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Abstract
Species-range-size distributions have received remarkably little attention in contrast
to species-abundance distributions. However, recognition of the importance of regional
scale phenomena for local assemblage structure, and the emergence of 'macroecology',
have begun to change this situation. A growing number of studies suggests that these
distributions are, in general, approximately lognormal, although interpretation is
complicated by a variety of factors. Assuming the distribution pattern to be real,
it can be viewed in terms of evolutionary and ecological determinants of species occurrences,
although their relative significance remains unclear. The form of the distribution
has a variety of important consequences, particularly for inventories of faunas and
floras and for conservation.