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This book summarizes major aspects of the evolution of South American metatherians, including their epistemologic, phylogenetic, biogeographic, faunal, tectonic, paleoclimatic, and metabolic contexts. A brief overview of the evolution of each major South American lineage ("Ameridelphia", Sparassodonta, Didelphimorphia, Paucituberculata, Microbiotheria, and Polydolopimorphia) is provided. It is argued that due to physiological constraints, metatherian evolution closely followed the conditions imposed by global temperatures. In general terms, during the Paleocene and the early Eocene multiple radiations of metatherian lineages occurred, with many adaptive types exploiting insectivorous, frugivorous, and omnivorous adaptive zones. In turn, a mixture of generalized and specialized types, the latter mainly exploiting carnivorous and granivorous-folivorous adaptive zones, characterized the second half of the Cenozoic. In both periods, climate was the critical driver of their radiation and turnovers.

Biology - General --- Biology --- Health & Biological Sciences --- Paleontology. --- Marsupials, Fossil --- Paleogeography --- Palaeogeography --- Marsupialia, Fossil --- Fossilogy --- Fossilology --- Palaeontology --- Paleontology, Zoological --- Paleozoology --- Physical geography --- Mammals, Fossil --- Historical geology --- Zoology --- Fossils --- Prehistoric animals in motion pictures --- Climatic changes. --- Environmental protection. --- Biodiversity. --- Biogeosciences. --- Climate Change. --- Effects of Radiation/Radiation Protection. --- Biological diversification --- Biological diversity --- Biotic diversity --- Diversification, Biological --- Diversity, Biological --- Biocomplexity --- Ecological heterogeneity --- Numbers of species --- Environmental quality management --- Protection of environment --- Environmental sciences --- Applied ecology --- Environmental engineering --- Environmental policy --- Environmental quality --- Changes, Climatic --- Changes in climate --- Climate change --- Climate change science --- Climate changes --- Climate variations --- Climatic change --- Climatic changes --- Climatic fluctuations --- Climatic variations --- Global climate changes --- Global climatic changes --- Climatology --- Climate change mitigation --- Teleconnections (Climatology) --- Environmental aspects --- Geobiology. --- Climate change. --- Radiation protection. --- Radiation—Safety measures. --- Radiation monitoring --- Radiation protection --- Earth sciences --- Biosphere --- Global environmental change