Alfred Russel Wallace was a British naturalist and explorer, best known for his contributions to the theory of evolution. He independently formulated the idea of natural selection around the same time as Charles Darwin. Wallace's extensive travels in the Amazon rainforest and the Malay Archipelago allowed him to gather a wealth of biological data, which he used to support his theories.
In addition to his work on evolution, Wallace was also interested in biogeography, the study of how species are distributed across the planet. His observations led to the identification of the Wallace Line, a boundary that separates the distinct fauna of Asia and Australia. Wallace's legacy continues to influence the fields of biology and ecology today.