Even MORE Islands That Aren't Islands 

Here are the sources and further reading for the Dhofar Mountains section of the video, they didn't all fit in the description: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3730737/ arkbiodiv.com/2023/08/14/salalah-the-eden-of-unique-biodiversity/ www.britishomani.org//uploads/downloads/dhofar%20brochure%2009_02.pdf lntreasures.com/oman.html www.cnn.com/2022/01/19/middleeast/arabian-leopards-oman-conservation-spc-intl/index.html www.kew.org/read-and-watch/islands-in-the-desert-oman www.jstor.org/stable/2997660 agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2006WR005261 www.cnn.com/travel/gallery/salalah-khareef-oman-jungle-rainforest-desert-travel/index.html portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/RL-53-001.pdf#page=20 landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/article/getting-to-know-the-dhofar-cloud-forest/ repfocus.dk/GEO/Oman.html onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jzs.12226 www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/11/3/322 link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40333-016-0025-8 www.omanobserver.om/article/1123999/oman/environment/endemic-reptiles-of-oman-need-conservation www.researchgate.net/figure/Type-series-of-Ptyodactylus-dhofarensis-sp-nov_fig4_263858320 www.lacerta.de/AF/Bibliografie/BIB_4508.pdf www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-Oman-showing-localities-described-in-the-text-Number-1-marks-locality-of-L_fig1_272355843 reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Ptyodactylus&species=dhofarensis eol.org/pages/795428 www.podarcis.de/AF/Bibliografie/BIB_6529.pdf www.arabianwildlife.com/archive/vol3.1/snake.htm www.researchgate.net/figure/Platyceps-thomasi-with-distinct-orange-vertebral-stripe_fig3_272355843 reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Tropiocolotes&species=confusus www.researchgate.net/figure/Type-series-of-Ptyodactylus-dhofarensis-sp-nov_fig4_263858320 www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-the-Arabian-Sea-showing-the-coastal-upwelling-regions-off-Somalia-Arabia-and_fig1_350519578 phys.org/news/2023-11-evidence-arabian-leopards-extensive-saudi.html en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chamaeleo_arabicus_distribution.png www.menasci.net/leopard.html peerj.com/articles/1974/ www.researchgate.net/figure/A-map-of-the-central-South-Arabian-mountains-in-the-Dhofar-Governorate-of-Oman-and-the_fig1_339882317

Common AtlasPro W. Never would have guessed Antarctica had its own species or so many of them. Keep up the great work 💪

Another "Island" that might interest you would be Lake Hévíz in Hungary. It is a Thermal Lake that runs off in a warm stream, therefore creating an "Island" of unique plants and animals that live in the year round warm waters. I'm pretty sure other thermal streams and lakes around the world create similar "Islands".

📍 Submarine groundwater discharges are understudied. There are a few underwater oasis of freshwater that have endemic brackish species.

Thanks Sadiq for inspiring this video!

i don't know if you consider that as an oasis but in the south of greenland in a valley there is a remainder of what used to be greenlandic forests. We found this forest in the Qinngua Valley if you want to look at it

11:17 you are literally the master of after effects. Geolayers Pro

If you need more isolates to explore, you should look into ecosystem on the abyssal plane, like Foodfalls, Brine Pools, and Hydrothermal vents!

📍 Devils Hole Pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis). This species is endemic to Devils Hole, a geothermal water-filled cavern located in Death Valley National Park. The Devils Hole Pupfish is considered one of the rarest fish species in the world due to its extremely limited habitat and population size.

Oh wow, oasis in Antartica is quite unexpected

"Upside-down Antarctica can't hurt you" Upside-down Antarctica: 10:15

In my home country Mozambique, there is a bird called Black-headed Apalis, the species can be found in some specific areas throughout the country, in lowland and riverine forests. The interesting fact is that a subspecies of the bird (as of now it has not been published yet) lies in a small forestry area close to the ocean in Inharrime ( specifically the forest occupied by the lodge Dunes de Dovela). It differs from the original species, in color, while the normal has pinkish legs and white eyes, this one has red legs and red eyes. I was lucky to have been able to spot it a few times during my time there. The forest there is full of birds ! It would be interesting to understand what makes that small location a haven for life to thrive in!

The Sierra de Laguna could be influenced by being an actual island a long time ago. Differences would be sustained by it's continued isolation, but could it be that species are instead becoming closer to other populations, as mixing is more likely?

