Question

Wallace's line is a deep-water boundary that separates islands that differ greatly in their fauna, despite their close proximity and similar climate. Accordingly, these islands are assigned to two different biogeographic realms, each of which has a large number of species that are restricted to that location and found nowhere else in the world. These species are considered ____________. Group of answer choices

Answer 1

Answer:

endemic

Explanation:

Endemism refers to a state in which a species/population is native to a particular geographic area (e.g., an island), although if these organisms are also found elsewhere, then they are not considered to be endemic. Endemic species are generally vulnerable to suffer extinction when their habitats are irreversibly damaged, and therefore they represent biodiversity indicators that can be used as a reference to create protected 'hot spots' and centers of endemism. Some examples of endemic species include Tasmanian devils (living in the island state of Tasmania) and koalas (living in the southeast and eastern sides of Australia). On the other hand, cosmopolitan species are widely distributed and therefore they can be found in different geographic areas around the world.