5 de October de 2020

November’s volume of Quaternary Science Review publishes a review of the book ‘Quaternary ecology, evolution and biogeography’, recently written by Valentí Rull, researcher at Geosciences Barcelona – CSIC (GEO3BCN-CSIC).

The review has been written by Henry Hooghiemstra, from Amsterdam University, and Suzette Flantua, from Bergen University. The article highlights that “an abundant number of books have been published on several aspects of […] the Quaternary, but few address this period from such a rich perspective”. The review also states that the book combines key aspects for scientists of different fields such as biogeographers, ecologists or paleoecologists “beyond an introductory level without feeling simplified or overwhelming”.

Hooghiemstra and Flantua notes the effort made by Rull to dedicate a strong argumentation in some parts of the book, mainly the introduction, to advocate for integration of ecology and paleoecology. The authors of the review remember Rull’s postulation that “there is no ecology of the past and another of the present but a single general ecology embracing both” , remembers the review.  According to the review, “this book shows that ecology and paleoecology are multi-facetted crystals allowing both disciplines to reach each other very closely.”Besides, they explain that ‘Quaternary ecology, evolution, and biogeography’ “contributes to make the spectrum of potential cooperation visible”.

Finally, the review underlines that the book is also “potentially attractive as a textbook for courses at the master’s level”.

Further information:

Hooghiemstra, Henry, and Suzette Flantua. 2020. “Book review” Quaternary Science Reviews 247: 106608.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2020.106608.