Glaciation and Biogeographic Dynamics of the Pleistocene

This chapter discusses the glaciation and biogeographic dynamics of the Pleistocene. It highlights that the climatic upheavals of the Pleistocene caused major shifts in the geography of life across the planet. Earth experienced numerous glacial-interglacial cycles during the Pleistocene, so the cycle of glacial and interglacial periods affected the entire planet not just those specific regions covered by glaciers. The chapter looks into the biogeographic responses to climatic cycles of the Pleistocene. It also explains what Pleistocene refugia are. These are the areas to which species were displaced during glacial episodes. Finally, the chapter looks at extinctions of the Pleistocene megafauna.