[Taxacom] Taxacom Digest, Vol 128, Issue 5 Biogeography and ecology excerpts

[Antonio =?iso-8859-1?Q?L=F3pez?= Almirall]

Biogeography and ecology excerpts

The ecological factor may be present in the formation of new species, but it 
is only one factor. 51% of the flora is endemic in Cuba. The Group of 
islands that have formed this archipelago has disappeared completely in more 
than one dozen occasions from the Oligocene. This with a minimum of 
germplasm from the now nearby continents.
the ecological factor can be present in the formation(training) of new 
species(kinds), but one more factor is alone. In Cuba 51 % of the flora is 
endemic. The set of islands that have formed(trained) this Archipelago has 
disappeared completely in more than one dozen of occasions from the 
Oligocene. This with a minimum of germoplasma from the continents now 
nearby.
 The adaptative irradiation is visible in many cases, since it is the 
settling of little areas of limestones for Pinus cubensis, which is typical 
of the ultramapfic rocks
 However, the more interesting happens with the CoEvolution. The island came 
often plants but not its apparent obligatory symbiotic organisms. So 
shoegazing coexisting on the continent with the genus Azteca, in Cuba 
developed species that do not have these ants, which include Cecropia 
peltata, Acacia spp., Cordia alliodora. To the reverse. many generalist 
species as Apis melifera, found in Cuba endemics ideal to produce honey.
Processes vicariants in Cuba are the daily bread. The species of the genus 
Magnolia, scattered by them birds, have differents species isolated between 
if in them different systems mountain. It is high inexplicable: on Pinus 
Cubensis, there are living two groups morphologically and fenologically, 
which makes almost impossible its crossing. However, until the moment not 
have found markers genetic capable of differentiating them.
Dr. Antonio López Almirall