What is the range of species in biology: definition. Structure of species range

Representatives of any biological taxon can be settled only in a certain territory of land or ocean. Such a territory is called the range of species, genus, family of any organisms.

What is the range of species in biology. Definition

This is a certain area of the continent or the World Ocean, on which populations of a certain species live for a long time. The science that studies the areals is called arealogy. It refers to the division of biogeology, tk. Includes both taxonomic groups of organisms, and their habitat.

Although the concept only describes species, scientists also study the habitats of other taxonomic groups, such as genera, families or subspecies. Of the taxa listed, an important role is played by the study of subspecies; They can give a clear picture of the evolution of evolutionary events in a given territory. Therefore, the species range is the criterion of evolution.

What is the difference between the concept of location and its range?

The location is the point on the map in which the representatives of one or another species were found. Confirmation of the new open point is always the herbarium of plants, where exact reference points of growth are signed. The locations of animals are often described, after which these points are plotted on the species map of the species and are studied.

What is the range of the species? In fact, this is a set of locations of the same species / subspecies of plants and animals. It does not matter whether these places are nearby or not. In any case, they show a general picture of the distribution of organisms.

3 types of maps of the range

Depending on how accurately you need to describe the area of this species, three types of maps are used:

1. Point map. It is always applied in the form of small points of the location of the populations of the species.

2. Point-contour map. Here, the main habitats of the species are also displayed, but in addition to this, the extreme points on the map are drawn. As a result, we see an area inside which the places of distribution of animals and plants are drawn.

3. Contour-and-stroke map. Such a map is the least accurate. It is characterized by a certain area, which is completely covered with streaks.

This is what the range of the species is and how it can be represented.

Types of Areas

Depending on how the area is located on land or in the ocean, it can be large or small, narrow or wide, solid or intermittent. Each of these characteristics can be combined with the others. For example, the ravens are wide and discontinuous, and the kangaroos are small, narrow, but solid.

The continuous areals are divided into subspecies. Among them are:

1. Shingles. This type of range is typical for most families and genera. It spreads along the latitude, along the entire length of the land and often takes decent distances.

2. Oval areals, on the contrary, are stretched along the meridian. This type is always limited by the natural belt. The oval range has many kinds of organisms and some genera / families.

3. Circumpolar. Such areas cover the polar zones.

4. Radiant, or fimbriated, - Areals of irregular shape, with a lot of convolutions, branches and irregularities on the map.

In turn, the discontinuous areals are also divided into subtypes:

1. Disjunctive (ruptured) areals. This type is characterized by two or more habitats of the same species, which are located far apart. For example, one part of the range may be in Europe, and the other in America.

2. Pointed Areals. Their peculiarity is that they unite a large number of small areas of this species throughout the land or ocean.

3. Banded Areals. They represent a continuous area, which was torn by deserts, precipices, mountain ranges.

Structure of the species range. How are the boundaries of the range established?

What is the range of the species and its boundaries? The structure of the range depends on many factors. Depending on their influence on the map, different boundaries of the species' habitat are formed. What are the reasons for the boundaries of the range? Why are they not solid and do not spread all over the land?

1. Climatic boundaries. Such abiotic factors, such as the arrival of light, humidity, salinity, soil composition, can greatly affect the distribution of the species. Some organisms can adapt to a climate in which others simply perish.

2. Untranslatable boundaries. Such boundaries are formed due to the fact that a population of a certain species can not overcome any obstacle. It can be mountains, steppes, tundra, deserts, large ponds, etc. Here belong human buildings.

3. Biotic boundaries. The problem of competition in the world of animals and plants has always stood in the foreground. The organism can not live and reproduce in a territory where potential enemies are present. Therefore, some species avoid others, thereby forming boundaries between the ranges of representatives of the two groups.

Factors forming the range

What is the range in biology is now clear, but how is it formed? What factors contribute to this?

The first and most important is the ability of plants and animals to live only in places suitable for their existence. For example, pigeons can not live at the North Pole, but they have adapted well to many other habitats. Everything depends on the amplitude of the environmental factor, and also on the ability to spread. So, thanks to the wings, insects have mastered almost all corners of the planet, while the range of earthworms is much smaller.

The second factor is the current environmental conditions. More and more on the life of organisms are affected by anthropogenic factors. A person can help and save species, and can pollute nature, destroy it, scoop up limited resources of wood, ores, combustible fuels.

Do not forget about natural phenomena, which can also contribute to, or, conversely, complicate the development of a particular species. Weathering, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms, tornadoes - all this affects the life of organisms, and accordingly, their distribution.

Finally, one of the factors is the age of the taxonomic group. For example, once gymnosperms were a thriving department of the plant kingdom. However, angiosperms dominate the ecosystem today. This is due primarily to the process of evolution of organisms and, to a lesser extent, to natural processes that occurred once on the territory of the habitat. This is the range of the species.