The latest volume of “The Year in Evolutionary Biology” series of the <i>Annals </i>features six synthetic reviews and two perspectives.  Several of these contributions address issues related to speciation, ranging from a synthesis of research on two continents on the fascinating adaptive radiation of crossbills to an evaluation of how differences in gene expression affect the process of ecological speciation.<br /><br />Other papers featured papers include:</p><ul><li>a meta-analysis of publications on allopatric versus sympatric speciation </li><li>an evaluation of patterns of adaptation to climatic variation focused on phenotypic plasticity in response to global climate change</li><li>a look at the genetic controls of plant stress responses from an evolutionary viewpoint</li><li>new perspectives on the evolution of life histories</li><li>an evolutionary analysis of the causes and consequences of persistent human diseases</li></ul><p>NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit .</p><p>ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit for more information about becoming a member.</p>