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E-book Biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands : Science and Conservation

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Penilaian

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The Portuguese explorer Francisco Newton was one of thefirst naturalists todedicate almost one decade to the study of the outstanding diversity of the Gulf ofGuinea oceanic islands. The collections he made, in what was largely unexploredterritory for science, allowed the description of dozens of new species and began toreveal intriguing biogeographic patterns. Gazing at the species he was collecting,many of which would turn out to be endemic, the naturalist found them so spectac-ular that he dared to suggest the islands could be the remains of the mythicalcontinent of Atlantis. While this suggestion lacks any scientific basis, it is a perfectexample of the sense of awe that the biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea oceanicislands imparts to any naturalist who visits them. Although Newton’s“Atlantishypothesis”did not gain traction, other comparisons between these islands andother iconic places around the world have since been proposed. A quick searchabout these islands on the Internet, newspapers, popular magazines, or tourismadvertisements will likelyfind them labeled as“a paradise on Earth”or“theGalapagos of Africa.”The Galapagos archipelago in the Pacific Ocean is one of the most famous group of islands for naturalists and wildlife enthusiasts, especiallydue to their role in British naturalist Charles Darwin’s (1809–1882) genesis of thetheory of evolution through natural selection. The observation of the diverse envi-ronments, unique species, and incredible adaptations of the Galapagos fauna andflora were fundamental to Darwin’s growing body of evidence, forever linking theGalapagos to the theory of evolution. Darwin never setfoot in the Gulf of Guinea butthe type of evidence he found in the Galapagos is also abundantly available in theseoceanic islands. Thus, the label“the Galapagos of Africa”is certainlyfitting.1 Biodiversity in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: A Synthesis3Since their emergencemillionsof years ago, due to the activity of the CameroonVolcanic Line, the islands of Príncipe, São Tomé, and Annobón have been isolatedfrom the African continent. Their prolonged isolation and complex geologicalhistory led to the evolution of unique species that sustain distinctive ecosystems.Humans arrived approximately 500 years ago, when Portuguese navigators foundthese uninhabited islands teeming with biodiversity. Since then, human impact onthe islands has increased considerably, with lasting impacts to both the landscapeand biodiversity. The human impact on the biota has been considerable, and anumber of species and ecosystems are now threatened.

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Ketersediaan

Informasi Detail

Judul Seri

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No. Panggil

577 ALM b

Penerbit

Switzerland : Springer Nature., 2022

Deskripsi Fisik

707 hlm

Bahasa

English

ISBN/ISSN

9783031061530

Klasifikasi

577

Tipe Isi

text

Tipe Media

computer

Tipe Pembawa

online resource

Edisi

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Subjek

Ecology

Info Detail Spesifik

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Pernyataan Tanggungjawab

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Versi lain/terkait

Lampiran Berkas

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