BIO 14 - 4 - Biogeographic Realms

Biogeography

The study of the patterns of distribution of organisms, including both extant and extinct species

Nearctic

Palearctic

Neotropical

_____________ - North America and Greenland.

_____________ - Europe and Asia, but excluding the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia

_____________ - South America + Central America and southernmost Mexico.

Ethiopian

Oriental

Australasian

_______________ - Africa south of the Mediterranean coastal region

_______________ - India and southeast Asia

_______________ - Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, and the Pacific islands southeast of Wallace's line

continental drift

The explanation for separation of realms and many species’ distributions arises from __________________.

biogeographic realms

a geographic region where a group of plant and animal species evolved

biogeographic realms; Boundaries

represent the sum global outcome of the entire history of evolution, migration, and extinction throughout the history of life on Earth

_______________ = places where there are dramatic changes in the composition of floras and faunas

Nearctic

The Realms

_____________

Wide range of biomes (tundra, grassland, forests, deserts) Has been separated from Neotropical by deserts and, until about 3 million years ago, by ocean

Palearctic

The Realms

_____________

This realm shows a wide range of biomes (tundra, grassland, forests, deserts) Has been separated from southern realms by deserts, mountains, and ocean

Neotropical, Ethiopian, Oriental

The Realms

____________, _____________, ____________

• Tropical forests, deserts and savannas

• Used to be united as Gondwanaland

• Separated by oceans

Australasian

The Realms

___________________

Desert core, surrounded by tropical forest and savanna

The most isolated realm, with the most unique plants and animals

• Eucalyptus trees

• Pouched marsupial mammals

• Biogeographic realm

• Disjunct

• Cosmopolitan

• Endemic

Distribution patterns

• ___________________ – Oriental, Australian

• __________ - found in different geographic regions

• ______________ - worldwide

• ____________ - found only in a certain region/locality