Biogeografía 8

[Tania Escalante]

Estimados colegas,

adjunto encontrarán el nuevo número del boletín de la SEBA, Biogeografía.

Espero les sea de utilidad.

Tania Escalante

[Tania Escalante]

Editorial

If one were to put all the elements of biogeography together in one picture the result might be something like the cover photograph by César Miguel Talonia. The view presented is one of sea, lowlands, and mountains – all the principal components in the evolution of landscapes and life. How, when, and where these factors have influenced each other is an enduring question for biogeographers - whether one’s concern is with local questions of habitat and climate, the role of geology and tectonics, the origin of individual lineages, or the development of biogeographic methods and biogeographic classification.

With such a wide range of prospective considerations it is no wonder that the science of biogeography remains a dynamic and challenging subject. And per-haps it always will be. Perhaps there will never be a ‘unified’ synthesis and maybe there need not be. Diversity of theories, ideas, method, insights – these are what prevent the science of biogeography from becoming dull and boring.

The broad scope and range of biogeographic investigation continues to be evident in volume 8 of Biogeografía, and begins with the two Lead Articles. Technical advances in methodology, especially computer aided algorithms, can some-times have a mesmerizing hold on our imagination and it is all too tempting to find a solution at the click of a mouse. But as Robert Anderson points out for the study of ecology and distribution, it is not just a matter of ‘click, click, click! The second lead article by Ignacio Ferro also explores conceptual and methodological issues, this time in reference to the concept of biogeographic affinity and different ways this may be understood with respect to geography and topography, particularly with reference to the identification of transition from one biogeographic affinity to another.

Biogeography may often seem like an esoteric academic subject, but it can have potential or even actual influence on our stewardship of the planet. The practi-cal considerations for this goal are, however, quite daunting as outlined by Tania Escalante and Ricardo Morales who emphasize the need to continue developing both the methodology and theory of biogeography to improve practical approaches to conserving biodiversity. And perhaps equally challenging is to understand the ‘foot print’ of the geological past on the present as López-Almirall reflects in his article on the origins of the Neotropical flora.

The final two articles concern SEBA. Tania Escalante and José Carlos Guer-rero reviewed SEBA membership, noting that the council now has representatives of almost all continents, and that a survey supported transforming the Bulletin to open access journal – a goal that would rely on active participation and commitment of all members. Journals succeed by their content and willingness of people to review arti-cles. One aspect of biogeography that is still largely absent from the literature is the personal experience of biogeography – which individuals work on and what excites them in their work and their actual experiences with places and the study of animals and plants. Personal experiences may seem personally mundane, but to everyone else they can be a new window into the world. We hope to see more of this kind of input in the future. And it seems all the more appropriate that this volume of the Bulletin concludes with a review of the second SEBA meeting by César Miguel Talonia that again highlights the diversity of biogeographic thinking, and also raises some extremely critical pragmatic questions such as the biogeographic impacts of climate change. We look forward to seeing more of this diversity continue in the Bulletin or its successor journal.

John Grehan
Tania Escalante
Elkin Noguera-Urbano
César Miguel-Talonia
Editors, SEBA Bulletin, 2015