Cal Poly
Pomona

Welcome to Geography 106!

This course is an introduction to the field of Biogeography. Biogeography is the study of the spatial and temporal distribution of organisms. Biogeographers describe, map and analyze the distributions of plants, animals, and other organisms, attempting to understand how physical, biological, and historical factors control these distributions. Biogeography bridges the disciplines of biology, the earth sciences, and geography, including elements of ecology, evolutionary studies, paleontology, and conservation. There are many, varied approaches to the field of biogeography, but in this course the past, present, and future impacts of human activities on taxa and their distributions, as well as the policy implications of biogegraphic theory are emphasized. In this course, students are introduced to ecological biogeography (how current environmental conditions control geographic distributions), historical biogeography (how past distributions and compositions have changed), analytical biogeography (the development of the general rules that explain how geography affects life), and conservation biogeography (the use of biogeographic approaches in nature conservation).

At the end of the course, a student should be able to:
• Describe the features and theoretical foundations for a number of Biogeographic patterns
• Discuss the impact of historical influences, such as plate tectonics, on these patterns
• Explain the relationship of associated features in the biological and physical environment to organism success, abundance, and range
• Describe the human impact on the distribution and diversity of current and past life
• Suggest conservation strategies based on biogeographic theory and practice

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© 2004 by Terence Young
tgyoung@csupomona.edu
These are official class materials of GEO 106/106A as taught at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, by Terence Young.  They are subject to change without notice to anyone but students currently enrolled in the class.

9/21/05 - Fall 2004