1. A few principles of biogeography

(take notes on this: you’ll be quizzed!)

2. Why are we here? (from a biogeographical perspective)

3. Maps

A. Conditions for life:

(focusing on plants, since those are easiest to explain environmentally)

light

(duration, intensity)

examples??

moisture

examples of moist/dry plants??

Precipitation

http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/images/usprism.jpg

temperature

http://www.wunderground.com/data/640x480/2xus_st.gif

http://www.nationalatlas.gov/greennes.html

other variables: seasonality, chemistry (soils or water)

B. Limiting Factors, Tolerance Limits:

C. Locations

(site and situation: arrangements of mountains, valley, topography, proximity to ocean)

ftp://wrgis.wr.usgs.gov/pub/i-map/i2206/usa_shade.gif Download the full dataset in tiff image format: usa_shade.tif (11.8MB)

D. Historical accidents (or events)

such as glacial episodes,

disturbance events (hurricane frequency),

dispersal events (invasions, English Sparrow, Starling, House Finch, Olanthus, purple loosestrife, etc.)

Summary of Bigeographic Controls, in general:

Temperature,

precip,

proximity to source areas,

dispersal barriers,

historical events

http://www.botanik.uni-bonn.de/system/Biodivmap_Barthlott_300dpi.gif

So, Why are we here?

Temperatures

Plant diversity

http://admissions.vassar.edu/hudsonvalley/

Why are we here?

biogeographical and environmental conditions

temperature (frost-free period)

precipitation

soils

topography

historical events

Maps

Major types of maps

How do we make them?

Now, how do you explain this?

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/map.htm

Map: Geographic Distribution of the Japanese Encephalitis Serocomplex of the Family Flaviridae, 2000.