The book focuses on geological history as the critical factor in determining the present biodiversity and landscapes of Amazonia. The different driving mechanisms for landscape evolution are explored by reviewing the history of the Amazonian Craton, the associated sedimentary basins, and the role of mountain uplift and climate change.

This book provdes an insight into the Meso- and Cenozoic record of Amazonia that was characterized by fluvial and long-lived lake systems and a highly diverse flora and fauna. This fauna includes giants such as the ca. 12 m long caiman Purussaurus, but also a varied fish fauna and fragile molluscs, whilst fossil pollen and spores form relics of ancestral swamps and rainforests.

Finally, a review the molecular datasets of the modern Amazonian rainforest and aquatic ecosystem, discussing the possible relations between the origin of Amazonian species diversity and the palaeogeographic, palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental evolution of northern South America. The multidisciplinary approach in evaluating the history of Amazonia has resulted in a comprehensive volume that provides novel insights into the evolution of this region.

Dedication to Thomas van der Hammen
List of contributors

Prologue (Thomas van der Hammen).

1 Introduction: Amazonia, landscape and species evolution (Carina Hoorn and Frank P. Wesselingh).

Part I Tectonic processes as driving mechanisms for palaeogeographical and palaeoenvironmental evolution in Amazonia

2 Geological evolution of the Amazonian Craton (Salomon B. Kroonenberg and Emond W.F. de Roever).

3 The Paleozoic Solimões and Amazonas basins and the Acre foreland basin of Brazil (Joaquim Ribeiro Wanderley-Filho, Jaime Fernandes Eiras, Paulo Roberto da Cruz Cunha and Paulus H. van der Ven).

4 Tectonic history of the Andes and sub-Andean zones: implications for the development of the Amazon drainage basin (Andres Mora, Patrice Baby, Martin Roddaz, Mauricio Parra, Stéphane Brusset, Wilber Hermoza and Nicolas Espurt).

5 Cenozoic sedimentary evolution of the Amazonian foreland basin system (Martin Roddaz, Wilber Hermoza, Andres Mora, Patrice Baby, Mauricio Parra, Frédéric Christophoul, Stéphane Brusset and Nicolas Espurt).

6 The Nazca Ridge and uplift of the Fitzcarrald Arch: implications for regional geology in northern South America (Nicolas Espurt, Patrice Baby, Stéphane Brusset, Martin Roddaz, Wilber Hermoza and Jocelyn Barbarand).

Part II Cenozoic depositional systems in Amazonia

7 The Amazonian Craton and its influence on past fluvial systems (Mesozoic-Cenozoic, Amazonia) (Carina Hoorn, Martin Roddaz, Rodolfo Dino, Emilio Soares, Cornelius Uba, Diana Ochoa-Lozano and Russell Mapes).

8 The development of the Amazonian mega-wetland (Miocene; Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia) (Carina Hoorn, Frank P. Wesselingh, Jussi Hovikoski and Javier Guerrero).

9 Marine influence in Amazonia: evidence from the geological record (Jussi Hovikoski, Frank P. Wesselingh, Matti Räsänen, Murray Gingras and Hubert B. Vonhof).

10 Megafan environments in northern South America and their impact on Amazon Neogene aquatic ecosystems (M. Justin Wilkinson, Larry G. Marshall, John G. Lundberg and Mikhail H. Kreslavsky).

11 Long-term landscape development processes in Amazonia (Georg Irion and Risto Kalliola).

Part III Amazonian climate, past and present

12 Climate variation in Amazonia during the Neogene and the Quaternary (Hubert B. Vonhof and Ron J.G. Kaandorp).

13 Modelling the response of Amazonian climate to the uplift of the Andean mountain range (Pierre Sepulchre, Lisa C. Sloan and Frédéric Fluteau).

14 Modern Andean rainfall variation during ENSO cycles and its impact on the Amazon drainage basin (Bodo Bookhagen and Manfred R. Strecker).

Part IV Cenozoic development of terrestrial and aquatic biota: insights from the fossil record

15 A review of Tertiary mammal faunas and birds from western Amazonia (Francisco Ricardo Negri, Jean Bocquentin-Villanueva, Jorge Ferigolo and Pierre-Olivier Antoine).

16 Neogene crocodile and turtle fauna in northern South America (Douglas Riff, Pedro Seyferth R. Romano, Gustavo Ribeiro Oliveira and Orangel A. Aguilera).

17 The Amazonian Neogene fish fauna (John G. Lundberg, Mark H. Sabaj Pérez, Wasila M. Dahdul and Orangel A. Aguilera).

18 Amazonian aquatic invertebrate faunas (Mollusca, Ostracoda) and their development over the past 30 million years (Frank P. Wesselingh and Maria-Inês F. Ramos).

19 The origin of the modern Amazon rainforest: implications of the palynological and palaeobotanical record (Carlos Jaramillo, Carina Hoorn, Silane A.F. Silva, Fatima Leite, Fabiany Herrera, Luis Quiroz, Rodolfo Dino and Luzia Antonioli).

20 Biotic development of Quaternary Amazonia: a palynological perspective (Hermann Behling, Mark Bush and Henry Hooghiemstra).

Part V Modern perspectives on the origin of Amazonian biota

21 Contribution of current and historical processes to patterns of tree diversity and composition of the Amazon (Hanster Steege, ATDN (Amazon Tree Diversity Network: collective author) and RAINFOR (The Amazon Forest Inventory Network: collective author).

22 Composition and diversity of northwestern Amazonian rainforests in a geoecological context (Joost F. Duivenvoorden and Alvaro J. Duque).

23 Diversifi cation of the Amazonian flora and its relation to key geological and environmental events: a molecular perspective (R. Toby Pennington and Christopher W. Dick).

24 Molecular studies and phylogeography of Amazonian tetrapods and their relation to geological and climatic models (Alexandre Antonelli, Adrián Quijada-Mascareñas, Andrew J. Crawford, John M. Bates, Paúl M. Velazco and Wolfgang Wüster).

25 Molecular signatures of Neogene biogeographical events in the Amazon fish fauna (Nathan R. Lovejoy, Stuart C. Willis and James S. Albert

Part VI Synthesis

26 On the origin of Amazonian landscapes and biodiversity: a synthesis (Frank P. Wesselingh, Carina Hoorn, Salomon B. Kroonenberg, Alexandre Antonelli, John G. Lundberg, Hubert B. Vonhof and Henry Hooghiemstra).

Index.

Color plate section is found facing

Companion website for this book: www.wiley.com/go/hoorn/amazonia