P.P.Shirshov's Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Science, Nakhimivsky prospekt 36, Moscow 117851, Russia

Abstract

Biogeographical study is divided into two main stages: pure and analytical biogeography. Pure (chorological) biogeography is characterized by the exclusion of any factor that can affect the distribution patterns. Absence of this stage in the majority of biogeographical works creates the common problem - impossibility of correction of cause-and-effect analysis of distribution picture. Narrative biogeography stands often on the pure one. From the methodological position narrative stage is outside the biogeography since it doesn't require biogeographical methods. According to Starobogatov (1982) biogeography is a science about distribution of any life manifestation. Delimiting of biogeographical branches in this case is based firstly on determination of the types of biological objects. Biological objects in biocoenotic biogeography are populations and communities, objects in biotic (faunistic and floristic) biogeography are taxa and biotic units. Biotic boundary is defined as a zone of crowding of species ranges, biotic unit - as a sum of organisms inhabiting a biotic region, biotic complex - as a set of taxa representing biotic region. In biotic geography species distribution is described only with boundaries of species ranges, boundaries of "lace of species ranges" are ignored. From the chorological position specific nature of all biotic constructions is determined by assumption of continuity of species ranges. Delimiting of biotic and biocoenotic approaches are not fell when the concepts are used independently. Methods to reveal the biotic boundary are briefly surveyed and the problems of panbiogeographical synthesis are discussed.