Communities: Biogeography

Question 1

Define biogeography. Provide examples.

Answer 1

the study of species diversity and distribution among geographic locations (i.e. i.e. New Zealand is composed of a South Island and a North Island composed of unique flora and fauna; because North Island has higher temperatures, there is a higher level of diversity with lots of flowering trees and vines even though it is geographically smaller)

Question 2

Define regional species pool, gamma and alpha diversity.

Answer 2

regional species pool - all the different species that are found in a particular region
gamma diversity - comparison of overall diversity across different regions within a larger geographic area
alpha diversity - comparison of overall diversity across different local spaces within a geographic area

Question 3

How do biotas reflect evolutionary isolation? Provide an example.

Answer 3

the modern patterns in biogeographic regions are related to the ways in which continents have drifted over geologic time (i.e. ratites - large, flightless, long-necked and long-legged birds - likely had a common ancestor on Gondwana; as the land mass broke up, the ancestral ratites became isolated and diverged, but they retained their flightless characteristics)