Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dr. Peppers farewell performance today. Ill remain available via email and office hours till summer. Midterm Exam 3 This Thursday April 6 Includes all lectures starting with March 2 (Neural systems). Also includes todays lecture. Q&A review session with Drs. Masel & Pepper: tomorrow, Wed 4/5 4:00-5:00pm in Koffler 204.
Tue April 5
Biogeography
Reading: Ch. 56 Quiz available online for extra credit through Wed. April 12
What is Biogeography?
The study of the distribution patterns of populations, species, and ecological communities
Outline
Biogeographic Regions History and Biogeography Ecology and Biogeography Terrestrial biomes (skim only) Island Biogeography theory (whiteboard)
As a result, the major geographic areas of Earth have strikingly different biota (sets of species)
Much of biogeography is concerned with explaining the origins, locations, and characteristics of these distinct biota.
Mechanisms of Biogeography Why does a species occur in a particular location? History and Biogeography There are only two possible answers: 1. It evolved there. 2. It moved there from somewhere else.
Vacariance or dispersal?
An example is found in the distribution of the New Zealand flightless weevil. The weevil and other flightless insects are found on the north and south islands of New Zealand. Geological evidence suggests that the tip of the north island was once connected to the south island. Therefore, it is more likely that a vicariant event (separation of the land) separated the range of the weevil and the other animals than that individual crossings of Cook Strait did.
Terrestrial Biomes
Ecologists classify communities of organisms into biomes. Biomes are major ecosystem types based on the structure of the dominant vegetation. The vegetation of a biome has a similar appearance wherever that biome is found on Earth. The distribution of biomes on Earth is influenced by annual patterns of temperature and rainfall. Each biome has a characteristic climate, seasonality, and vegetation, and typical patterns of species richness.
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Terrestrial Biomes
The hot desert biome is found in two belts, centered around 30 north and 30 south latitudes. Central Australia and the middle of the Sahara Desert are the driest regions within the biome. Except in the driest regions, hot deserts have richer and more diverse vegetation than cold deserts do. Succulent plants that store large quantities of water in their stems are common. Annual plants germinate and grow when rain falls.
Terrestrial Biomes
The chaparral biome is found on the west sides of continents at moderate latitudes, where cool ocean waters flow offshore. The Mediterranean region of Europe, coastal California, and central Chile are examples of chaparral. Low-growing shrubs and trees with evergreen leaves are the most common plants in chaparral. The vegetation is adapted to periodic fires. Large populations of small seed-eating rodents are present in the biome.
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Terrestrial Biomes
Thorn forests are found on the equatorial sides of hot deserts. The climate is semi-arid with little or no rain in winter, but sometimes heavy rain in summer. The dominant plants are spiny shrubs and small trees. Acacia is common. Savannas are found in dry tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, South America, and Australia. The savanna biome is characterized by its vast expanses of grassland and scattered trees, and by huge numbers of grazing and browsing mammals.
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Terrestrial Biomes
The tropical deciduous forest biome is found closer to the equator relative to thorn forests and has a long summer rainy season. Species richness is moderate for plants and high across all other categories, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The tropical deciduous forest biome has some of the best soils in the tropics for agriculture. Most of it has been cleared.
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Terrestrial Biomes
Tropical evergreen forests are found in equatorial regions where total rainfall exceeds 250 cm annually. The biome is the richest on Earth in both plant and animal species. Overall productivity of tropical evergreen forests is the highest among terrestrial ecological communities. There are many epiphytes, plants that grow on other plants and derive nutrients and moisture from air and water.
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Island Biogeography
Island Biogeography
Observed patterns: Islands have fewer species per unit area than do large land masses (and smaller islands have fewer still). More remote islands also have fewer species. A theory to explain these patterns was developed by R. MacArthur & E. O. Wilson. A theory to explain these patterns will now be developed by you!
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