Geographical distribution of Life Sciences

Biogeography is the study of the Geographical distribution of Life Sciences and the abiotic factors that affect it. Abiotic components such as temperature and rainfall fluctuate according to latitude and elevation.

As abiotic components change, so does the composition of plant and animal communities. You’d see modest alterations in plant groups if you start going north from the equator. At the outset of your journey, you would be greeted by tropical wet forests with broad-leaved evergreen trees, which are typical of natural vegetation found around the equator.

The broad-leaved evergreen forest would give way to drought-prone woodlands with forest vegetation as you move north. Tropical wet woods with broad-leaved evergreen trees typical of plant communities found around the equator would greet you at the start of your voyage.

As you travel north, you’d notice that the broad-leaved evergreen vegetation gives way to seasonally dry woodlands with scattered trees. You’d start to notice fluctuations in temperature and humidity as well.

Different types of the geographical distribution of Life sciences

The three main fields of biogeography are:

• Ecological biogeography
• Conservation biogeography
• Historical biogeography

Ecological Biogeography

Biogeographers are ecologists who research patterns of species distribution. The Venus flytrap, for example, is endemic to a limited area in the South and North and cannot be found anywhere else. An endemic species can only be found naturally in a small geographic area. Other species are generalists, meaning they live in a wide range of environments.

The early studies of biogeography were strongly tied to the rise of evolutionary theory in the seventeenth century because species distribution patterns are dependent on biotic and abiotic elements and their influences over the very long periods required for species evolution. Some of the unique plant and animal assemblages can be found in areas that were physically isolated for thousands of years by geographical boundaries.

Conservation Biogeography

Biogeographical ideas, theories, and analysis of conservation challenges are known as conservation biogeography. The field was formally formed in 2005, and much study has been done over the years. Protected areas are one method conservation biologists may help preserve ecosystems.

This can be seen in parks, wilderness regions, and other legally protected preservation zones. These sites were chosen as they provide vital habitat for several endangered or vulnerable species.

Historical biogeography

Historical biogeography is the study of animal distributions over evolutionary time scales, emphasising evolution and the use of phylogenetic and distributional data. Net rates of diversification within a geographic region result from differential speciation, extinction, and immigration from a macroevolutionary perspective.

Although the exact mechanisms of these processes for most biotas are still unknown, it is obvious that evolutionary diversity occurs in both space and time. To put it another way, biodiversity, biogeography, and palaeontology are all intertwined.

In other words, biogeography is the study of the ecological, climatic, geological, and evolutionary processes that influence species distribution throughout the Earth’s history. Our comprehension of evolutionary processes and patterns is dependent on the spatial and temporal dimensions of life’s diversity.

Conclusion

In the above article, we have learned about the Geographical distribution of Life Sciences. Patterns in the geographic distribution of animals and patterns in the fossil record were crucial in persuading Darwin and other scientists that evolution had occurred. They continue to provide valuable insights into the evolutionary process today.

Since Darwin’s time, significant advances in the field of biogeography have included a better understanding of speciation, paleontological and macroevolutionary theory discoveries, and the development of new methods for analysing biogeographic data, such as phylogenetic approaches and GIS-based approaches.