Three Australian examples I can think of: 1. The Antartic Beech or Nothofagus Moorei - a Gondwanic reminant that clings to the highest peaks of the Lamington Platau, Lamington National Park and Mount Barney National Park, where the climate is still cool and moist enough for them to survive, as the Australian contenent slowly drifts further north. 2. The King's Fern, with fronds 2-3 m long, that grows in the cool damp conditions in Ward's Canyan - A side canyan of Carnarvon George, Carnarvon George National Park, in semi arid centeral Queensland. 3. The Wollemi Pine, a recently discovered living dinosaur! Found in a remote canyan in Wollemi National Park, NW on Sydney. This tree was previously only known of from its fossels.

Ideas like this, new kinds of islands, bring about questions. Where I live, my home, is within a deep rain shadow and creates a near desert where I live. Where on the other side of the mountains is a rain forest. Literally where I live endemic life likely exists but it's normal for me. Makes my small world seem bigger is my point. (Thank you for opening my mind.)

Greetings From Mexico , in Ensenada Baja California,

This channel has such a good niche topic. It’s always very well researched, scripted, and edited. Excited for what’s next

I love a good video from Island Pro

And so my favorite biology/geology saga continues. Also Sadiq, love the isolates idea.

0:48 Hey, I'm in the video! Hi mom!

You should do a video on Florida and the Bahamas, ancient coral reefs and sand dunes that rose from the ocean. Also how it meets the nootropics while being separated from South America, resulting in organisms from temperate regions becoming more tropical. But they are isolated from up north because it’s too cold so animals and plants become different species. Take the Florida bobcat for example or the many neotropical and temperate butterflies . You’ll have alligators and bears living along side each other.Just something I found a little interesting

may be the islands were the friends we made along the way

Vernal pools also act as isolates. Or at least similarly to them. It's a temporary pond that comes primarily from snow melt and early rains. What makes them stand out from permanent ponds and lakes is the fact that they consistently dry up every year. Because of this fish can't utilize them which allows different animals to thrive. Other than fairy shrimp and similarly small insects there's not all that much in terms of unique species but it DOES change the priorities of the area. The ability to utilize both land and water is promoted and so amphibians can actually reign supreme here free from the threats of fish on both them and their eggs. For any forest or grassland they're in they're usually a place where life is especially abundant. Basically it's an oasis in a wetter climate.

📍 Glacial Driftless Area of Wisconsin/Iowa include the endemic, endangered species. The glacier went around this area, thus preserving ancient species. Pleistocene relic terrestrial snails like Discus macclintocki, aquatic species such as the Ozark Rocksnail (Leptoxis compacta), Karner Blue Butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis), a leafhopper species (Flexamia tarda). Also certain grasses and trees.

Rest of us when we hear oasis - micro sanctuary filled with palm trees and a lake in the middle of the Sahara. Atlas pro - tip of Baha California a cliff side in Arabia and an isolated coastal valley of Antarctica. This is why we love this channel. Next time maybe you can pin point a collection of actual classical interpretations of an oasis scattered across deserts. I’d love to see that one.

The tallest mountains on the Baja Peninsula aren't in Sierra Laguna. They aren't even the highest in Baja California Sur state, which comprises the southern half of the peninsula. The tallest mountains are found in Sierra San Pedro Mártir, located in Baja California state, the northern half of the peninsula.

Mannnn, you need to upload videos more often - this satisfies the inner geography nerd within me more than any other channel on YT, you actually do some solid research and probe such interesting topics of special interest compared to everyone else. Great work as always

It's surprising that the Namib and Atacama deserts don't have any species specific oases since I've read they're the oldest hot deserts. Also I've read (again!) in Mexico there are isolated desert ponds that have and had their own species of fish, like pupfish, some of which are extinct since they were limited to only one pond.

As a neurodivergent person with geography/maps as one of my fixations/special interests, you are an absolute savior ❤❤ I love your content so much, keep it up!

Rhode Island isn’t really an island.

This man is insanely passionate about geography and I love it. He's making the kind of stuff that I would have gone mad for as a teenager. I used to spend hours looking through atlases and would wonder about all the little details I was seeing. Then I would do the same when I got my first internet connection - spending ages on a website showing aerial and satellite photographs of the world, called TerraServer, before Google Maps existed. To see a regular person making high-quality videos about all these places, with facts and footage included, is just beyond cool! Thank you for all your great work. Please keep it up - it's a breath of fresh air!

I compliment you on only capitalizing one word in your title and not changing it after an algorithmically efficient interval of time.

