The central thesis of "The Theory of Island Biogeography" is that the species diversity on any given island is a dynamic equilibrium between immigration and extinction rates, determined by island size and distance from a mainland source. Larger islands support more species due to greater habitat diversity and lower extinction rates, while islands closer to the mainland experience higher immigration rates, thus also possessing more species.

The book details how these factors interact to predict species richness, explaining patterns observed across islands of varying size and isolation. It introduces key concepts like the equilibrium model, which posits a fluctuating but predictable number of species over time, and the colonization-extinction curve. Readers gain a quantitative understanding of biodiversity patterns in fragmented habitats and a predictive tool for conservation.

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Key concepts

Immigration rate — The rate at which new species arrive on an island.
Extinction rate — The rate at which existing species disappear from an island.
Equilibrium number of species — The theoretical point where immigration and extinction rates are equal, resulting in a stable species count.
Island size — Larger islands can support more species due to increased habitat availability and lower extinction rates.
Distance from mainland — Islands closer to a mainland source receive more colonizing species.