Publisher's Synopsis
The once accepted theory that the Amazonian forests have remained stable for millions of years can no longer be held in the light of contemporary information. This is a critical appraisal of the available evidence on the history of Amazonia during the last 1.8 million years, reviewing the geology, geomorphology, palaeoclimatology, pedology, botany and zoology. There is special emphasis on neotropical birds, butterflies and plants. Much new material is introduced, along with background information and alternative hypotheses from other sources. The significance of the biogeographical studies for human activities is also discussed.
