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| Sunda and Sahul | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sunda and Sahul |
| Region | Maritime Southeast Asia and Australasia |
Sunda and Sahul Sunda and Sahul denote two major biogeographic and tectonic regions that shaped the distribution of flora, fauna, and human populations across Maritime Southeast Asia and Australasia. These regions involve the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Australia, and adjacent island systems, and they intersect with concepts developed by scientists associated with the Wallace Line, Alfred Russel Wallace, and the field of biogeography. The delineation of these regions is central to studies in Pleistocene epoch geology, island biogeography, and prehistoric dispersals examined by researchers working with institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, the Natural History Museum, London, and the Australian National University.
The geography and geological history of the area involves major tectonic units like the Sunda Shelf, the Sahul Shelf, the Australian Plate, the Eurasian Plate, and the Pacific Plate, and has been reconstructed using data from plate tectonics, paleogeography, and seismic studies by teams at the U.S. Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of Indonesia. The region includes continental fragments such as Borneo, Sumatra, Java, New Guinea, and Tasmania plus island arcs such as the Philippine Mobile Belt, the Moluccas, and the Lesser Sunda Islands. Geological events tied to the Pleistocene megafauna record, volcanism linked to Krakatoa, and orogenic processes related to the Sunda Trench and the New Guinea Highlands have shaped topography influencing drainage systems like the Mekong River and the Fly River.
During the Pleistocene epoch, glacial cycles driven by orbital forcing in the Milankovitch cycles produced sea-level fluctuations documented in cores from the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea, and the Coral Sea. Lowered sea levels exposed the Sunda Shelf creating a contiguous landmass connecting Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and Java, while the Sahul Shelf connected New Guinea with Australia. These connections are crucial to interpretations of dispersal across virtual corridors discussed alongside the Wallace Line and the Lydekker Line, and have been modeled by paleoecologists associated with the University of Cambridge, the Australian National University, and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
Biogeographic patterns reflect restricted and asymmetrical faunal exchange between the two regions. Notable taxa such as Homo sapiens, Homo floresiensis, Homo erectus, Komodo dragon, orangutan, tiger, crocodile, marsupial, monotreme, megafauna like Diprotodon and Giant marsupial lion (Thylacoleo) illustrate differential dispersal. The distributions documented by collectors and naturalists including Alfred Russel Wallace, Charles Darwin, and curators at the British Museum underpin modern analyses by groups at the Max Planck Institute and the Smithsonian Institution. Island endemics on Sulawesi, Celebes Sea islands, and Timor contrast with Australian endemic assemblages on Cape York Peninsula and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Archaeological and genetic evidence for human migration involves discoveries at sites such as Niah Cave, Tabon Caves, Callao Cave, Lake Mungo, and Madjedbebe, and analyses using methods developed at institutions like the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the Australian National University, and the Smithsonian Institution. Radiocarbon and luminescence dating from teams led by researchers at the University of Oxford, University of Sydney, and Griffith University support hypotheses about crossings of shallow seas and the use of watercraft inferred in connection with the peopling of New Guinea and Australia. Genetic studies referencing populations such as the Papuans, Austronesians, Austroasiatic peoples, Negrito populations, and analyses by projects like the 1000 Genomes Project and research groups at the Broad Institute refine timelines of dispersal, admixture, and cultural transmission associated with archaeological cultures including Lapita culture.
Ecological processes produced high levels of endemism across island systems managed or studied by organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Ecoregions such as the Sundaic lowland rain forests, the New Guinea montane rain forests, and the Australian temperate forests host endemic taxa including Rafflesia, birds-of-paradise, bowerbirds, cassowary, tasmanian devil, and diverse orchid genera documented in collections at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Australian Museum. Conservation biologists from the IUCN Red List and NGOs like Conservation International emphasize habitat fragmentation, invasive species such as feral pig impacts, and climate-driven shifts identified in reports linked to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Contemporary conservation and management occur within political boundaries of states including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Australia, with subnational units such as the Kalimantan provinces and Western New Guinea (Papua) playing key roles. Transboundary initiatives involve bodies such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and multilateral funding from the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility. Protected areas including Komodo National Park, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, Kakadu National Park, and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park exemplify legal frameworks under national legislation like the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 in Australia and Indonesian conservation laws enforced by agencies such as the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (Indonesia).
Category:Biogeography Category:Geology Category:Archaeology