University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Biology ETDs Electronic Theses and Dissertations 12-1-2010 Biogeography of alien vertebrates in the Galapagos Islands : patterns, processes, and conservation implications Reese Brand Phillips Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_etds Recommended Citation Phillips, Reese Brand. "Biogeography of alien vertebrates in the Galapagos Islands : patterns, processes, and conservation implications." (2010). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_etds/93 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biology ETDs by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. DEDICATION In memory of my mother, Evelyn “Pat” Starrak, and father, Jerry Phillips, neither of whom made it to see this milestone. This dissertation is dedicated to my wife, Holly Phillips, whose support and encouragement in this endeavor has never flagged, and whose belief in me has helped me attain my greatest academic goal. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am indebted to Howard Snell. At various times he has been my boss, advisor, and mentor, and in each role he has provided the right amount of support, patience, cajoling, or criticism. I will be forever thankful to him for his help in attaining this goal and for providing the opportunity to work in the Galápagos Islands, a dream of most biologists. I am grateful to my committee members. Bruce Milne and Jim Brown, provided valuable insight on early research ideas and remained patient when I changed direction. Their encouragement in the last phase was inspirational.