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32 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Biogeography |
Natural pattern of distribution of organisms Animal species are found naturally in specific locations for particular places: WHY? If people never set foot on earth, where would species naturally occur? Animal geography= biogeography+ human intervention
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Ecology |
Study of the interactions among organisms How do they interact with each other/other species? Pilot fish relation to shark=mutualistic (shark is protection, fish eat parasites) Humans are one of the included organisms in animal geography: how they species interact with humans? Uses, behaviors nearby, etc. |
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Biome |
Collection of ecosystems distinguished by vegetative characteristics and climate Plants are pretty much stationary Trees, shrubs, grasses for example; leaf-types, etc. Each biome consists of MANY ecosystems Each has communities that have adapted to the differences in climate, plant life, etc. Each species is closely related to its environment and any change is likely to change # of species→ ripple effect to other parts of the environment |
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Ecosystem |
Biological community and its physical environment |
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Habitat |
Natural environment in which an organism lives Where an animal THRIVES Habitat has to have conditions that are correct for breeding, adequate food/water/places to hide for protection from predators/weather Correct climactic conditions Ex: clownfish→ live in coral→ coral dies if its too hot/too cold/too alkaline→ clownfish also die |
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Niche |
An organism’s physiological adaptation to, and interaction with, its physical environment Prominent examples: Darwin’s finches, arctic fox vs. desert fox (fur color, arctic changes per season; ear size increases with hotter climate; smaller eyes in the snow) |
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Historical Animal Geography |
Where species have moved across time Ex: primates are split into prosimians (lemurs, lauruses, tauruses) and simeans (monkeys, apes) Narrow nosed vs. flat nosed monkeys (LOOK UP NAMES) Vicariance animal geography: geographic isolation of populations by barriers (Discontinuous Distribution of a Species) → 1 species over time will most often split into 2 or more due to physical barriers |
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Ecological Animal Geography |
What features are restricting the species to its present range? Ungulates: hooved animals; indigenous to EVERY geographic region currently; not native to Antarctica/Australia, but have been introduced there; vary in size/form/dietary preferences/climate tolerances (WHALES HAVE HOOVES. WUT. also dolphins belong in this order, based on DNA, but there are arguments) |
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Mammals |
(4785) Illes will focus on this Class of animals that humans have most exploited (used to greatest advantage: for food, labor, warmth/shelter, companionship) Most used: COW. Duh. Modern life could not exist without use of mammals Females produce milk, only animals with 3 middle ear bones, warm blooded, red blood cells don’t have a nucleus, right aortic arch, diaphragm that separates thorasic and abdominal cavities 3 types: placentals, marsupials, monotremes Monotremes (3 species): anteaters, duckbilled platapus; egg-legged; coaca (single opening) like birds Marsupials: have young highly undeveloped→ pouches (largest=red kangaroo; smallest=size of your hand); Virginia opossum; developed while there were still dinos Placentals: everyone else; placental sack for birth |
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Birds |
(9721) Generally identified by feathers; over 10,000 species and 30 orders Generally broken into these broad categories: avocet, eastern bluebirds, catbirds, doves, bald eagle, flamingo, geese, herons, kingfisher Horny beak, scaly feet, endothermic, lay eggs, walk on 2 legs, 4 chambered heart, herbivorous and carnivorous, super high metabolic rater (highest of any in world)àeat a lot of food Most lack sense of smell Warmest body temperature Very efficient respiratory system to breathe while flying Breed faster than any other animal Hallow bones (very efficient overall to fly) |
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Fishes |
(25,777) Epidermal, Lateral line: runs along side of fish and senses movement around 2 chambered heart Gills for respiration Don’t have external ears or any eyelids Some are finless, some don’t have stomachs Carnilagerous: possess true bone and skeleton of cartilage; only teeth and sometimes vertebrate are bone (sharks, rays, etc.) Everything else is bony fish: generally ovalish or flat; skin protected by scales, some have lung; generally have really good eyesight (two types of eggs: float or sink) |
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Reptiles |
(8163) Primarily petrapods (4 legs), but none on snakes and series of lizards that are legless Epidermal scales (outermost layer) provide protection from injury and drying out; some have dermal scales (best developed in turtles→ fuse to each other and to the rib to form shell); some crocodiles/lizards too; can also be modified to form horns/rattles |
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Amphibians |
