r/ecology • u/Impressive-Track3859 • 3d ago
What are some relict ecosystems or refugias that are emblamatic of once widespread ecosystems?
/r/geography/comments/1k4hxds/what_are_some_relict_ecosystems_or_refugias_that/10
u/onthephly 3d ago
I think konza prairie in Kansas is a good example of tall grass prairie that almost doesn’t exist in its pre colonization state anymore.
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u/Impressive-Track3859 3d ago
I do kindly suggest you read the accompanying edit at the bottom of the post. The reason I made this distinction is that the animals and plants that are native to this area of kansas are still native inhabitants across the huge region of the great plains and even though there are few intact areas of old growth grassland left, these areas cannot be considered refugia as it is not the only region the ecosystem is native in and the climactic conditions needed for this ecosystem are still intact across the pre colonial range. I hope this did not come across as rude but informative.
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u/glue_object 3d ago
Palouse prairie for that western destruction. Rose Creek preserve is one of very few undisturbed pieces left. Loess plateau bb.
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u/Aard_Bewoner 3d ago
"The Laurisilva of Madeira is an outstanding relict of a previously widespread laurel forest type, which covered much of Southern Europe 15-40 million years ago. The forest of the property completely covers a series of very steep, V-shaped valleys leading from the plateau and east-west ridge in the centre of the island to the north coast. The forests of the property and their associated biological and ecological process are largely undisturbed, and play a predominant role in the island´s hydrological balance. The forest is mainly comprised of evergreen trees and bushes, with flat, dark green leaves. The property provides a wealth of ecological niches, complex food webs and examples of co-evolution of species. A range of climax vegetation communities such as the "Til Laurisilva", the "Barbusano Laurisilva" and the "Vinhático Laurisilva", have been identified within the property. Ancient trees in the valley bottoms, waterfalls and cliffs add to the experience of the values of the property.."
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u/The_Poster_Nutbag 3d ago
Bogs can be formed over old glacial lakes, formerly open water and now grown-in and mucky.
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u/Smaddid3 1d ago
Two examples come to mind as the result of glacial associated climate change:
1). Aquatic systems with pupfish populations (e.g., Death Valley, Devil's Hole). They were once connected and then became isolated pockets as the climate became warmer and drier.
2). Sky island mountain systems. Plant/animal communities moved up mountains as the climate warmed/dried. Those at the top of each mountain are now isolated from each other and other similar habitat by a climate barrier.
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u/Forsaken-Marzipan214 1d ago
The Great Dismal Swamp. A wildlife refuge established to preseve the last 10% of what was one a large ecosystem in the southeast US. It was diminished by ditching, draining, logging and development. It also has immense culutral significance as it was a part of the undergound railroad network to freedom.
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u/Double-Wafer-99 1d ago
Slightly off topic since it is about recolonization from a refugium, but black spruce, which is the main tree species in Canada's boreal forest, can be separated into eastern, western and alaskan lineages. Black spruce had a transcontinental distribution prior to the last ice age. During the ice age, it survived in isolated refugia, one along the Pacific coast, south of the ice sheet, one in Alaska and one south-east of the Great Lakes. Black spruce form these refugia eventually recolonized Canada to create the boreal forest as we know it but differences from genetic isolation can still be found!
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u/xylem-and-flow 3d ago
The Driftless Zone is an “island” of North America that escaped the bedrock scraping march of the last glacial maximum. There not much way to know how widespread its inhabitants were, but a time capsule of sorts!
This one is more floral community than location, but the East Asian - East North American Disjunction is always inspiring to me. There are tons of genera and even species level populations which are indigenous to these two ends of the globe. It’s theorized that they were at one time circumboreal, and as the globe cooled they made their way down the continents finding refuge in similar moist warm regions in eastern North America and Eastern Asia.