ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 is the first of several chapters on biomes with an emphasis on understanding why life forms and species occur where they do. Several biogeographic terms are defined including “life form” and “association.” Reference to animals and their biogeographic characteristics are described by “zoologic realms” as defined by Alfred Russel Wallace. To further understand biogeographic patterns, ecographic rules for animals are presented. A short history of biomes is included, along with the major factors that determine why biomes are where they are, followed by the limitations of the concept. The idea of ecoregions is presented as an alternative with its benefits and drawbacks. World Wildlife Fund designations are then presented as a compromise between biomes and ecoregions. A series of World Wildlife Fund maps show details of biomes/ecoregions for each continent.
