Foundations of Ecology and Biogeography

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