A roadmap for island biology: 50 fundamental questions after 50 years of The Theory of Island Biogeography

Jairo Patiño; Robert James Whittaker; Paulo A. V. Borges; José María Fernández-Palacios; Claudine Ah-Peng; Miguel Bastos; Sergio P. Ávila; Pedro Cardoso; Josselin Cornuault; Erik J. de Boer; Lea de Nascimento; Artur  Gil; Aarón González-Castro; Daniel S. Gruner; Ruben Heleno; Joaquín Hortal; Juan Carlos Illera; Christopher N. Kaiser-Bunbury; Thomas Matthews; Anna Papadopoulou; Nathalie Pettorelli; Jonathan P. Price; Ana M. C. Santos; Manuel J. Steinbauer; Kostas A. Triantis; Luis Valente; Pablo Vargas; Patrick Weigelt; Brent C. Emerson

doi:10.1111/jbi.12986

A roadmap for island biology: 50 fundamental questions after 50 years of The Theory of Island Biogeography

Jairo Patiño^*, Robert James Whittaker, Paulo A. V. Borges, José María Fernández-Palacios, Claudine Ah-Peng, Miguel Bastos, Sergio P. Ávila, Pedro Cardoso, Josselin Cornuault, Erik J. de Boer, Lea de Nascimento, Artur Gil, Aarón González-Castro, Daniel S. Gruner, Ruben Heleno, Joaquín Hortal, Juan Carlos Illera, Christopher N. Kaiser-Bunbury, Thomas Matthews, Anna PapadopoulouNathalie Pettorelli, Jonathan P. Price, Ana M. C. Santos, Manuel J. Steinbauer, Kostas A. Triantis, Luis Valente, Pablo Vargas, Patrick Weigelt, Brent C. Emerson

^*Corresponding author for this work

68 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Aims: The 50th anniversary of the publication of the seminal book, The Theory of Island Biogeography, by Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson, is a timely moment to review and identify key research foci that could advance island biology. Here, we take a collaborative horizon-scanning approach to identify 50 fundamental questions for the continued development of the field. Location: Worldwide. Methods: We adapted a well-established methodology of horizon scanning to identify priority research questions in island biology, and initiated it during the Island Biology 2016 conference held in the Azores. A multidisciplinary working group prepared an initial pool of 187 questions. A series of online surveys was then used to refine a list of the 50 top priority questions. The final shortlist was restricted to questions with a broad conceptual scope, and which should be answerable through achievable research approaches. Results: Questions were structured around four broad and partially overlapping island topics, including: (Macro)Ecology and Biogeography, (Macro)Evolution, Community Ecology, and Conservation and Management. These topics were then subdivided according to the following subject areas: global diversity patterns (five questions in total); island ontogeny and past climate change (4); island rules and syndromes (3); island biogeography theory (4); immigration–speciation–extinction dynamics (5); speciation and diversification (4); dispersal and colonization (3); community assembly (6); biotic interactions (2); global change (5); conservation and management policies (5); and invasive alien species (4). Main conclusions: Collectively, this cross-disciplinary set of topics covering the 50 fundamental questions has the potential to stimulate and guide future research in island biology. By covering fields ranging from biogeography, community ecology and evolution to global change, this horizon scan may help to foster the formation of interdisciplinary research networks, enhancing joint efforts to better understand the past, present and future of island biotas.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Biogeography
Volume	44
Issue number	5
Pages (from-to)	963-983
Number of pages	21
ISSN	0305-0270
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12986
Publication status	Published - May 2017

Keywords

biodiversity conservation
community ecology
extinction
global change
island biogeography theory
island biology
island evolution
island macroecology
research priorities

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1111/jbi.12986

Cite this

Patiño, J., Whittaker, R. J., Borges, P. A. V., Fernández-Palacios, J. M., Ah-Peng, C., Bastos, M., Ávila, S. P., Cardoso, P., Cornuault, J., de Boer, E. J., de Nascimento, L., Gil, A., González-Castro, A., Gruner, D. S., Heleno, R., Hortal, J., Illera, J. C., Kaiser-Bunbury, C. N., Matthews, T., ... Emerson, B. C. (2017). A roadmap for island biology: 50 fundamental questions after 50 years of The Theory of Island Biogeography. Journal of Biogeography, 44(5), 963-983. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12986

