Preface; Part I. Introduction: Theoretical and Experimental Studies: 1. Introduction; 2. Theoretical and experimental colonization; Part II. Natural Recolonization after Devastation: 3. A clean slate?; 4. Life returns- primary colonization of devastated surfaces; Part III. The Recolonization of Devastated Islands: 5. Recovering island biotas: volcano and Barcena; 6. Thera, Santorini group, Mediterranean; 7. Long and Ritter Islands, Bismarck Sea; 8. Krakatau, Sunda Strait; Part IV. Assembly of Biotas on New Islands: 9. Lake Wisdom- a new island of fresh water; 10. New islands in the sea; 11. Anak Krakatau, Krakatau's child, b. 1933; 12. Surtsey, Island of Surtur, b. 1963; 13. Motmot - a new island in fresh water; Part V. Colonization and Assembly: 14. Dispersal; 15. Stepping stone islands - the case of Sebesi; 16. Learning from nature's lessons; Literature cited; Index.
A personal and readable review of how plants and animals colonize islands.
Professor Ian Thornton (La Trobe University, Melbourne) was one of the world's leading island biogeographers, working primarily on the volcanic islands of the Pacific, and sadly died in 2002. Amongst the papers he left behind was the manuscript of this book, with an express wish that should anything happen to him, his friend and colleague, Professor Tim New (also La Trobe University) finish the book for him, which he has done.
'Thornton's impassionedly written book … [delivers] a wealth of
detail on (re)colonization of new or devastated islands by plants
and animals as well as ecological succession of entire ecosystems.
Reading this book was a real pleasure, possibly due to its
narrative style. In addition to biogeographers, it will inspire and
provide valuable facts to all those … ecologists who deal with
ecological succession, habitat fragmentation, microcosm
experiments, biodiversity research and nature conservation.' Basic
and Applied Ecology
' … provide(s) a wealth of information that heretofore had not been
adequately synthesized on island colonization.' Landscape Ecology
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