In 1847, Karl Bergmann proposed that temperature gradients are the key to understanding geographic variation in the body sizes of warm‐blooded animals. Yet both the geographic patterns of body‐size variation and their underlying mechanisms remain controversial. Here, we conduct the first assemblage‐level global examination of ‘Bergmann’s rule’ within an entire animal class. We generate global maps of avian body size and demons...

Aim Using a global data base of the distribution of extant bird species, we examine the evidence for spatial variation in the evolutionary origins of contemporary avian diversity. In particular, we assess the possible role of the timing of mountain uplift in promoting diversification in different regions. Location Global. Methods We mapped the distribution of avian richness at four taxonomic levels on an equal‐area 1° grid. We...

The management of landscapes for biological conservation and ecologically sustainable natural resource use are crucial global issues. Research for over two decades has resulted in a large literature, yet there is little consensus on the applicability or even the existence of general principles or broad considerations that could guide landscape conservation. We assess six major themes in the ecology and conservation of landscap...

Spatial patterns of species richness follow climatic and environmental variation, but could reflect random dynamics of species ranges (the mid‐domain effect, MDE). Using data on the global distribution of birds, we compared predictions based on energy availability (actual evapotranspiration, AET, the best single correlate of avian richness) with those of range dynamics models. MDE operating within the global terrestrial area p...

Abalone populations have declined dramatically in southern California. The white abalone ( Haliotis sorenseni ) is now ( 2001) on the federal endangered species list. To aid in the restoration of white, pink ( H. corrugata ), and green abalone ( H. fulgens ), productive marine protected areas need to be selected. We used spatially explicit fishery data (1950–1995) to identify the most productive marine areas in southern Califo...