Biogeography

The biogeography ( Biogeography ) is depending on the method and issue either a more geographical or more biological research direction, combined in each case aspects of biological and geo-scientific analysis. As a scientific discipline, it occupies an intermediary position between bio-ecology and Geoecology. It deals with the present distribution, geological development and environmental relationships of animal and plant taxa and for the diffusion and the spatial patterns and processes of populations, communities, and biomes. A modern orientation, the findings of molecular biology, phylogenetics and palaeontology integrated with propagation scenarios genetic lines or higher taxa, is the phylogeography.

• 3.1 General biogeography 3.1.1 Areal customer or chorology
• 3.1.2 Historical biogeography or paleobiogeography
• 3.1.3 island biogeography

• 6.1 biogeography
• 6.2 Vegetation Geography and Geobotany
• 6.3 Geography animal / animal ecology / zoology

Biogeography as a geographical science

Biogeography as a geographical science sees the creatures as geographical factors (flora and fauna), elements of the landscapes and bio-indicators for the identification of Erdräume and there existing interactive structure.

The biogeography can be divided into two sub-disciplines:

• The phytogeography ( plant or vegetation geography ) is the study of the spatial distribution of plants and plant communities.
• The zoogeography (Animal geography ) is the science of the spatial distribution of animals. Analogous to the Flore rich there is faunal provinces here.

In addition, the biogeography is closely related to Geobiology (see Geobotany, Geozoologie ), a sub-discipline of biology. The competence areas of both sciences have a great similarity. They differ by another object of cognition.

The major zoogeographic regions

The following are the zoogeographical regions or faunal provinces:

• Paläotropische region or Palaeotropis ( Oriental and Afrotropical ) Oriental region or Orientalis ( South Asia )
• Afrotropical Afrotropical region or ( sub-Saharan Africa with Madagascar as part of region )

• Palearctic region or Palearctic (Europe, Asia excluding South and Southeast Asia, North Africa )
• Nearctic region or Nearctic ( North America without Central America )

The floral kingdoms

The division in floral kingdoms often corresponds to the division into zoogeographical regions. Area, there are, however, significant deviations. So a special Cape region is distinguished and Sub-Saharan Africa South Asia combined for Paläotropis in southern Africa. There are six continental and an oceanic floral kingdom:

• Paläotropis ( Sub-Saharan Africa South Asia )
• Capensis ( Kapgebiet South Africa, the smallest of the floral kingdoms )
• Holarctic (North America, Europe, northern Eurasia, North Africa )
• Neotropical ( South and Central America)
• Australis (Australia)
• Antarctic
• Oceanic floral kingdom (continental distant islands, particularly in the Pacific, is expected by some authors to Paläotropis )

The zonal models of biogeography

A global view can be drawn from the results of the biogeography numerous zonal models derived. Depending on the orientation and author they are under names such as " vegetation zones ", " Zonobiome ", " ecozones ", " natural landscape zones ", " landscape belts ", " geo-ecological zones ", " biozones " and then some. Your more or less large relative to the climate zone models is obvious.

The History

First thoughts with biogeographical traits existed in the 17th century, discussed as a Bible scholar and naturalist, the repopulation of the earth after the flood. The fact that animals that need a wide variety of climatic conditions, from a point - Mount Ararat - have found their starting today habitats, could be explained for the first time. See Noah's Ark and the naturalism.

As the founder of vegetation geography applies Alexander von Humboldt with his work ideas for a Geography of Plants (Tübingen, 1807). He described the vegetation as a defining feature of the "gestalt character " of the various regions of the earth and started with a physiognomic approach of the plants.

August Grisebach then coined the term "Plant Geography formation" as "a group of plants that bears a closed physiognomic character, like a meadow, a forest, etc. ".

Through the pioneering efforts of the Humboldt phytosociological work direction, represented by Oswald Heer, Franz Unger, Otto Sendtner and other developed from ca 1830.

In the 1890s, Johannes Eugenius Bülow Warming operational ecologically oriented vegetation geography and published his work Ecological plant geography (Berlin, 1896). Alfred Hettner turned in 1935 with his publication The plant world ( cf. Area Studies IV, Leipzig, 1935), but then again the geographical aspect to vegetation. The geographer Carl Troll then defined the term " landscape ecology ", leading the world by high-altitude studies.

The long time significant work for fauna comes from Alfred Russel Wallace, who had set it in 1876 under the title The Geographical Distribution of Animals. This valid until the 21st century division of the world is represented in Faunenregionen that are based on the results of Philip Sclater Lutley. It was not until the end of 2012 a team from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate ( CMEC ) at the University of Copenhagen to Ben Holt and Jean -Philippe Lessard published a modern study which extends the work of Wallace by essential aspects.

Working directions of the biogeography

The biogeography is divided into General Biogeography, Special biogeography and Applied biogeography.

General biogeography

The General biogeography is concerned with theoretical foundations as well as method development. It is divided into the following wells:

Customer premises or chorology

The area is the habitat of a species, the customer premises ( chorology ) the study of the geographical distribution of organisms or of individual species and systematic clans. It focuses on the presentation, comparative and ecological analysis of the spread of animal and plant species. When working methods is the complex diagnosis. Since plants make particularly clear space allocations due to their limited mobility, especially the piles analysis is developed.

Historical biogeography or paleobiogeography

The palaeobiogeography deals with the causes of the development and distribution of animals and plants. The working methods are radiocarbon dating ( also called C14 method), the pollen analysis and dendrochronology available.

Island biogeography

In the island biogeography both theoretical aspects ( equilibrium theory of biodiversity ) as well as evolutionary aspects play a role. Upholstery is about the concept of the ecological network and the protected area planning for nature conservation.

Special biogeography

The Special biogeography addressed one hand, certain regions of the world and on the other hand, the distribution patterns of specific groups of species ( plant geography, animal geography ), communities ( phytogeography ) or ecosystems. The goal is to characterize the coverage and dissemination of these units as comprehensively as possible.

Applied biogeography

In applied biogeography the knowledge of the General and Special biogeography are implemented in practice. Examples are Gewässerzonierung, bioindicators, Forestry Planning and Protection Area.

Close relationships exist for the biogeography

Animal and Plant Ecology

The animal and plant ecology is concerned with the relationship of animals and plants with each other and the interactions of organisms with their environment. When working methods the location analysis, ecosystem modeling, the material balance and the biomonitoring are available.

Scientific institutions

In Germany there are at Trier University and at the University of Bayreuth, Department of Biogeography with a corresponding degree programs. At other universities Biogeographic research is partially part of the curriculum landscape ecology, biology and geography.

Nationwide, the working group linked biogeography scientists working biogeographically different topics.