A book for both students and researchers in community ecology, palaeobiology and evolutionary biology. It summarises and synthesizes current knowledge of the determinants of species diversity and also examines the major scientific questions surrounding species coexistence. The author integrates contemporary ecological and evolutionary patterns with a consideration of various mechanisms and processes that underlie species coexistence.
Contents: Origination: the basis of coexistence; Origination and evolution of communities; Patterns in species richness: temporal dimension; Patterns in species richness: spatial dimension; Competition, co-operation and coexistence; The niche, resources and species assembly; Niche apportionment and relative abundances of coexisting species; Agent-mediated coexistence: predation and disturbance; Patchiness, heterogeneity and stochasticity; Traits affecting coexistence; Coexistence, stability and conservation.