Meaning & use
vicariance
Last updated
The separation of a group of organisms by a geographic barrier, resulting in the formation of new populations or species over time.
See it in a sentence
The rise of the mountain range caused vicariance between the two lizard populations.
Biogeographers use vicariance to explain how closely related species end up on separate continents.
A note on using this word
Vicariance is a key concept in biogeography, contrasted with 'dispersal' as an explanation for how species become geographically separated.
Words with an opposite meaning
dispersal
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