Biogeography Lecture Notes Review

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to biogeography, species distribution, and associated theories discussed in the lecture notes.

Biogeography

The study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time.

Latitudinal Diversity Gradient

The pattern where species diversity increases as one moves from the poles to the tropics.

Energy Hypothesis

The hypothesis stating that more solar energy in the tropics leads to higher rates of photosynthesis, supporting greater species diversity.

Vicariance

The geographical separation of a population, typically by a physical barrier, leading to speciation.

Long Distance Dispersal

The movement of organisms across large distances, resulting in species distribution and diversification.

Theory of Island Biogeography

A theory that explains how the size of an area and its distance from a source population affect species richness.

Species-Area Relationship

The principle that larger geographic areas tend to have more species due to more niche space and resources.

Equilibrium Number of Species

The number of species that an area can support, determined by the rates of immigration and extinction.

Extinction Rates

The frequency at which species cease to exist in a given area, influenced by habitat size.

Immigration Rates

The frequency at which new species arrive in a given area, influenced by proximity to species sources.