Foundations of Ecology and Biogeography
Contents
1781
Linnaeus "every seed shall find its good soil”, Systematics
1791
leClark and Buffon nature is in a perpetual state of flux, Animals are small in the new world, Species on different continencts must have common origin, Different regions (even with similar climates) are inhabited by distinct biotas, Continents were formally connected – but did not move, “Vicariant Event” – where a population divided can result in changes to each new group
1798
Malthus Essay on population Discussed carrying capacity Exponential growth Inspired Darwin
1778
Yohan Reinhold Forster Traveled with Capt. Cook Vegetation varies by climate and environment Type of vegetation determines type of fauna Same species can vary by climate
1805
Van Humboldt Defined isobar and isotherm, “Father of phytogeography” (Brown and Lemolina)
1820
Agustin Made distinctions between habitats and biogeographic regions
1844
Edward Forbes Increase in depth synonymous to increase in latitude
1853
James Dwight Dana Mountain building, volcanic activity, origin of continents, Limiting factor for northward movement is minimum temperature
1853
Joseph Dalton Hooker Challenged Darwin’s ideas about dispersal, Coined what is now recognized as “vicariance hypothosis”
1858
Phillip Scelltey Applied Buffon’s law and classified world’s regions (focused on bird diversity), Interrelationships between areas can be defined by endemic species
1856
Asa Gray Made guide to north American species, Recognized similarity between north American and Asiatic species
1859
Darwin Barriers to migration allow time for natural selection, Single centers of creation, then radiation, Individuals near edges are more ancient than those at center, Dispersal is important for evolution
1859
Alfred Russel Wallace “father of biogeography”, Wallace’s line, Peer of Darwin
1876
Heinrich Haeckel Coined term Ecology (“oikos”), Evolution makes sense of biology
1900
Hermann von Ihering Had theory for origin on South America to explain biodiversity, Historical reconstructions of the development and the spread of biotas should be based on zoogeography of ancient life forms
1890
Clinton Hart Merriam Lifezones between climate and vegetation, Influenced by van Humboldt and Forster
1912
Wegner Continental drift
1915
William Diller Matthew Reinforced centers of origin using fossils
1935
Sven Eckman Worldwide distribution of marine animals
1943
Evgenii Vladimirovitch Wulff Botanical biogeography Looked for major plant centers