Patiño, J, Whittaker, RJ, Borges, PAV, Fernández-Palacios, JM, Ah-Peng, C, Bastos, M, Ávila, SP, Cardoso, P, Cornuault, J, de Boer, EJ, de Nascimento, L, Gil, A, González-Castro, A, Gruner, DS, Heleno, R, Hortal, J, Illera, JC, Kaiser-Bunbury, CN, Matthews, T, Papadopoulou, A, Pettorelli, N, Price, JP, Santos, AMC, Steinbauer, MJ, Triantis, KA, Valente, L, Vargas, P, Weigelt, P & Emerson, BC 2017, 'A roadmap for island biology: 50 fundamental questions after 50 years of The Theory of Island Biogeography', Journal of Biogeography, vol. 44, no. 5, pp. 963-983. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12986

@article{5eb2b1ff7313422c86511284240c0490,

title = "A roadmap for island biology: 50 fundamental questions after 50 years of The Theory of Island Biogeography",

abstract = "Aims: The 50th anniversary of the publication of the seminal book, The Theory of Island Biogeography, by Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson, is a timely moment to review and identify key research foci that could advance island biology. Here, we take a collaborative horizon-scanning approach to identify 50 fundamental questions for the continued development of the field. Location: Worldwide. Methods: We adapted a well-established methodology of horizon scanning to identify priority research questions in island biology, and initiated it during the Island Biology 2016 conference held in the Azores. A multidisciplinary working group prepared an initial pool of 187 questions. A series of online surveys was then used to refine a list of the 50 top priority questions. The final shortlist was restricted to questions with a broad conceptual scope, and which should be answerable through achievable research approaches. Results: Questions were structured around four broad and partially overlapping island topics, including: (Macro)Ecology and Biogeography, (Macro)Evolution, Community Ecology, and Conservation and Management. These topics were then subdivided according to the following subject areas: global diversity patterns (five questions in total); island ontogeny and past climate change (4); island rules and syndromes (3); island biogeography theory (4); immigration–speciation–extinction dynamics (5); speciation and diversification (4); dispersal and colonization (3); community assembly (6); biotic interactions (2); global change (5); conservation and management policies (5); and invasive alien species (4). Main conclusions: Collectively, this cross-disciplinary set of topics covering the 50 fundamental questions has the potential to stimulate and guide future research in island biology. By covering fields ranging from biogeography, community ecology and evolution to global change, this horizon scan may help to foster the formation of interdisciplinary research networks, enhancing joint efforts to better understand the past, present and future of island biotas.",

keywords = "biodiversity conservation, community ecology, extinction, global change, island biogeography theory, island biology, island evolution, island macroecology, research priorities",

author = "Jairo Pati{\~n}o and Whittaker, {Robert James} and Borges, {Paulo A. V.} and Fern{\'a}ndez-Palacios, {Jos{\'e} Mar{\'i}a} and Claudine Ah-Peng and Miguel Bastos and {\'A}vila, {Sergio P.} and Pedro Cardoso and Josselin Cornuault and {de Boer}, {Erik J.} and {de Nascimento}, Lea and Artur Gil and Aar{\'o}n Gonz{\'a}lez-Castro and Gruner, {Daniel S.} and Ruben Heleno and Joaqu{\'i}n Hortal and Illera, {Juan Carlos} and Kaiser-Bunbury, {Christopher N.} and Thomas Matthews and Anna Papadopoulou and Nathalie Pettorelli and Price, {Jonathan P.} and Santos, {Ana M. C.} and Steinbauer, {Manuel J.} and Triantis, {Kostas A.} and Luis Valente and Pablo Vargas and Patrick Weigelt and Emerson, {Brent C.}",

year = "2017",

month = may,

doi = "10.1111/jbi.12986",

language = "English",

volume = "44",

pages = "963--983",

journal = "Journal of Biogeography",

issn = "0305-0270",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A roadmap for island biology

T2 - 50 fundamental questions after 50 years of The Theory of Island Biogeography

AU - Patiño, Jairo

AU - Whittaker, Robert James

AU - Borges, Paulo A. V.

AU - Fernández-Palacios, José María

AU - Ah-Peng, Claudine

AU - Bastos, Miguel

AU - Ávila, Sergio P.

AU - Cardoso, Pedro

AU - Cornuault, Josselin

AU - de Boer, Erik J.

