Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Introduction -- The case of the green-backed heron -- Areography -- This book -- 2. Range edges -- Abiotic and biotic factors -- Population dynamics -- Genetics -- 3. Range size -- Extents of occurrence and areas of occupancy -- Which range? -- Species-range size distributions -- Patterns in range size variation -- 4. Abundance structure -- Intraspecific abundance distributions -- Intraspecific abundance-range size relationships -- Environmental gradients and response curves -- Abundance profiles -- 5. Implications -- Range contractions and extinctions -- Protected areas -- Climate change -- Aliens -- Reintroductions -- Final words. A synthesis of present understanding of the structure of the geographic ranges of species, which is a core issue in ecology and biogeography with implications for many of the environmental issues presently facing humankind.