaptation to environmental change....Pages 389-400 Terrestrial invertebrates and climate change: Physiological and life-cycle adaptations....Pages 401-412 Front Matter....Pages 413-413 Forecast changes in the global environment:What they mean in terms of ecosystem responses on different time-scales....Pages 415-426 The biogeographic consequences of forecast changes in the global environment: Individual species’ potential range changes....Pages 427-440 Gap models, forest dynamics and the response of vegetation to climate change....Pages 441-453 Natural migration rates of trees: Global terrestrial carbon cycle implications....Pages 455-468 Seasonal features of global net primary productivity models for the terrestrial biosphere....Pages 469-483 Front Matter....Pages 485-485 Predicting the response of terrestrial biota to future environmental changes....Pages 487-504 Back Matter....Pages 505-523 Introduction / Brian Huntley, Wolfgang Cramer And Alan V. Morgan [and Others] -- Past Environmental Changes: Characteristic Features Of Quaternary Climate Variations / Patrick J. Bartlein -- Modelling Late-quaternary Palaeoclimates And Palaeobiomes / Nathalie De Noblet -- Spatial Response Of Plant Taxa To Climate Change: A Palaeoecological Perspective / Thompson Webb Iii -- The Response Of New Zealand Forest Diversity To Quaternary Climates / Matt S. Mcglone -- Character Of Rapid Vegetation And Climate Change During The Late-glacial In Southernmost South America / Vera Markgraf And Ray Kenny -- Holocene Tree Migration Rates Objectively Determined From Fossil Pollen Data / George A. King And Andrew A. Herstrom -- Flora And Vegetation Of The Quaternary Temperate Stages Of Nw Europe: Evidence For Large-scale Range Changes / Peter Coxon And Stephen Waldren -- The Response Of Beetles To Quaternary Climate Changes / Allan C. Ashworth. Edited By Brian Huntley ... [et Al.]. Proceedings Of The Nato Advanced Research Workshop Past And Future Rapid Environmental Changes--the Spatial And Evolutionary Responses Of Terrrestrial Biota, Held At Crieff, Scotland, June 26-30, 1995--t.p. Verso. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Overall aim of the workshop was to discuss four board topics: 1. The Quarternary palaeoecological and other evidence documenting the migration of biota in response to rapid environmental changes - 2. The Quaternary palaeontological evidence of evolutionary changes seen in some elements of terrestrial biota - 3. Ecological studies of those dispersal and population dynamic attitudes of organisms that contribute to their capacity to achieve rapid spatial responses to a changing environment and 4. Contemporary studies of micro-evolution and of population genetics that document adaptive responses to environmental change Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop "Past and Future Rapid Environmental Changes: The Spatial and Evolutionary Responses of Terrestrial Biota", held at Crieff, Scotland, June 26-30, 1995