The importance of the Neotropics to the world's climate, biogeochemical cycling and biodiversity cannot be questioned. This book suggests that gradients are key to understanding both these issues and Neotropical ecosystem structure, function and dynamics in general. Those gradients are either spatial, temporal or spatio-temporal, where many temporal and spatio-temporal gradients are initiated by disturbances (e.g., tree-fall, landslide, cultivation). And in particular for the Neotropics, three large spatial gradients - latitude, longitude, altitude (elevation) - are of critical importance. The editor has over 30 years of experience investigating Neotropical gradients in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Peru and Ecuador, and has published 5 previous books on different aspects of the Neotropics. Once again he has assembled top-shelf Neotropical scientists and researchers, here to focus on gradients: their nature, interactions and how they structure ecosystems.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the patterns of biodiversity in various neotropical ecosystems, as well as a discussion on their historical biogeographies and underlying diversification processes. All chapters were written by prominent researchers in the fields of tropical biology, molecular ecology, climatology, paleoecology, and geography, producing an outstanding collection of essays, synthetic analyses, and novel investigations that describe and improve our understanding of the biodiversity of this unique region. With chapters on the Amazon and Caribbean forests, the Atlantic rainforests, the Andes, the Cerrado savannahs, the Caatinga drylands, the Chaco, and Mesoamerica – along with broad taxonomic coverage – this book summarizes a wide range of hypotheses, views, and methods concerning the processes and mechanisms of neotropical diversification. The range of perspectives presented makes the book a truly comprehensive, state-of-the-art publication on the topic, which will fascinate both scientists and general readers alike.

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) provide fundamental ecosystem functions and services, like nutrient cycling, bioturbation, secondary seed dispersal, parasite and fly control, and soil fertilization, but land use transformation, has negatively impacted their diversity and processes. For the last four decades, dung beetles have been used as one of the most crucial insect groups for analyzing and monitoring biodiversity in natural temperate and tropical ecosystems, and their anthropogenic ecosystem´s derivatives. Dung beetles seem to be declining mainly for the forest conversion to agrosystems and others ecosystems transformed by human activity in the Neotropical region. Our knowledge of the dung beetle responses to the transformation of their original habitat has increased over the last two decades in the Neotropical region. However, the knowledge on the taxonomy, ecology, biology, and the factors producing the anthropogenic activity on Neotropical dung beetles has not been met and analyzed in full. This Research Topic synthesizes the knowledge on the diversity, taxonomy, and biology of the dung beetle species in the Neotropical region. The structure of this Research Topic is composed of two sections. In the first section, articles may be original research papers or reviews on the knowledge of the dung beetles diversity in each country of the Neotropical region, including species diversity and their response to land use and habitat fragmentation. Articles on the second section may be original research papers or reviews on the following Research Topics: • Taxonomy of Neotropical dung beetles and their preservation in Institutional collections • The methodology used to analyze the spatial distribution and monitoring of dung beetles • The response of dung beetles to habitat loss and modification to the landscape in different countries and Neotropical biomes: Cloud forest, Tropical rain forest, Subtropical forest, Cerrado, Caatinga, Paramo, Pampa, Pantanal, and others • The physiological responses of dung beetles to anthropogenic disturbance in the Neotropics • The biology and reproductive behavior of Neotropical dung beetles • The genetics of Neotropical dung beetle • Dung beetle interaction with other species and its role as a secondary dispersal • The relationship between dung beetles and Mesoamerican cultures

The fish faunas of continental South and Central America constitute one of the greatest concentrations of aquatic diversity on Earth, consisting of about 10 percent of all living vertebrate species. Historical Biogeography of Neotropical Freshwater Fishes explores the evolutionary origins of this unique ecosystem. The chapters address central themes in the study of tropical biodiversity: why is the Amazon basin home to so many distinct evolutionary lineages? What roles do ecological specialization, speciation, and extinction play in the formation of regional assemblages? How do dispersal barriers contribute to isolation and diversification? Focusing on whole faunas rather than individual taxonomic groups, this volume shows that the area’s high regional diversity is not the result of recent diversification in lowland tropical rainforests. Rather, it is the product of species accumulating over tens of millions of years and across a continental arena.

True bugs (Heteroptera) are a diverse and complex group of plant-feeding and predatory insects important to food production, human health, the global economy and the environment. Within the nearly 43,000 species described around the world, Neotropical true bugs are particularly diverse, and much remains to be discovered about their biology and relations with other species. Inspired by the need for a comprehensive assessment, True Bugs (Heteroptera) of the Neotropics is the most complete and thorough review ever published. Experts in each of the seven infraorders have drawn together the scattered literature to provide detailed treatments of each major taxon. The most common and important species as well as select lesser known species in each major family are covered, highlighting morphology, classification, biology and ecology. The numerous color illustrations highlight key species and their adaptations, and importance to basic and applied sciences is discussed. Each chapter is based on an up-to-date review of the literature, and with a bibliography of more than 3,000 references, readers are presented with an unprecedented and vital and timely account of the true bugs of the Neotropical Region.

The acclaimed guide to the ecology and natural history of the American tropics—now fully updated and expanded The New Neotropical Companion is the completely revised and expanded edition of a book that has helped thousands of people to understand the complex ecology and natural history of the most species-rich area on Earth, the American tropics. Featuring stunning color photos throughout, it is a sweeping and cutting-edge account of tropical ecology that includes not only tropical rain forests but also other ecosystems such as cloud forests, rivers, savannas, and mountains. This is the only guide to the American tropics that is all-inclusive, encompassing the entire region's ecology and the amazing relationships among species rather than focusing just on species identification. The New Neotropical Companion is a book unlike any other. Here, you will learn how to recognize distinctive ecological patterns of rain forests and other habitats and to interpret how these remarkable ecosystems function—everything is explained in clear and engaging prose free of jargon. You will also be introduced to the region's astonishing plant and animal life. Informative and entertaining, The New Neotropical Companion is a pleasurable escape for armchair naturalists, and visitors to the American tropics will want to refer to this book before, during, and after their trip. Covers all of tropical America Describes the species and habitats most likely to be observed by visitors Includes every major ecosystem, from lowland rain forests to the high Andes Features a wealth of color photos of habitats, plants, and animals