AU - de Nascimento, Lea

AU - Gil, Artur

AU - González-Castro, Aarón

AU - Gruner, Daniel S.

AU - Heleno, Ruben

AU - Hortal, Joaquín

AU - Illera, Juan Carlos

AU - Kaiser-Bunbury, Christopher N.

AU - Matthews, Thomas

AU - Papadopoulou, Anna

AU - Pettorelli, Nathalie

AU - Price, Jonathan P.

AU - Santos, Ana M. C.

AU - Steinbauer, Manuel J.

AU - Triantis, Kostas A.

AU - Valente, Luis

AU - Vargas, Pablo

AU - Weigelt, Patrick

AU - Emerson, Brent C.

PY - 2017/5

Y1 - 2017/5

N2 - Aims: The 50th anniversary of the publication of the seminal book, The Theory of Island Biogeography, by Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson, is a timely moment to review and identify key research foci that could advance island biology. Here, we take a collaborative horizon-scanning approach to identify 50 fundamental questions for the continued development of the field. Location: Worldwide. Methods: We adapted a well-established methodology of horizon scanning to identify priority research questions in island biology, and initiated it during the Island Biology 2016 conference held in the Azores. A multidisciplinary working group prepared an initial pool of 187 questions. A series of online surveys was then used to refine a list of the 50 top priority questions. The final shortlist was restricted to questions with a broad conceptual scope, and which should be answerable through achievable research approaches. Results: Questions were structured around four broad and partially overlapping island topics, including: (Macro)Ecology and Biogeography, (Macro)Evolution, Community Ecology, and Conservation and Management. These topics were then subdivided according to the following subject areas: global diversity patterns (five questions in total); island ontogeny and past climate change (4); island rules and syndromes (3); island biogeography theory (4); immigration–speciation–extinction dynamics (5); speciation and diversification (4); dispersal and colonization (3); community assembly (6); biotic interactions (2); global change (5); conservation and management policies (5); and invasive alien species (4). Main conclusions: Collectively, this cross-disciplinary set of topics covering the 50 fundamental questions has the potential to stimulate and guide future research in island biology. By covering fields ranging from biogeography, community ecology and evolution to global change, this horizon scan may help to foster the formation of interdisciplinary research networks, enhancing joint efforts to better understand the past, present and future of island biotas.

AB - Aims: The 50th anniversary of the publication of the seminal book, The Theory of Island Biogeography, by Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson, is a timely moment to review and identify key research foci that could advance island biology. Here, we take a collaborative horizon-scanning approach to identify 50 fundamental questions for the continued development of the field. Location: Worldwide. Methods: We adapted a well-established methodology of horizon scanning to identify priority research questions in island biology, and initiated it during the Island Biology 2016 conference held in the Azores. A multidisciplinary working group prepared an initial pool of 187 questions. A series of online surveys was then used to refine a list of the 50 top priority questions. The final shortlist was restricted to questions with a broad conceptual scope, and which should be answerable through achievable research approaches. Results: Questions were structured around four broad and partially overlapping island topics, including: (Macro)Ecology and Biogeography, (Macro)Evolution, Community Ecology, and Conservation and Management. These topics were then subdivided according to the following subject areas: global diversity patterns (five questions in total); island ontogeny and past climate change (4); island rules and syndromes (3); island biogeography theory (4); immigration–speciation–extinction dynamics (5); speciation and diversification (4); dispersal and colonization (3); community assembly (6); biotic interactions (2); global change (5); conservation and management policies (5); and invasive alien species (4). Main conclusions: Collectively, this cross-disciplinary set of topics covering the 50 fundamental questions has the potential to stimulate and guide future research in island biology. By covering fields ranging from biogeography, community ecology and evolution to global change, this horizon scan may help to foster the formation of interdisciplinary research networks, enhancing joint efforts to better understand the past, present and future of island biotas.

KW - biodiversity conservation

KW - community ecology

KW - extinction

KW - global change

KW - island biogeography theory

KW - island biology

KW - island evolution

KW - island macroecology

KW - research priorities

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85017403570&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/jbi.12986

DO - 10.1111/jbi.12986

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85017403570

SN - 0305-0270

VL - 44

SP - 963

EP - 983

JO - Journal of Biogeography

JF - Journal of Biogeography

IS - 5

ER -