Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Step 5: Construction of a Geobiotic Scenario
Once we have identified the biotic components and cenocrons, we may be
able to construct a geobiotic scenario. By accounting biological and nonbio-
logical data, we can integrate a plausible scenario to help explain the epis-
odes of vicariance or biotic divergence and dispersal or biotic convergence
that have shaped the evolution of the biotic components analyzed.
Biogeographers have classified geographic features in terms of their im-
pact on dispersal and vicariance. The most important are barriers (geo-
graphic features that hinder dispersal) and corridors (geographic features
that facilitate dispersal). In dealing with long-term changes in the biotic dis-
tributional patterns, continental drift may be a relevant factor (Briggs 1987;
Cox and Moore 1998). Not only do the splitting and collision of landmasses
directly affect distributional patterns, but also new mountains, oceans, and
land barriers change the climatic patterns on the landmasses.
How to Read This Topic
There are different ways to read this topic. You may select an individual
chapter to address your particular interests (e.g., chapter 2 if you are inter-
ested in conceptual issues, chapter 3 if you are interested in the history of
biogeography, chapter 4 if you are interested in panbiogeography, chapter 5
if you are interested in cladistic biogeography, or chapter 7 if you are a pale-
ontologist or a phylogeographer). You may also choose to skip a particular
chapter (e.g., chapter 2 if you are not philosophically inclined, chapter 3 if
you think the history of a discipline is uninteresting, chapters 4 and 5 if you
do not feel motivated by the study of biogeographic patterns, or chapters 7
and 8 if you are pattern oriented). But if you are really interested in evolu-
tionary biogeography or are curious about the possibilities of integrating di-
verse approaches, I suggest that you read all chapters.
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