The Monkey's Voyage : How Improbable Journeys Shaped the History of Life

Throughout the world, closely related species are found on landmasses separated by wide stretches of ocean. What explains these far-flung distributions? Why are such species found where they are across the Earth? Since the discovery of plate tectonics, scientists have conjectured that plants and animals were scattered over the globe by riding pieces of ancient supercontinents as they broke up. In the past decade, however, that theory has foundered, as the genomic revolution has made reams of new data available. And the data has revealed an extraordinary, stranger-than-fiction story that has sparked a scientific upheaval. In The Monkey's Voyage , biologist Alan de Queiroz describes the radical new view of how fragmented distributions came into being: frogs and mammals rode on rafts and icebergs, tiny spiders drifted on storm winds, and plant seeds were carried in the plumage of sea-going birds to create the map of life we see today. In other words, these organisms were not simply constrained by continental fate; they were the makers of their own geographic destiny. And as de Queiroz shows, the effects of oceanic dispersal have been crucial in generating the diversity of life on Earth, from monkeys and guinea pigs in South America to beech trees and kiwi birds in New Zealand. By toppling the idea that the slow process of continental drift is the main force behind the odd distributions of organisms, this theory highlights the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the history of life. In the tradition of John McPhee's Basin and Range , The Monkey's Voyage is a beautifully told narrative that strikingly reveals the importance of contingency in history and the nature of scientific discovery. Throughout The World, Closely Related Species Are Found On Landmasses Separated By Wide Stretches Of Ocean. What Explains These Far-flung Distributions? Why Are Such Species Found Where They Are Across The Earth? Since The Discovery Of Plate Tectonics, Scientists Have Conjectured That Plants And Animals Were Scattered Over The Globe By Riding Pieces Of Ancient Supercontinents As They Broke Up. In The Past Decade, However, That Theory Has Foundered, As The Genomic Revolution Has Made Reams Of New Data Available. And The Data Has Revealed An Extraordinary, Stranger-than-fiction Story That Has Sparked A Scientific Upheaval. In The Monkey's Voyage, Biologist Alan De Queiroz Describes The Radical New View Of How Fragmented Distributions Came Into Being: Frogs And Mammals Rode On Rafts And Icebergs, Tiny Spiders Drifted On Storm Winds, And Plant Seeds Were Carried In The Plumage Of Sea-going Birds To Create The Map Of Life We See Today. In Other Words, These Organisms Were Not Simply Constrained By Continental Fate; They Were The Makers Of Their Own Geographic Destiny. And As De Queiroz Shows, The Effects Of Oceanic Dispersal Have Been Crucial In Generating The Diversity Of Life On Earth, From Monkeys And Guinea Pigs In South America To Beech Trees And Kiwi Birds In New Zealand. By Toppling The Idea That The Slow Process Of Continental Drift Is The Main Force Behind The Odd Distributions Of Organisms, This Theory Highlights The Dynamic And Unpredictable Nature Of The History Of Life.-- Introduction: Of Garter Snakes And Gondwana -- Section 1: Earth And Life. From Noah's Ark To New York : The Roots Of The Story -- The Fragmented World -- Over The Edge Of Reason -- New Zealand Stirrings -- Section 2: Trees And Time. The Dna Explosion -- Believe The Forest -- Section 3: The Improbable, The Rare, The Mysterious, And The Miraculous. The Green Web -- A Frog's Tale -- The Monkey's Voyage -- The Long, Strange History Of The Gondwanan Islands -- Section 4: Transformations. The Structure Of Biogeographic Revolutions -- A World Shaped By Miracles -- Epilogue : The Driftwood Coast. Alan De Queiroz. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Throughout the world, closely related species are found on landmasses separated by wide stretches of ocean. What explains these far-flung distributions? Why are species found where they are across the Earth? Since the discovery of plate tectonics, scientists have long conjectured that plants and animals were scattered over the globe by riding pieces of ancient supercontinents as they broke up. In the past decade, however, that theory has foundered, as the genomic revolution has made reams of new genetic data available. And the data has revealed an extraordinary, stranger-than-fiction story that has sparked a scientific revolution. In The Monkey's Voyage , biologist Alan de Queiroz introduces a radical new theory of how species as diverse as monkeys, baobab trees, and burrowing lizards made incredible long-distance ocean crossings: pregnant animals and wind-blown plants rode rafts and icebergs and even stowed away on the legs of sea-going birds to create the map of life we see today. In other words, these organisms were not merely victims of continental fate; they were masters of their geographic destiny. And as de Queiroz shows, the effects of oceanic dispersal have been crucial in generating the diversity of life on Earth, from monkeys and guinea pigs in South America to beech trees and kiwi birds in New Zealand. By toppling the idea that the slow process of continental drift drove odd distributions of organisms, this new theory highlights the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the history of life. In the tradition of John McPhees Basin and Range , The Monkey's Voyage is a beautifully told narrative of a profound investigation into the importance of contingency in history and the nature of scientific discovery. "Throughout the world, closely related species are found on landmasses separated by wide stretches of ocean. What explains these far-flung distributions? Why are such species found where they are across the Earth? Since the discovery of plate tectonics, scientists have conjectured that plants and animals were scattered over the globe by riding pieces of ancient supercontinents as they broke up. In the past decade, however, that theory has foundered, as the genomic revolution has made reams of new data available. And the data has revealed an extraordinary, stranger-than-fiction story that has sparked a scientific upheaval. In The Monkey's Voyage, biologist Alan de Queiroz describes the radical new view of how fragmented distributions came into being: frogs and mammals rode on rafts and icebergs, tiny spiders drifted on storm winds, and plant seeds were carried in the plumage of sea-going birds to create the map of life we see today. In other words, these organisms were not simply constrained by continental fate; they were the makers of their own geographic destiny. And as de Queiroz shows, the effects of oceanic dispersal have been crucial in generating the diversity of life on Earth, from monkeys and guinea pigs in South America to beech trees and kiwi birds in New Zealand. By toppling the idea that the slow process of continental drift is the main force behind the odd distributions of organisms, this theory highlights the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the history of life."-- From publisher's description How did species wind up where they are today? Scientists have long conjectured that plants and animals dispersed throughout the world by drifting on large landmasses as they broke up, but in The Monkey?s Voyage , biologist Alan de Queiroz offers a radical new theory that displaces this passive view. He describes how species as diverse as monkeys, baobab trees, and burrowing lizards made incredible long-distance ocean crossings: pregnant animals and wind-blown plants rode rafts and icebergs and even stowed away on the legs of sea-going birds to create the map of life we see today. In the tradition of John McPhee's Basin and Range and David Quammen's The Song of the Dodo , The Monkey?s Voyage is a beautifully told narrative of a profound investigation into the importance of contingency in history and the nature of scientific discovery An evolutionary biologist describes how diverse species of life--including monkeys, frogs and baobab trees--made long-distance trips across the ocean and made their homes around the world, opposing the long-held theory of continental drift. --Publisher's description In the vein of John McPhee's Annals of the Former World, a lyrical narrative describing a new theory of how species dispersal occurred through ocean crossings