What do you think?
Rate this book
Island Life
As the co-formulator with Charles Darwin of the theory of biological evolution via natural selection, naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) argued that plant and animal species develop throughout organic history. Wallace focused special attention on the diversity of tropical life forms and became acutely aware of the adaptive relationship between each species and its particular environment: an ongoing relationship that is necessary for survival and reproduction. After amassing empirical evidence from the Malay Archipelago, Wallace wrote Island Life (1881) in order to document the dynamic realtionship between organisms and their climatic habitats. Anticipating our present concern with both endangered species and vanishing environments, Wallace's ecological studies helped substantiate the fact of evolution. This book is an excellent example of long-term research and the far-reaching insights such scientific projects hold for understanding and appreciating the evolving life on Earth.
522 pages, Paperback
First published February 11, 1880
14 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Alfred Russel Wallace
532 books89 followersAlfred Russel Wallace, OM, FRS was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist. He is best known for independently proposing a theory of natural selection which prompted Charles Darwin to publish his own theory.
Wallace did extensive fieldwork, first in the Amazon River basin and then in the Malay Archipelago, where he identified the Wallace Line that divides Indonesia into two distinct parts, one in which animals closely related to those of Australia are common, and one in which the species are largely of Asian origin. He was considered the 19th century's leading expert on the geographical distribution of animal species and is sometimes called the "father of biogeography". Wallace was one of the leading evolutionary thinkers of the 19th century and made a number of other contributions to the development of evolutionary theory besides being co-discoverer of natural selection. These included the concept of warning colouration in animals, and the Wallace effect, a hypothesis on how natural selection could contribute to speciation by encouraging the development of barriers against hybridization.
Wallace was strongly attracted to unconventional ideas. His advocacy of Spiritualism and his belief in a non-material origin for the higher mental faculties of humans strained his relationship with the scientific establishment, especially with other early proponents of evolution. In addition to his scientific work, he was a social activist who was critical of what he considered to be an unjust social and economic system in 19th-century Britain. His interest in biogeography resulted in his being one of the first prominent scientists to raise concerns over the environmental impact of human activity. Wallace was a prolific author who wrote on both scientific and social issues; his account of his adventures and observations during his explorations in Indonesia and Malaysia, The Malay Archipelago, was one of the most popular and influential journals of scientific exploration published during the 19th century.
Wallace did extensive fieldwork, first in the Amazon River basin and then in the Malay Archipelago, where he identified the Wallace Line that divides Indonesia into two distinct parts, one in which animals closely related to those of Australia are common, and one in which the species are largely of Asian origin. He was considered the 19th century's leading expert on the geographical distribution of animal species and is sometimes called the "father of biogeography". Wallace was one of the leading evolutionary thinkers of the 19th century and made a number of other contributions to the development of evolutionary theory besides being co-discoverer of natural selection. These included the concept of warning colouration in animals, and the Wallace effect, a hypothesis on how natural selection could contribute to speciation by encouraging the development of barriers against hybridization.
Wallace was strongly attracted to unconventional ideas. His advocacy of Spiritualism and his belief in a non-material origin for the higher mental faculties of humans strained his relationship with the scientific establishment, especially with other early proponents of evolution. In addition to his scientific work, he was a social activist who was critical of what he considered to be an unjust social and economic system in 19th-century Britain. His interest in biogeography resulted in his being one of the first prominent scientists to raise concerns over the environmental impact of human activity. Wallace was a prolific author who wrote on both scientific and social issues; his account of his adventures and observations during his explorations in Indonesia and Malaysia, The Malay Archipelago, was one of the most popular and influential journals of scientific exploration published during the 19th century.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 29, 2009
I found this book fascinating.
Alfred Russel Wallace is somewhat notorious as the man who nearly beat Charles Darwin to the punch, his paper On the Law which has regulated the Introduction of New Species. , Annals and Magazine of Natural History (ser. 2, 16: 184-196. Sep 1855), is a masterful work of intellect, and manages to sum up most of Darwin's arguments from On the Origin of Species in less than 2000 words.
Wallace thought deeply about issues of animal distribution, and Island Life represents the very beginning of the discipline we now call "Island Biogeography". Where it really gets interesting, though, is that at the time of Wallace's writing, the theory of plate tectonics had not been articulated. Wallace believed that land masses rise from the ocean and fall/erode back in, but had no idea that they drift over geological time frames. Reading his arguments now, with an understanding of modern place tectonics theory, one can't help but be impressed with the logical rigor he applies to construct a theory that we now know (to the best of our ability) is essentially completely wrong.
Alfred Russel Wallace is somewhat notorious as the man who nearly beat Charles Darwin to the punch, his paper On the Law which has regulated the Introduction of New Species. , Annals and Magazine of Natural History (ser. 2, 16: 184-196. Sep 1855), is a masterful work of intellect, and manages to sum up most of Darwin's arguments from On the Origin of Species in less than 2000 words.
Wallace thought deeply about issues of animal distribution, and Island Life represents the very beginning of the discipline we now call "Island Biogeography". Where it really gets interesting, though, is that at the time of Wallace's writing, the theory of plate tectonics had not been articulated. Wallace believed that land masses rise from the ocean and fall/erode back in, but had no idea that they drift over geological time frames. Reading his arguments now, with an understanding of modern place tectonics theory, one can't help but be impressed with the logical rigor he applies to construct a theory that we now know (to the best of our ability) is essentially completely wrong.
January 8, 2017
Read this if your interested in why animals exist where they exist and the history of how we came to know this. Wallace's attention to detail was important for this book at the time that it was written, but reading at this time made it tough to get through some sections. I much preferred the second section and the last few chapters were incredible. The first section was a bit of a slog, although it is essential information and was still fascinating. The prologue is important to read as it puts Wallace's view at the time in perspective with our more modern understanding.
read-partial
June 16, 2014Wallace's knowledge of animal and plant species of the world was truly phenomenal, allowing him to notice differences in their geographical distribution that would lead to his theorizing on evolution and spawn the field of biogeography. Not rated as I only managed to read a couple of introductory chapters without progressing to the latter ones discussing the more unique bioregions on the planet.
October 30, 2012
Read this book! If you have an interest in natural history of the study of evolution, than take the time to read this book. Wallace was a talented observer of life and his ideas are really quite brilliant.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews