Patterns of Biodiversity (General)
An overview of the general principles and factors influencing the distribution of biodiversity across different geographical regions.
What is Patterns of Biodiversity (General)?
The number of different species present in a particular ecosystem or region.
Key formula / rule: Species-Area Relationship
Key points
- Explain the concept of biodiversity patterns.
- Describe the latitudinal gradient of species richness.
- Explain the species-area relationship.
- Discuss the influence of altitude on biodiversity.
Common exam trap
Confusing latitudinal and altitudinal gradients.
Definitions
- Term
Species Richness
- Meaning
The number of different species present in a particular ecosystem or region.
- Term
Latitudinal Gradient
- Meaning
The pattern of change in species richness or diversity with changes in latitude.
- Term
Species-Area Relationship
- Meaning
The empirical relationship between the number of species found in a habitat and the area of that habitat.
Learning objectives
Explain the concept of biodiversity patterns.
Describe the latitudinal gradient of species richness.
Explain the species-area relationship.
Discuss the influence of altitude on biodiversity.
Understand the species-energy hypothesis.
Formulae
- Name
Species-Area Relationship
- Note
Where S is species richness, A is area, and c and z are constants. 'z' typically ranges from 0.1 to 0.2 for small areas and up to 0.6 to 1.2 for larger areas like continents.
- Expression
S = cAz
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of ecosystems and species.
Knowledge of ecological concepts like habitat and niche.
Familiarity with geographical terms (latitude, altitude).
Common mistakes
Confusing latitudinal and altitudinal gradients.
Assuming a linear relationship between species number and area.
Overlooking the role of evolutionary history in shaping current biodiversity patterns.
Ignoring the impact of environmental factors like temperature and rainfall.
Keywords
Biodiversity patterns
Species richness
Latitudinal gradient
Species-area relationship
Altitudinal gradient
Species-energy hypothesis
Biogeography
Ecology
Practice preview
Which of the following statements best describes the concept of species-area relationship?…
easy
Which of the following factors is considered a primary driver for the latitudinal gradient in biodiversity, where species richness generally decreases from the equator towards the poles?…
medium
Which of the following is NOT a major factor contributing to the higher biodiversity in tropical regions compared to temperate regions?…
easy