(5400) Cold blooded, have backbones Time spent in water and on land Larvae mature in water and breathe through gills Adults tend to spend more time on land, breathe through lungs and skin 3 orders (don’t worry about memorizing scientific names): frogs/toads, salamanders/newts, caecilians (worm-like in appearance) Can’t regulate own body temperature, takes on outside temperature Moist, scaleless skin that absorbs water and air--> INCREDIBLY vulnerable to environmental change and extinction Indicators of changes that are detrimental to people Many have poison glands (poison dart frogs, etc.) Estivation: period of inactivity, type of hibernation during hot/dry weather (some do this) Fanged frog in Indonesian Rainforest (BRAND NEW FROG) |
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Invertibrates |
(1,300,000) Cold blooded. Don’t have backbones. Good talk. Crabs, worms, mollusks, coral, microscopic animals, etc. (not plants, lol) |
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Dental Formula |
Teeth are the most important fossil Individual teeth reflect trophic level (location on food chain) What/how they eat Mammals are often highest DF is how you often differentiate between species |
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Dispersal |
Continental drift helped Marsupials originated in North America→ went North/east and died out Also camels→ died out during glaciation with lots of other species Active vs. Passive Active: move on own power Passive: dispersing organism has NO active role (fish frequently end up in weird locations, carried by birds) |
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Faunal Interchanges |
Long term species dispersal Over hundreds of thousands of years; generation after generation Land bridges: Bering Strait/Isthmus of Panama Filter Route: only certain animals can make it, route somehow selectively impedes passage Great American Biotic Interchange=Isthmus of Panama Sweepstakes: severe barrier that permits rare dispersal events (jump dispersal) http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/ridley/tutorials/Evolutionary_biogeography9.asp |
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Center of Origin |
The earliest known fossil evidence for a group A fossil history of earlier progenitor of the group is found in a particular area The region where the highest diversity of a particular group |
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Extinction |
More extinct species than there are living species (extant species) Can happen from natural phenomenon (ice age) or changes in environment that species couldn’t adapt fast enough to Ex: Passenger pigeon→ bazillion of them→ hunted to extinction in 1914→ last flock was killed with the knowledge that they were the last Yangtze River dolphin died out due to dam→ Chinese gov’t spent millions looking for them Golden toad→ went extinct in ONE SEASON 4 species went extinct last year (amongst many more) that were not mammals that people “don’t care about” (Plectostoma sciaphilum went extinct in a week→ snails killed by cement company in Malaysia; St. Helena giant earwig→ killed out due to construction and invasive species; Christmas Island Forest Skink→ died in zoo, died out over a few years since plummeting #’s starting in 2003; Algerian Killy fish→ haven’t been seen since 2004, habitat depleted due to pollution and agricultural runoff/taking of water) |
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Other zoo purposes |
Collect animal reproductive specimen Ship around the world If you’ve been collecting for many years, you may have enough genetic diversity to save a species |
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Ethiopian Realm (Sub-Saharan Africa) |
Incredibly visible difference between Saharan desert (even in a Satellite image) Literally starts where the green starts Desert was MASSIVE barrier to faunal migration Also bounded by a lot of water Creates an “island” for all intents and purposes (but has NOT always been this way→ ancient animal migration) Whole continent pretty much functions this way Previously linked in Gondwana (separate from Laurasia) Allowed animal interchange btw what would become South America, Australia region, India, etc. USUALLY fauna were leaving Africa Covered in forest→ animals were forest-based→ most of these species now based in Asia→ African region dried out→ animals died out or adapted to a savannah-like lifestyle Big invasion of “step-fauna” who could thrive there until Pliocene→ forest returns and grass fauna get divided and isolated Present forest fauna have dual origin Partially descended from indigenous forest fauna Also from invasive step-fauna that then adapted *Similar story with savannah-like fauna Overall topography is INCREDIBLY varied Mountains, savannas, forests, rivers, lakes, etc. |
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Megafauna |
Ex: Lions, elephants, giraffes, hippopotamus NOT: horse, zebra As land changed with ice ages, Africa held onto its megafauna After last ice age, 85% of megafauna on earth went extinct North America: nothing left; Eurasia: lost a lot; Africa: held on No one knows why; GREAT question of the field |
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Sahel (directly south of Sahara) |
Around 400 BCE, started to dry out This region has always been very productive Nomadic people would take livestock across following great migrations Still maintains decent amount of moisture and fertility, but human development has been sucking water away Agriculturally rich→ now shrinking the Sahel due to agricultural development→ reducing grazing and migratory areas Historically dominated by grazing species Also lions, wild dog, cheetah to consume Perfectly balanced environment Long rains, flood plain of the Nile→ excellent water sources All major predators are now either endangered or extinct Hunting and competitors destroying most animal species Many human populations still nomadic More and more setting down more stationary communities Impacting all of the above Sahel is shrinking→ Sahara is growing |
