Island Biogeography

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation

Second Edition

Robert J. Whittaker and Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios

Provides a new, inclusive synthesis of island biogeography for an advanced student readership
New, self-contained, case studies enhance the main text
Sets out a future research agenda for the field
Ideal graduate seminar course material
Documents the recent advances in island ecology and evolution as well as their application to conservation problems
Expanded coverage of conservation and management issues

New to this Edition:

The book has been reorganised into four parts, each of three chapters, with the island ecology chapters now preceding the island evolution.
Two new chapters have been added: the first of which draws together recent theoretical developments in island ecology. The second divides what was the last chapter in the first edition, to provide increased emphasis on conservation problems and solutions on islands.
The material on island environmental histories has been considerably updated, and there is a lot of new material derived from phylogenetic studies on islands, which is reflected in a much revised chapter on the emergent models of island evolution.
The reference list has been greatly expanded, reflecting the large amount of new work published since the first edition was written.

Island Biogeography

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation

Second Edition

Robert J. Whittaker and Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios

Description

Island biogeography is the study of the distribution and dynamics of species in island environments. Due to their isolation from more widespread continental species, islands are ideal places for unique species to evolve, but they are also places of concentrated extinction. Not surprisingly, they are widely studied by ecologists, conservationists and evolutionary biologists alike.
There is no other recent textbook devoted solely to island biogeography, and a synthesis of the many recent advances is now overdue. This second edition builds on the success and reputation of the first, documenting the recent advances in this exciting field and explaining how islands have been used as natural laboratories in developing and testing ecological and evolutionary theories. In addition, the book describes the main processes of island formation, development and eventual demise, and explains the relevance of island environmental history to island biogeography. The authors demonstrate the huge significance of islands as hotspots of biodiversity, and as places from which disproportionate numbers of species have been extinguished by human action in historical time. Many island species are today threatened with extinction, and this work examines both the chief threats to their persistence and some of the mitigation measures that can be put in play with conservation strategies tailored to islands.

Island Biogeography

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation

Second Edition

Robert J. Whittaker and Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios

Part 1 - Islands as Natural Laboratories
1: The natural laboratory paradigm
2: Island environments
3: The biogeography of island life: biodiversity hotspots in context
Part 2- Island Ecology
4: Species number games: the macroecology of island biotas
5: Community assembly and dynamics
6: Scale and island ecological theory: towards a new synthesis
Part 3- Island Evolution
7: Arrival and change
8: Speciation and the island condition
9: Emergent models of island evolution
Part 4- Islands and Conservation
10: Island theory and conservation
11: Anthropogenic losses and threats to island ecosystems
12: Island remedies: the conservation of islands ecosystems

Island Biogeography

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation

Second Edition

Robert J. Whittaker and Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios

Author Information

Robert J. Whittaker, School of Geography, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, and Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios, Departamento de Ecologia, Facultad de Biologia, Universidad de La Laguna

Island Biogeography

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation

Second Edition

Robert J. Whittaker and Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios

Reviews and Awards

This is an exceptionally exciting time in the development of island biogeography, and the authors of this book have done us a great service in clarifying where we have been and hlping to point the way forwards. - Lawrence R. Heaney, Journal of Biogeography (2007) 34, 1832