Biogeography Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Biogeography?
Biogeography is the study of the geographical distribution of living organisms. It looks at how species are distributed across different regions and how their distributions have changed over time. This field of study is important for understanding the biodiversity of an area, as well as how climate change can affect species’ ranges. Biogeographers use a variety of techniques to examine these distributions, including mapping, genetic analysis, and ecological modeling. By studying biogeography, scientists can gain insight into why certain species exist in certain places and not othersinformation that can help inform conservation decisions.Biogeography has been studied since ancient times but has become a distinct field in the last few centuries. In its early days, biogeographers were primarily concerned with documenting where different species were found in order to better understand the relationships between them. Later research focused on understanding why certain species are found where they are; this often involves looking at climate and habitat requirements as well as competition from other species or human activities such as deforestation or urbanization. Today’s biogeographers use sophisticated techniques such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to map out distributions on large scales, while also using genetic markers to trace migratory patterns and assess population genetics across areas with different climates or habitats. Biogeographical studies have implications for many areas beyond just ecology; they also play an important role in conservation biology by informing management plans for endangered populations. For example, by studying the range requirements of an endangered bird species it may be possible to determine what types of habitats need protection in order to maintain viable populations within their natural range.