In recent times, the science of ecology has been rejuvenated and
has moved to a central position in biology. This volume contains
eighteen original, major contributions by leaders in the field, all
associates of the late Robert MacArthur, whose work has stimulated
many of the recent developments in ecology. The intellectual
ferment of the field is reflected in these papers, which offer new
models for ecological processes, new applications of theoretical
and quantitative techniques, and new methods for analyzing and
interpreting a wide variety of empirical data. The first five
chapters explore the evolution of species abundance and diversity
(R. Levins, E. Leigh, J. MacArthur, R. May, and M. Rosenzweig). The
theory of loop analysis is newly applied to understanding stability
of species communities under both mendelian and group selection.
Species abundance relations, population fluctuations, and
continental patterns of species diversity are illustrated and
interpreted theoretically. The next section examines the
competitive strategies of optimal resource allocation variously
employed in plant life histories (W. Schaffer and M. Gadgil), bird
diets and foraging techniques (H. Hespenheide), butterfly seasonal
flights (A. Shapiro), and forest succession examined by the theory
of Markov processes (H. Horn). The seven chapters of the third
section study the structure of species communities, by comparing
different natural communities in similar habitats (M. Cody, J. Karr
and F. James, E. Pianka, J. Brown, J. Diamond), or by manipulating
field situations experimentally (R. Patrick, J. Connell). The
analyses are of communities of species as diverse as freshwater
stream organisms, desert lizards and rodents, birds, invertebrates,
and plants. These studies yield insights into the assembly of
continental and insular communities, convergent evolution of
morphology and of ecological structure, and the relative roles of
predation, competition, and harsh physical conditions in limiting
species ranges. Finally, the two remaining chapters illustrate how
ecological advances depend on interaction of theory with field and
laboratory observations (G. E. Hutchinson), and how ecological
studies such as those of this volume may find practical application
to conservation problems posed by man's accelerating modification
of the natural world (E. Wilson and E. Willis).
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