The Amazonian rainforest is arguably the most species-rich terrestrial ecosystem in the
world, yet the timing of the origin and evolutionary causes of this diversity are a matter of …

Islands have long provided material and inspiration for the study of evolution and ecology.
The West Indies are complex historically and geographically, providing a rich backdrop for …

There is a considerable controversy about whether western Amazonia was ever covered by
marine waters during the Miocene [23 to 5 Ma (million years ago)]. We investigated the …

Abstract Late Pliocene and Pleistocene climatic instability has been invoked to explain the
buildup of Neotropical biodiversity, although other theories date Neotropical diversification …

Abstract Northern South America experienced significant changes in drainage patterns
during the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean. Disappearance of a mega-wetland in the …

Abstract The scenery of Western Amazonia once consisted of fluvial systems that originated
on the Amazonian Craton and were directed towards the sub-Andean zone and the …

We review the Neogene geologic history of lowland Amazonia in an attempt to focus
attention on areas of agreement, as well as areas in dispute, in this research arena. We …

Amazonian rivers contain a remarkable fauna of endemic species derived from taxa that
generally occur in oceans and seas. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the …

Stable isotopes have been extensively used to trace element cycles and their incorporation
into food webs. This chapter provides a brief introduction to the principles of using stable …

The fish fauna of trans-Andean river basins in northwestern South America is ancient and
diverse, including 14%(558 of 4,085) of all Neotropical teleost species and representing …