7 Phylogeography in Historical Biogeography: Investigating the Biogeographic Histories of Populations, Species, and Young Biotas

Over the past two decades, phylogeography has become an increasingly popular approach to investigating the geography of genetic variation within and among populations, species, and groups of closely related species. Phylogeographic research is uniquely positioned between historical and ecological biogeography, but to date has not incorporated many of the fundamental concepts of the former and, therefore, is susceptible to criticism that it is not a legitimate method in area-based historical biogeography. Here, we review the similarities and differences between phylogeography and area-based historical biogeography; and review concerns regarding the differences. We then summarize one recent approach to reconciling differences that highlights the synergistic and reciprocal strengths of each approach at different stages in the analysis of historical structure within populations, species, and young biotas.