Page 51 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

Floral and faunal boundary lines
in Indonesia (Geotge, 1964 in
Whitemore, 1981). Huxley's line 1868

- 180 m PHILIPPINES Wallace's line 1863 - 1880

Wallace's line 1910
MALAYSIA
Weber's line 1904
Lydekker's line 1896
SUNDA
LAND KALIMANTAN
SUMATRA
SULAWESI MALUKU - 180 m
KAI IRIAN
WALLACEA ARU
JAVA
BALI LOMBOK TIMOR Weber's line 1894
SAHUL LAND

can be explained as due to climatic factors driving increasing biodiversity which was more
stable than in the previous period.
Another impact concerned the life of animals. The amelioration of climate and more
stable temperature (getting warmer and more humid), had expanded the tropical rain
forest and decreased the area of savannah. New environment with many different varieties
of landscapes had resulted in growing numbers of different kinds of plants. Since the forest
areas were getting bigger, the population of big animals was declined. Nevertheless, the
population of arboreal animals was increased. Medway (1977) recorded that around 200
species of Pleistocene mega-fauna in the world were extinct due to climate changes, 11
species were from South East Asia, such as. Elephas maximus, Bubalus sp., Cervus eldi,
Rhinoceros sondaicus, Manis palaeojavanica, and Tapirus indicus (Bellwood, 2000).
The amelioration of climate and diversities of flora and fauna following the Ice Age
was a momentum for the beginning of culture change. Since then, in 12 thousand years
up to present times, many rapid changes has happened, started from Pre-Neolithic to
Neolithic in the prehistoric Age, continuing to Paleometal Age in Proto-historic periods,
until the infiltration of the influences of Hinduism-Buddhism, Islam, Colonial in Historic
Age, and in the independent era up to present time. Compared to previous period, millions
of years of the Pleistocene, the development of Paleolithic culture had been gradual and

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