Biogeographical Evidence of Evolution

Question 1

What is biogeography?

Answer 1

• the study of where species (both present-day and extinct) occur, and why

Question 2

What did Darwin and Wallace notice during their various voyages?

Answer 2

• that different regions with similar climatic conditions contained very different animals and plants

Question 3

What were the evolutionary patterns that Darwin and Wallace observed regarding clustering?

Answer 3

• a clustering pattern of ‘closely allied’ species inhabiting neighbouring patches of habitat

Question 4

What were the evolutionary patterns that Darwin and Wallace observed regarding collections of plants and animals?

Answer 4

• very different collections of plants and animals in regions of the same latitude with similar climates and conditions

Question 5

What were the evolutionary patterns that Darwin and Wallace observed regarding species distribution?

Answer 5

• the distribution of species on oceanic islands which shows evidence of descent by modification

Question 6

What were the evolutionary patterns that Darwin and Wallace observed regarding fossils?

Answer 6

• the biogeography of fossils: that fossils of extinct species closely resembled living species that occurred in the same region