“Life zones“ refer to ecological regions characterized by similar climatic, geographical, and environmental conditions. They are home to communities of living organisms (fauna and flora) that have adapted to these specific conditions through evolution.

This concept is rooted in the history of ecology in Europe and America. It has given rise to numerous studies and applications in the context of structuring ecology as a scientific discipline, and is part of the history of biogeographic and ecological theories of the 19th and 20th centuries. While its field application has seen notable successes, it has also revealed limitations and controversies. Once analyzed, these discussions contribute to the theoretical foundations of causal and predictive approaches to species distributions across the globe, by integrating ecological and evolutionary data.

In this work, the authors address students and researchers, as well as anyone interested in phytogeography, biogeography, botany, zoology… all fields examined from a historical and epistemological perspective.