island biogeography

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island biogeography The study of the distribution of plant and animal species on islands or in areas that are sufficiently isolated to resemble islands. Islands are numerous and their biotas (see island biotas) are often small enough to be quantified. Accordingly it has been possible to determine a relationship between area and species number, postulated to be an equilibrium between immigration and extinction (see rescue effect; and island biogeography, theory of). This is the basis of island biogeography, and it may equally be applied on continents, where plant and animal communities are effectively reduced to islands in a sea of cultivation or urbanization.

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