This book presents a revised history of early biogeography and investigates the split in taxonomic practice, between the classification of taxa and the classification of vegetation. It moves beyond the traditional belief that biogeography is born from a synthesis of Darwin and Wallace and focuses on the important pioneering work of earlier practitioners such as Zimmermann, Stromeyer, de Candolle and Humboldt.

Tracing the academic history of biogeography over the decades and centuries, this book recounts the early schisms in phyto and zoogeography, the shedding of its bonds to taxonomy, its adoption of an ecological framework and its beginnings at the dawn of the 20th century. This book assesses the contributions of key figures such as Zimmermann, Humboldt and Wallace and reminds us of the forgotten influence of plant and animal geographers including Stromeyer, Prichard and de Candolle, whose early attempts at classifying animal and plant geography would inform later progress.th and 19 th century plant and animal geography and why it is relevant to the 21 st bio geographer.

Presents a revised history of biogeographical classification that emphasises aspects not often covered in historical accounts Essential text for biogeographers wishing to understand the history of their field The first comprehensive text to reveal the split in biological classification in early plant and animal geography Contains the first English translation of the introduction to Commentatio inauguralis, sistens historiae vegetabilium geographicae specimen by Friedrich Stromeyer (1800), the first phytogeographical text to cover global plant distributions

Inhalt

Prologue.- Chapter 1. A History of Biogeography for the 21st century Biogeographer.- Chapter 2 Origins, Race & Distribution.- Chapter 3. Humboldt, Stromeyer and Candolle.- Chapter 4. Classification Divided.- Chapter 5. Plant and Animal Geography in Practise: Maps, Regions and Regionalisation.- Chapter 6. The Legacy of 19th Century Plant and Animal Geography.- Epilogue.- Biosketches.- Appendix. Translation of the Introduction to Commentatio Inauguralis Sistens Historiae Vegetablium Geographiae Specimen by Friedrich Stromeyer (1800)(Translation by Mark Garland).