In addition to his role as co-discoverer of the theory of evolution by natural selection, Alfred Russel Wallace is regarded as one of the founding fathers of the discipline of biogeography. He, like Darwin, gained key insights from the study of islands. His book ‘Island Life: or the phenomena and causes of insular faunas and flora’ first published in 1880 provided a remarkable synthesis for the educated public, not only of what was then known about life on islands, but how the insights that islands provide contribute to our understanding of ‘the laws of distribution’ of life on Earth. I will ask how relevant is Wallace’s work today? What parts of his writing have withstood the test of time, and which haven’t?
Robert J. Whittaker is Emeritus Professor of Biogeography, University of Oxford. He was awarded the Alfred Russel Wallace award for his lifetime contribution to biogeography by the International Biogeography Society in January 2024. Robert is co-author of three books on aspects of biogeography and has published extensively on the theme of island biogeography.