Baja California peninsula has interesting geography. I love how you mentioned it

Technically, South Korea is an island in a geopolitical stance.

Baja California Mentioned!!!! 📢📢🔊🔊🔊

Sierra de San Pedro Mártir range's highest peak is Picacho del Diablo at 3,096 m (10,157 ft) in elevation. It is the highest point in Baja California state and of the entire Baja California Peninsula. The "Sierra de la Laguna High Point", at 2,090 metres (6,857 ft) in elevation, is the highest point of the range and in Baja California Sur state, but not the highest is the peninsula.

The pure joy and excitement I get seeing a new Atlas Pro video, especially my favorite series!!

isthmus video when

Loved this video!! Thank you so much for your research and writing!!

I love your videos :) Always very informative and good visuals. Id be interested in seeing a video on cape horn and the cape floristic region because of the incredible biodiversity and rate of endemic species, I learned a little about it recently and im fascinated!! beautiful place

Hey Atlas, I just want to say thank you for inspiring my High School Capstone project topic last year, this series about the island rule made me do a (with hindsight, extremely basic) research project on how the island rule would effect potential interplanetary colonization. I’m still super interested in the topic, so thank you so much for keeping up the good work!

I’ve been watching your content since when you only had about 15,000 subs and this might be my favorite video you’ve done. Excellent topic, graphics and narration.

Thanks for the awesome video and all the amazing content you provide!!

The video by Atlas Pro is excellent, shedding light on these unique aspects of nature admirably. During my research, I discovered fascinating plants that bloom only once in many years, such as Strobilanthes kunthiana and Strobilanthes callosa. I suggest considering these plants for discussion in your future videos.

This was really fascinating. Great video!

Fifla Island near Malta is also interesting since it houses a green lizard with red dots called Podarcis filfolensis. Also it looks like a text book Isolate.

That bit about the leopard was interesting because it wasn't the desert isolating them, it was humans. Chernobyl is probably a good example of a man made invisible isolate.

You have really upped the graphics game! So nice. Love your videos!

Good job atlas pro! great vid

Awesome video! The image you used for the Antarctic spring-tails is a silverfish. Different family. Springtails are soft-bodied. Silverfish have exoskeletons. Also, and this is key: silverfish are true insects, but spring-tails are not. Most people won't notice, but it jumped out at me being someone obsessed with insects.

Gotta give props to how much better the map animations and the editing have gotten 👏👏👏

I was totally unaware of the Onyx River. I've known about the dry valleys as "sites" for atypical geology and geography due to the meteorology. This series of isolates (great word) is brilliant!

Well done. What a good piece of work!

Dope video as always

Love these videos! One cool isolate that I know of is the sediment islands in the Congo River Basin, where there are all kinds of creatures that have evolved to the less nutrient-dense water, like the eel catfish, which can actually walk on land. The documentary I watched even described it as a "giant lab for evolution", totally reminded me of your channel!

Nice to have you back.

I visited a place in the Mojave desert recently called Suprise Canyon, all around it was desert but because of the Panamint range which gets snowpack only this Canyon gets trees and other the thriving life, it was pretty awesome to see

Whow, just another great episode answering so many questions I didn't know I had 👍😅! And I enjoy going onto Google Earth and explore some of these areas remotely. THX !!

I love how this channel has evolved over the past years. I am a subscriber since before the face reveal and always enjoyed much your content. It's definitely on my top 3 youtube channels, together with SerpaDesign. I think I have a thing for nature :)

Another awesome vid! thank you!

Fascinating. Keep it up.

Time to launch the alternative terms isolate dwarfism and isolate gigantism.

New Mexico and Arizona sky island have lots of endemic species. Patches of high, wet mountains create unique habitats for different flora and fauna to thrive.

Very interesting, original research ❤

You really do an excellent job, if I wasn't already subscribed, I would subscribe now. Subscribe early and often!

I love so much your videos, thanks a lot for this. It takes me back to my childhood watching NatGeo

Would it be possible for you to start a miniseries on extremiphiles? Maybe one video on hot spring life such as sulfur vent underwater, one on deep sea life, high-altitude plants, etc.

When you started about oasis, I expected some attention for the desert crocodile....but as so often, you managed to come up with some unexpected material. 👌

I love a lot of things about this video including the structure and nuance. But I think the Baja example more directly falls under Mountain than oasis. Still fascinating

Thanks for the view of the Dhofar mountains this was new to me and I was born a little north of Rub al-Khali.

