B.A 2 Semester PAPER 2026 Climatology and Biogeography

B.
A 2ND SEMESTER
PAPER 2026
CLIMATOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
Factors affecting the world distribution of plants and
animals
• There are diversities in species in plants and animals. Plants
and animals are Terrestrial and Aquatic. Diversities of plants
and animals are found from the Equator to Pole, and
from Foothills to Mountain Top.
• Humans, animals, and plants are globally distributed, they are
termed cosmopolitan in their distribution some other animals
have restricted distribution and they are said to be endemic.
• Cosmopolitan – same and similar species widely distributed
all over the world.
• Endemic – same and similar species occurring in the same
geographical location and in no other place.
• The global distribution of plants and animals depends on
abiotic and biotic factors; the abiotic are the non-living
factors and also the biotic factors or the living factors.
Abiotic factors affecting distribution of plants and animals
1. Rocks
• the rocks of the lithosphere have to be weathered and the soil
has to be formed before a plant to grow. The immediate
environmental factor affecting the plant is therefore the soil
and these soil characteristics mostly depend on the parent
rock. Rocks favor certain plants; and, in some instances,
differences in rocks adapt them to different species
of Lichens and Mosses.
2. Food
• All living species must have food to survive, without the food they die,
this is one of the foundations for the differences in limitation of plants,
animal in different locations of the world.
3. Air
• All living things (plants and animals) need air to breathe and for
survival, the air is needed for respiration to take place in organisms. All
living organisms only survive where there is air in abundance, when the
air pressure is low, especially in higher altitudes some may find it
difficult to breathe because of the insufficient amount of oxygen present
at such height. Oxygen and carbon dioxides are very important for both
plants and animals, oxygen is essential for respiration and it is utilized
during various growth and development process, while carbon dioxide is
needed for photosynthesis to take place.
4. Water
• Water enters the ecosystem through snow, drizzle, sleet, rain, hail
which are generally termed as precipitation. Precipitation
determines, along with mean temperature, the worldwide
distribution of Biomes. Some animals are aquatic in nature, they
must have water to live in, and on the other hand, some animals
including desert rats are able to survive in arid areas where they are
unlikely ever to drink water. Water is very important for vital
functions, however, only animals that can conserve water are found
in the deserts
5. Nutrients
• Nitrogen is needed to make proteins, enzymes, nucleotides, and
vitamins. Phosphorus is used in the formation of phospholipids and
other structures.
6. Soil
• For plants, soil type is a major factor in deciding the type and variety of
species growing in a particular area as the minerals, water contents,
microorganisms, etc. all differ in different soils. Soil is a combination of
various organic and inorganic matters and with varying content, the water
retention capacity of the soil, the fertility, and the presence of minerals
changes
7.Temperature
• The ability to survive at extremes temperatures varies widely among plants
and animals. Animals respond to variation in temperature both
physiologically and behaviorally. For instance, birds and mammals are hot
blooded animals (endotherms); they maintain relatively high body
temperatures using the heat by their own metabolism. Other animals (such
as insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish among others) are termed cold-
blooded (ectotherms), they regulate their body temperatures using the
surrounding temperature or by using the ambient temperature .
8. Light
• Light is an important climatic factor that is used for the production of
chlorophyll and photosynthesis; light has a big influence on the daily and
seasonal activity of plants and animals. Light is need for photosynthesis to
take place and it is the main source of energy in almost all ecosystems.
Energy enters the ecosystem through the source of light- the sun.
Biotic factors affecting distribution of plants and animals
1.Competition
• Competitive interactions have been seen to be one of the major factors that
diminish populations of plants and animals from their main habitats; plants
and animals compete for space, space is needed for reproduction, exercise,
and feeding.
2.Predation
• Predation affects the global distribution and abundance of plant and animal
species, the strength and direction of energy flow within a system, and the
diversity and composition of communities. Predators also play an essential
role in evolution.
3.Diseases
• Plant diseases can be fungal, bacterial, viral, or through an animal in
origin; they include insects/pests, plant diseases, and invasive
weeds. These diseases affect food crops, causing significant losses to
farmers and threatening food security
4.Humans
• Humans can influence animal and plant populations in various ways hence,
causing them to migrate away from their natural habitat to a new
environment. When humans develop land for houses and buildings, they
cut down trees and change animal and plant habitats

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