Originally published in Great Britain by William Collins in 2023. Includes index.
Contents:
Preface -- What is Africa? -- Gondwana's core -- Dawn and consequences from chance -- Afloat on planet ocean (adrift and heading North) -- Global wobbles and climate change -- Habitats defined by plants -- Emigration and immigration -- Diversity--highs and lows -- Succession -- Diseases and plagues -- Louder, softer, bigger, smaller, faster, slower, duller, brighter -- Behaviour drives morphology -- Ecological elders -- Import and export of primates -- Slow but smart -- The boreal, latitudinal realm -- The austral, longitudinal realm -- Niche-thieves -- Out of Africa and back again--the Banda Strandlopers -- Translating nature -- Mind and memory -- Process as principle.
Summary:
Origin Africa is a unique introduction to the natural history and evolution of the most misrepresented continent on Earth. Celebrated evolutionary biologist and artist Jonathan Kingdon, a leading expert on the natural history of Africa, tells this extraordinary story as no one else can. Featuring a wealth of photographs and illustrations, the book is both a visual and narrative feast. Africa is the richest continent, containing every habitat from desert to tropical forest and the widest range of plants and animals found anywhere. It has experienced extraordinary climate fluctuations, meteor bombardment, and cataclysmic volcanic eruptions. Yet life has not only survived but evolved almost countless species. One group of primates evolved out of this crucible and moved out of Africa to dominate every continent on Earth. Africa has properties that ensure that most of human evolution couldn't have occurred anywhere else. A fascinating story told as never before, Origin Africa chronicles how the natural conditions of Africa enabled a spectacular evolution of plants and animals, including Homo sapiens.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.