Island Biogeography

The theory of island biogeography, developed by Robert MacArthur and Edward O.

Wilson, looks to explain the differences in species diversity with island size (for example, why
large islands tend to have a greater number of species of a certain category than small
islands). They proposed that the number of species found on an island can be determined by a
balance between the immigration rate (or the movement of species onto the island from other
islands) and the extinction rate (or the rate at which species already on the island become
nonexistent). [Graph 1]

IMPORTANT CONCEPTS
• Equilibrium number of species, but constant turnover
• Migration slows as richness increases
• Extinction increases with richness
• Equilibrium = rate of extinction, rate of colonization intersect
• Colonization balances extinction

This theory also supposes that immigration and extinction rates are affected by the size
of the island and its distance from a non-island source of immigrant species [Graph 2]. In this
regard, a larger island has higher species diversity for two reasons: it is a larger target; giving it
a greater probability of becoming the home to immigrants, and it has a larger supply of
resources necessary to prevent extinctions.

Another prediction assumed by this theory is that an island's distance from a mainland
source of new immigrants, despite its size, is an important factor in species diversity. Even if
two islands are the exact same size and all other factors are constant, the island closest to the
mainland is more likely to attract a larger number of immigrant species due to its proximity and
convenience [Graph 3].

Island Size
• Richness = island size and distance from mainland
• Small islands
○ Less habitat
○ Smaller populations
○ Higher rates of extinction (intra,inter-specific competition)

Island Distance
 • Richness = island size and distance from mainland
• Distant islands: Lower rates of colonization

SPECIES–AREA RELATIONSHIP

S = cA z
S = species richness
c = constant, regionally specific richness
A = sampling plot size
z = constant, shape of curve (slope)