200
T
he places where animals
and plants live often vary
in a regular manner along
geographic gradients of latitude,
elevation, and habitat type. The
study of this variation is known
as biogeography. One branch
(phytogeography) examines the
distribution of plants, whereas
the other (zoogeography) analyzes
the distribution of animals. British
naturalist and biologist Alfred
Russel Wallace is widely regarded
as the “father of biogeography.”In the 18th century, as explorers
recorded the plants and animals
they saw, a picture of geographic
change had begun to emerge. On
the great 1831–36 expedition of
HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin saw
species of birds on the Falkland
Islands that did not live on
mainland South America, giant
tortoises that were unique to the
Galapagos Islands, and marsupials
such as Australia’s kangaroos. New
pieces of the biogeographic jigsaw
were falling into place.IN CONTEXT
KEY FIGURE
Alfred Russel Wallace
(1823–1913)BEFORE
1831–36 Darwin’s studies
on the voyage of HMS Beagle
confirm that many animals
living in one area are not found
in similar habitats elsewhere.AFTER
1874 British zoologist Philip
Sclater categorizes birds by
zoogeographic regions.1876 Alfred Russel Wallace
publishes The Geographical
Distribution of Animals—the
first extensive publication
on biogeography.1975 Hungarian biogeographer
Miklos Udvardy proposes
dividing biogeographic realms
into biogeographic provinces.2015 Mexican evolutionary
biologist J.J. Morrone proposes
an International Code of Area
Nomenclature for biogeography. Wallace’s six zoogeographic regions began with the
line he proposed in 1859 to mark the division of fauna
between Southeast Asia and Australasia.Zoogeographic regions of the world
THERE IS NOTHING
ON THE MAP TO MARK
THE BOUNDARY LINE
BIOGEOGRAPHY
PALEARCTICWALLACE’S LINENEARCTICNEOTROPICSAFROTROPICSINDOMALAYAAUSTRALASIAUS_200-201_Biogeography.indd 200 12/11/18 7:27 PM