Indonesia holds a secret regional division that has existed for\nalmost 160 years. This separation refers to the Wallace Line, a\nbiological demarcation line stretching from Southeast Asia to\nAustralia.<\/p>\n
This imaginary line was first mapped by naturalist Alfred Wallace\nduring his expedition in 1863. During his journey, he discovered highly\ncontrasting species characteristics between the two regions.<\/p>\n
However, the Wallace Line has long presented a mystery to scientists:\nwhy were Asian species able to cross and adapt to the Australian region,\nwhile Australian flora and fauna could not do the reverse?<\/p>\n
This biological puzzle has finally been answered through a recent\nstudy. Researchers found that climate shifts caused by tectonic activity\nmillions of years ago were the driving force behind this asymmetrical\nspecies distribution.<\/p>\n
Massive tectonic activity occurring approximately 35 million years\nago led to the birth of the Indonesian archipelago, beginning when the\nAustralian landmass separated from Antarctica and moved to collide with\nthe Asian plate.<\/p>\n
To solve this mystery, a research team designed advanced computer\nmodels to simulate the climatic impacts of this ancient plate collision.\nThe model accounted for dispersal capabilities, ecological preferences,\nand the evolutionary relationships of more than 20,000 species on both\nsides of the Wallace Line.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Australia moved away from Antarctica, it opened up deep-sea\nareas surrounding Antarctica that now host the Antarctic Circumpolar\nCurrent (ACC),\u201d explained the study\u2019s lead author and evolutionary\nbiologist at the Australian National University, Alex Skeels, as cited\nby Live Science.<\/p>\n
Notably, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is the largest ocean\ncurrent on Earth and plays a vital role in regulating the global climate\nsystem.<\/p>\n
The computer simulations also revealed that climate change did not\nimpact all species equally. Southeast Asia and most of western Indonesia\nwere blessed with a climate that tends to be warm and wet. Conversely,\nthe Australian region possesses colder and drier climatic\ncharacteristics.<\/p>\n
These differing climate patterns acted as a natural filter for the\nadaptive capabilities of living creatures. Asian species accustomed to a\nwet tropical climate proved more flexible in adapting when crossing into\nIndonesia and even advancing into Australian territory. In contrast,\nnative Australian species, adapted to dry and cold weather, struggled to\nsurvive when attempting to cross the Wallace Line towards the west.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesian-territory-split-in-two-experts-reveal-the-facts-1788655957", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }