Zoogeography

Zoogeography, study of the geographical distribution of animal species and populations. Physical barriers—such as wide oceans and mountain ranges, major climatic extremes, or intense heat or cold—may prevent the spread of a species into new areas or may separate 2 previously like populations, allowing them to develop into distinct species. The effect of these barriers on movement and interbreeding, both now and in the past, are reflected in the distributions and, later, adaptive radiations of animal species, resulting in the zoogeographical distributions we find today.