| Endemic (ecology) |
Article Index for Endemic |
Information AboutEndemic (ecology) |
|
In Biology and Ecology endemic means exclusively native to a place or Biota , in contrast to Cosmopolitan or Introduced . However, it is also differentiated from Indigenous : a species that is endemic is unique to that place or region, found naturally nowhere else, whereas a species that is indigenous may be native to other locations as well. Usually the term is applied to a discrete geographical unit, most often an island or island group, but sometimes a country or other defined area. Islands are especially likely to develop endemic forms because of their geographical isolation; remote island groups, such as Hawaii and the Galápagos Islands , have large numbers of endemic species. The restricted area and vulnerability to the depredations of man and Introduced Species mean that endemics all too easily can become Extinct . Endemism can also develop in other biologically isolated areas, such as the highlands of Ethiopia or large bodies of water like Lake Baikal . According to the World Wildlife Fund , the following Ecoregions have the highest percentage of endemic plants:
SEE ALSO |
|
|