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Grazers |
Primary: ungulates Have hooves; hoovestock Tips of toes are what sustains entire body weight Allows them to move more quickly Odd-toed and Even-toed (singular or cleft) are the only true ungulates (BISON ARE NOT BUFFALO) TONS of huge range in size: baby things, water buffalo, deer Aardvarks, hyrax, manatees, elephants are also ungulates, but don’t have traditional hooves |
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Biodiversity Hotspots |
Designated because you can’t save everything Not enough resources (people, money, whatever) Picked places of “greatest danger” to “greatest number,” even though some other places might be more strained Still under severe threats from human activity Incredible biodiversity; very unique |
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Eastern Afromontane Region |
Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and a few others all the way down to Zimbabwe “Cradle of Humanity” and center of very diverse animal populations Despite mountains (yields vicariance), region has very similar flora→ similar fauna Still a tremendous variety of habitat and vegetation Wetlands to glaciers Albertine Rift: has more endemic mammals, birds and amphibians than any other region in Africa Over 600 endemic fish species for lakes of this region Massive tropical areas Original extent: over 1 million square km→ down to 100,000 square km due to agriculture Endemic Birds Over 1000 species total and 40 are endemic |
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Madagascar |
Despite proximity to African continent, do NOT share any animal groups Evolved an incredibly unique set of species Numerous types of habitats all over island Relic species Roughly 13000 types of plants and 90% are considered endemic 60% of the over 300 birds species are endemic and a high # are relic species Ground rollers, Cuckoo Roller, Mesitess |
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Fragmented forest |
one of leading causes of extinction Species can’t connect to rest of native population Some of these lemurs have such specific niches to fill, it’s easy to eliminate entire species Majority of all lemur species are endangered Ring Tailed Lemur: great flagship/charismatic, but NOT umbrella because such variation due to niches Saving lemurs: very complex conservation issues; how do you decide who lives and dies; what is impact to environment |
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Palearctic (Himalayas and up, plus Northern tip of Africa and Europe) |
Floristic regions (incredibly diverse) Tundra (incredibly limited animal biodiversity) Short trees, low to the ground Taiga (Boreal Forest, lots of coniferous trees, either winter/summer, slightly more animal biodiversity) Temperate Deciduous Forest (trees lose their leaves, lots of animals that hibernate due to seasonality) Four distinct seasons Grassland (small aminals <3) Ungulate grazers Chaparral (woodland shrub, very Mediterranean, mild/rainy winters, hot/dry summers, have hard leaves to hold in moisture, fire adaptive--> normal heated fires burn through to clear out low growers/germinate trees, a LOT of animal biodiversity) Desert (LOTS in this region, all sizes and all expanding due to human intervention in destroying forests, etc.) Three largest classic/sandy deserts: Sahara, Arabian desert, Gobi desert Mountain (several important ranges: half of Himalayas are line of demarcation, Atlas mountains) NO polar ices caps/tropics INCREDIBLY vast east-west Vast along lines of latitude, unlike most other regions Tremendous survival advantage: adapt to a particular latitude, then have TONS of room to expand without needing major adaptation Could also move south as climate changed |
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Laurasia (northern part of Pangea) |
Doesn’t really look like modern continents because combo of current north America and Eurasia Current US is VERY used to current maps with N America on left hand side of mapà struggle to imagine animals traveling between these two areas One of largest transfers of fauna occurs across on Bering Strait N Tip of N America is curved over into Greenland and Russia (top of globe) with Strait linked (at much lower latitude) Bering land bridge is on west side of N America and E side of Russia (perpetually off our maps) Distance between is actually only 59 mi apart (like btw UCI and UCLA) |
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Domestication of Animals |
Allowed humans to become sedentary/establish permanent settlements/society Requirements Flexible Diet Rapid growth rate Ability to breed in captivity Non-aggressive Won’t flee |
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Caucasus |
Bits of Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Black Sea, Caspian Sea Desert, grasslands, arid woodlands, forest Super rugged landscape (very threatened mountain goats) Economic and political crises LOT of forest depletion and illegal hunting Chernobyl Untouched for the last 25 years TONS of regrowth of plant life Animals have returned also→ in surrounding areas, animals that are at edge of extinction elsewhere have migrated here and are thriving→ seem to be fine (even though there is tons of radiation in plants/area) |
