Zoogeography

Question 1

Explain vicariance

Answer 1

The emergence of barriers that causes significant changes in the surrounding environment, separating closely related species.

Question 2

What’s a real world example of vicariance?

Answer 2

Continental drift.

Question 3

Why is there so much diversity in freshwater habitats even though freshwater habitats are a lot less prevalent?

Answer 3

1. Speciation and diversification from isolating mechanisms occur at a greater rate. 2. Pretty much always in a photic zone.

Question 4

Epipelagic zone

Answer 4

Upper 200m (photic zone).
Lowest marine biodiversity.

Question 5

Mesopeagic

Answer 5

Below 200-1000 m (twilight zone).
Deep scattering layer.
Low marine biodiversity.

Question 6

Deep scattering layer.

Answer 6

Sound can be used to detect things under the ocean, but sonar becomes unreliable at this depth because fish are so uniformly and densely distributed that the sound waves bounce back.

Question 7

Bathypelagic

Answer 7

Below 1000m (midnight zone)
Low marine biodiversity

Question 8

Littoral

Answer 8

Upper 200 m (photic zone).
Shallow water.
Highest marine biodiversity.

Question 9

Why is biodiversity so high in the Littoral?

Answer 9

High incidence of coral reefs. Everything is in the photic zone and substrate is available.

Question 10

What region has the highest biodiversity and why?

Answer 10

The Indo-West Pacific. Associated with coral reef formation.

Question 11

Western Atlantic

Answer 11

Second highest marine biodiversity.
Also associated with coral reef formation.

Question 12

Why is diversity lower in the Eastern Pacific?

Answer 12

Separated from the Western Atlantic by the Isthmus of Panama
Separated from Indo-West by the Eastern Pacific Barrier.