Im glad that he’s moving away from boring atlas videos and the videos that I love

I genuinely think you could write a phd dissertation around this topic. You’ve done so much novel research already and come up with a bunch of new ideas, and even written all of the video scripts, most of the work is already done!

You should do a series on rivalries between different animals, some broad ideas would be like “current evolutionary arms races” or “the oldest rivalries in nature”. It doesn’t just have to be animals outcompeting, it could be plants and animals, or plants and plants or even fungi vs whatever. I think you do such a good job with nature related anything, it is also extremely broad and I think it fits your channel extremely well. (I also lack the drive and know how on making videos so I will never do so)

Thank you!!

im so glad milo brought me to this channel ❤

While not quite in a desert currently, cypress hills in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan could also be considered an oasis. Currently it is surrounded by semi-arid grasslands and badlands, but in the past it was very much an oasis in a glacial desert. I imagine that it has been around long enough to harbour it's own adaptations.

Great Basin National Park is a beautiful and unique place that you should definitely look into. There is lots of diverse wildlife and it is said to have it's own weather patterns separate from the surrounding area, not to mention it can snow in the mountains even during summer which is rare for the US Southwest. The parks brochure even refers to the Snake mountain range as an "island".

What about the speciation of pupfishes across the oases of the american southwest e.g. Devil's Hole Pupfish? Also you missed an endemic bird: Baird's Junco (Junco bairdii).There is also the subspecies San Lucas Robin (Turdus migratorius confinis) Great video!!! Always so intriguing to watch!!

I love the content. I'm nuts about living soil and would love to see your thoughts on some of the new research into it. I feel we could take this to an even hyper regional feel when talking about biology like mites or nematodes. Something very local like an isolated water basin

Another really interesting video! This made me think of a place near where i live in Florida called the lake wales ridge. From what i remember, several million years ago when sea levels were higher, all of Florida except for this ridge was underwater. There's lots of endemic plants and i believe the red widow spider is endemic to the lake wales ridge as well. Im sure there are other examples of places around the world that were once islands during periods of high sea levels hosting unique plants and animals. Could be a cool idea to include in a future video.

In the section about the south pole, you show a clip of Landmannalaugar Iceland (13:16) :P It caught me by surprise. Good video though. Keep it up!

Visited Dhofar in August 2023 and definitely saw the island of green you were talking about. It's absolutely beautiful and already a big tourist destination for the Middle East

Atlas Pro this was another fascinating video thank you. Ecology is so cool!

Fascinating.

Great video

Just out of curiosity, have you ever done a video on lake Corcoran in California? Seems like a topic that might be up your alley and I’d definitely watch it

خريف khareef Mean fall 🍁 Monsoon is literally a word come from the arabic ( mawssem موسم) which means season , monsoon wind رياح موسمية Some foreigner they misunderstood the dialect and the accent of the local Like how they call wadi وادي which mean valley , but the foreigner think it mean Seasonal river

hi i like this video, may i ask what happened to astro pro? i loved those videos, hope you can still make them eventually

I like how your entire channel runs around the niche of biogeographical islands

Really interesting ❤

Once you see it, it makes so much sense. If you have factors like mountains and peninsulas, a permanent oasis can form and be sustained for a very long time on a geologic scale.

The Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary in Northern Canada is an Arctic Oasis twice the size of Belgium. Very unique.

Next up you should look into recursive isolates; such as valleys nested in mountains on the island of New Guinea (triply recursive isolates with essentially 0 information), or islands off the coast of peninsulas such as the Juan Fernandez islands off of Chile (doubly recursive), etc. Its interesting how deep you can dig into this rabbithole!

Great video.

First we get another Atlas Pro upload, then another Civvie release roundup video, and also an hour-long Critters retrospective! I'm gonna be eatin' GOOD this Friday, and that's not even talking about the tacos I'm gonna have tonight!

Oh thank god, i was so depressed today. I needed this

4:11 Keys View, where this stock footage is taken, is in Joshua Tree National Park, California, decidedly not Baja California. It overlooks the Coachella Valley.

Isolates! Perfect! Absolutely perfect!

Love your video, I also thought of another location that you might want to add but I don't know if there are any endemic species. The far north of Colombia and Venezuela is a desert which a peninsula that is surrounded by Rainforest on the only side where there's land. So maybe you want to check that out and also the forest in Greenland.

My favourite is The Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, England. A coastal shelf of land cut off inland by a high, steep ridge, passable only through a narrow notch guarded by the ruined Corfe Castle.