The answer to the question of what is an endemic, in geography, for example, will be very easy to find, but it would be better to turn to biology and consider this concept from the biological side.
Definition, description of endemics
Endemics are called biological species - representatives of both flora and fauna, living in fairly isolated or limited areas of the area. Often such territories are those that are separated from the rest of the world by environmental or geographical factors. In addition, these sites are characterized by conserved habitats, that is, those where the conditions for the existence of endemics have not changed over a long period of time.
Due to extensive human activity, many modern species of plants and animals are gradually moving into the rare or endemic section, which encourages people to form national parks and reserves in order to preserve and increase the population of the remaining individuals. It is difficult for mankind to understand what endemics are for our future. The more species are included in the endemic section, the more we limit their habitats, arranging for animals and plantssimilarity of colonies.
Classification of endemics
It is worth noting that endemic species that live on the territory of only one desert (Welwitschia amazing, growing exclusively in the Namib Desert), one island or one mountain range (there is a subspecies of hummingbird that lives on the only mountain Chimborazo, located in South America) are called narrowly endemic. In order to finally understand what endemics are, you should familiarize yourself with the main classification, according to which such species are divided into neoendemics (progressive endemics) and paleoendemics (relict endemics).
Neoendemics are such biological taxa (species) that developed in parallel with their "kin", but in an isolated area, for example, on islands remote from the mainland. So, in Madagascar, 65% of all vegetation is endemic; in Hawaii, their number increases to 90%. Also, these include some species that live in the Crimea, Baikal, the Seychelles, St. Helena, the British Isles, etc. And, of course, how to talk about what endemics are, if not to mention their most famous representatives: kangaroo and koala. They are part of an infraclass that lives exclusively in Australia.
Paleoendemics are species that appeared as a result of their almost complete extinction in large areas of their former ranges. The remains of these ancient representatives have been preserved, mainly due to their thorough isolation from the more developed ones. Relic endemics oftencalled living fossils, as they are mainly representatives of older groups that lived many years ago. These include lobe-finned fish (latimeria), beak-headed reptiles (tuatara), crocodiles, horseshoe crab, lungfish (protopter), monotremes (echidna, platypus), etc.
Endemics of America
North America is worthy of attention due to its diversity of endemic species. One of the most recognizable plant species related to those and located in the United States is the giant Sequoia tree, some of which the locals even called their own names. Endemic plant species also include Balfour pine, Huron tansy, multi-colored pachycormus, obregonia de-negri, etc. From the fauna of the endemic world of North America, one can distinguish wood bison, puma, Baribal, Mississippi alligator, and also a bull frog (reaches the length 20 cm) and the Californian condor.
Baikal is the pearl of Siberia
To understand what Baikal endemics are, it is only worth noting that the flora and fauna of this lake consists of 65% endemic species. So, out of 2600 species and subspecies living here, slightly more than 1000 taxa, about 95 genera, about 10 families are representatives of the endemic world. One of the most famous endemics of Lake Baikal is the Baikal seal (seal), one of the only freshwater seal species in the world. Also to the endemics of Baikalinclude the following species and families: golomyanka, yellow-winged (deep-sea fish), Baikal omul (salmon family), Baikal epishura (crustaceans reaching an average size of about 1.5-2 mm) and, as mentioned above, the Baikal seal.
