What is Neotropic?
In context of [[biogeography]], '''Neotropic''' or '''Neotropical''' means one of the world's eight terrestrial [[ecozone]]s. This ecozone includes South and [[Central America]], the [[Mexico|Mexican]] lowlands, the [[Caribbean]] islands, and southern [[Florida]], because these regions share a large number of plant and animal groups. It is sometimes used as a synonym for the tropical area of [[South America]], although the ecozone also includes temperate southern South America. Its fauna and flora are distinct from the [[Nearctic]] (which includes most of [[North America]]) because of the long separation of the two continents. The formation of the [[Isthmus of Panama]] joined the two continents 2 to 3 million years ago. The Neotropic includes more tropical [[rainforest]] than any other ecozone. They extend from southern Mexico through Central America and northern South America to southern [[Brazil]] and include the [[Amazon Rainforest]]. These rainforest ecoregions are one of the most important reserves of [[biodiversity]] on [[Earth]]. Extensive [[deforestation]] in the late [[20th century]] has reduced this diversity to a degree. == Other websites == * [http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/ecoregions/maps/index.cfm Map of the ecozones] * [http://www.eco-index.org Eco-Index], a bilingual searchable reference of conservation and research projects in the Neotropics; a service of the Rainforest Alliance == References == * Cox, C. Barry; Peter D. Moore 1985. ''Biogeography: an ecological and evolutionary approach.'' 4th ed, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford. * Dinerstein, Eric; David Olson; Douglas J. Graham; et al. 1995. ''A conservation assessment of the terrestrial ecoregions of Latin America and the Caribbean''. World Bank, Washington DC. * Schultz J.: 2005. The Ecozones of the World. 2nd ed, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York. {{ISBN|3-540-20014-2}} * Udvardy M.D.F. 1975. ''A classification of the biogeographical provinces of the world''. IUCN Occasional Paper #18. Morges, Switzerland: