The Theory of Island Biogeography Revisited [Paperback]

Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson'sThe Theory of Island Biogeography, first published by Princeton in 1967, is one of the most influential books on ecology and evolution to appear in the past half century. By developing a general mathematical theory to explain a crucial ecological problem--the regulation of species diversity in island populations--the book transformed the science of biogeography and ecology as a whole. InThe Theory of Island Biogeography Revisited, some of today's most prominent biologists assess the continuing impact of MacArthur and Wilson's book four decades after its publication. Following an opening chapter in which Wilson reflects on island biogeography in the 1960s, fifteen chapters evaluate and demonstrate how the field has extended and confirmed--as well as challenged and modified--MacArthur and Wilson's original ideas. Providing a broad picture of the fundamental ways in which the science of island biogeography has been shaped by MacArthur and Wilson's landmark work,The Theory of Island Biogeography Revisitedalso points the way toward exciting future research.

Jonathan B. Lososis professor in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and the curator of herpetology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University.Robert E. Ricklefsis the Curators' Professor of Biology at University of Missouri, St. Louis. This will be an invaluable work for students and faculty in ecology, evolution, or biogeography. [This book] deserve[s] to be widely read and heavily cited. ---Lawrence R. Heaney,Quarterly Review of Biology Even for die-hard predictionists (such as myself),The Theory of Island Biogeography Revisitedhas a wealth of ideas whose general predictive ability begs testing. ---David J. Currie,American Institute of Biological Sciences [T]his revisitation ofTTIBwill be very satisfying. Even for die-hard predictionists (such as myself),l*