Biogeography was stuck in a "natural history phase" dominated by the
collection of data, the young Princeton biologists Robert H. MacArthur
and Edward O. Wilson argued in 1967. In this book, the authors developed
a general theory to explain the facts of island biogeography. The theory
builds on the first principles of population ecology and genetics to
explain how distance and area combine to regulate the balance between
immigration and extinction in island populations. The authors then test
the theory against data. The Theory of Island Biogeography was never
intended as the last word on the subject. Instead, MacArthur and Wilson
sought to stimulate new forms of theoretical and empirical studies,
which will lead in turn to a stronger general theory. Even a third of a
century since its publication, the book continues to serve that purpose
well. From popular books like David Quammen's Song of the Dodo to
arguments in the professional literature, The Theory of Island
Biogeography remains at the center of discussions about the geographic
distribution of species. In a new preface, Edward O. Wilson reviews the
origins and consequences of this classic book.