BIOL359 Chapter Notes -Beringia, Glacial Refugium, Phytogeography
11 Jan 2015
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Document Summary
Biogeography science devoted to documenting spatial patterns of biodiversity. Study of distributions of organisms, including species and higher level taxa such as genera and families in both present and past. Focused on how and why organisms are distributed the way they are. Zoogeography animal bio phytogeography plant bio historical biogeography reconstruction of origin, dispersal and extinction of taxa. Dispersal: movement of organisms away from point of origin. Vicariance: splitting of faunas (or populations) as a result of formation of a physical barrier. Formation of isthumus of panama = major geological impact. South america was isolated until formation of panamanian isthmus 3m ybeforepangaea. Once those continents became connected, it allowed dispersal of species from n america to s america and from s america to n america. Interchange was somewhat one sided = due to a lot more mammals from na to sa then other way around. Na fauna a bit better at competition and moving around.
