Biogeographic Realms Flashcards
study of patterns of distribution of organisms, including both extant and extinct species
Biogeography
important in restricting large scale distributions of groups of organisms
barriers
separated land masses into—
realms
biogeographic realms
- Nearctic
- Palearctic
- Neotropical
- Ethiopian
- Oriental
- Australasian
North America and Greenland
wild range of biomes (tundra, grassland, forests, deserts)
separated from neotropical by deserts, and by ocean (3 million years ago)
Nearctic
Europe and Asia, excluding Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia
wild range of biomes (tundra, grassland, forests, deserts)
separated from southern realms by deserts, mountains, and ocean
Palearctic
South America + Central America and southernmost Mexico
tropical forests, deserts, and savannas
used to be united as Gondwanaland
separated by oceans
Neotropical
Africa south of the Mediterranean coastal region
tropical forests, deserts, and savannas
used to be united as Gondwanaland
separated by oceans
Ethiopian
India and southeast Asia
tropical forests, deserts, and savannas
used to be united as Gondwanaland
separated by oceans
Oriental
Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, and Pacific islands southeast of Wallace’s line
desert core, surrounded by tropical forest and savanna
the most isolated realm, with the most unique plants and animals
-Eucalyptus trees
-Pouched marsupial mammals
Australasian
the explanation of realms and many species’ distributions
continental drift
Evidences supporting the importance of continental drift to biogeographic patterns
- The fit between South America and Africa
- The Evidence of Permian Flora
strong evidence of widespread glaciation over parts of South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, India and the Falkland Islands (when)
280-230 MYA
existed from the late carboniferous
influenced the southern flora
glacier
a geographic region where a group of plant and animal species evolved
represent the sum global outcome of the entire history of evolution, migration, and extinction throughout the history of life on earth
biogeographic realms
places where there are dramatic changes in the composition of floras and faunas
boundaries
left hemisphere
New world
right hemisphere
Old world
basic divisions in the realms
- New world
- Old world
- Northern hemisphere
- Southern hemisphere
Distribution patterns
- biogeographic realm
- disjunct
- cosmopolitan
- endemic
Oriental, Australian (distribution pattern)
biogeographic realm
found in different geographic regions
disjunct
worldwide (distribution pattern)
cosmopolitan
found only in a certain region/locality
endemic
