Island Studies

Dex Hinckley (dhinckley@igc.apc.org)
Wed, 20 Jan 1999 05:02:47 -0800 (PST)


Since I spent 12 years of my career doing ecological research on
islands, I would like to pint out benefits of observations made
on Smith Island.  One of the central questions of conservation
is: "how many species can a given area support?"  By compiling
records of birds breeding and/or visiting Smith Island, data
helping answer that question can be compiled.  This, in turn, will
help us make better decisions about the acquisition of protected
areas, not just islands but also unique ecosystems of various
sizes.  If anyone is interested in the fundamental concepts, I
recommend MacArthur & Wilson (1967) "The Theory of Island Biogeography"
Princeton University Press.