Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
One of the most striking facts about the geographic distributions of taxa is
that they have limits. Because these limits are repeated for different taxa,
they allow the recognition of biotic components. Biotic components are nes-
ted within other larger components, so they can be ordered hierarchically in a
system of realms, regions, dominions, provinces, and districts. In this chapter
I discuss biogeographic regionalization and present a case study from Latin
America and the Caribbean.
Once biotic components have been identified, they may be ordered hierarch-
ically and used to provide a biogeographic classification. Given the histor-
ical and logical primacy of classification over process explanations (Rieppel
1991, 2004), this stage of the analysis takes place before cenocrons are elu-
cidated and a geobiotic scenario is proposed (see
chapters 7
and
8
)
.
Viloria (2005) found a lack of uniformity and consensus in the criteria that
have been used for regionalization. Analyzing Venezuela as a case study,
he detected a mixture of classificatory systems based on distinct criteria,
and a lack of rigor in the equivalences or synonymies between these re-
gionalizations. He concluded that two different classificatory systems should
be recognized: one based on areas of endemism and other on biotic ele-
ments. In order to have a single, standardized system of regionalization,
another important thing is a unified nomenclature, paralleling the different
codes used in systematics (Viloria 2005). An international group of special-
ists on different fossil taxa discussed the principles of classification and no-
menclature of marine paleobiogeographic classification in order to reach a
consensus on the nomenclature of biogeographic areas (Westermann 2000).
