which area would have the most species diversity course hero

by Viviane Jerde 6 min read

When is a species'diversity greatest?

Sep 13, 2016 · The grasslands contain scattered woody plants, but they are kept in check by theuprooting activities of the elephants. Take away the elephants, and the grasslands convert to forests or to shrublands. The newly growing forests support fewer species than the previous grasslands. Which of the following describes why elephants are the keystone species in this …

How does the species diversity vary in different geographical locations?

Chose an area that is economically depressed but has a lot of species diversity, you need to protect the species while providing jobs for locals. An animal is being poached for its horn which is believed in some cultures to cure many diseases, it is not critically endangered. The demand for farming is increasing, which is destroying native forests and affecting their biodiversity.

Which is an example of an ecosystem with high species diversity?

Biodiversity Jumpstart Biodiversity comes from the words biological and diversity, and it means "the variety of life on Earth". It includes all living things, including plants, animals and micro-organisms, and their unique characteristics. Biodiversity is defined and measured as an attribute that has two components — richness and evenness. Species richness describes the number of …

Which of the following is the most species rich environment?

In Southern latitudes = water is a good predictor of species richness (most of S. hemisphere is covered with water, temp is not variable) o Latitudinal gradient More species in tropics = (1) non-equilibrium time hypothesis (may have been around longer), (2) equilibrium between loss/gain of species Tropics vs. Temperate o Tropics have more ecological niches, intermediate …

Which area would have the most species diversity?

tropicsSpecies diversity is greatest in the tropics, particularly in tropical forests and coral reefs. The Amazon basin in South America has the largest area of tropical forests.

Which region is rich in species diversity?

Tropical regionSo, the correct answer is 'Tropical region'.

Which ecosystem has the highest species richness?

Coral reefsCoral reefs are believed to have the greatest biodiversity. They provide habitats for around 25% of marine organisms.

What causes high species diversity?

The environmental variables that influence biological factors (such as competition, influenced by dis- turbance and resource availability) and geographic factors (such as propagule supply influenced by patterns of wind and water movement) will influence gradients of species richness.

What is species diversity?

Species diversity is the measure of biological diversity observed in a particular ecological community indicating a number of species or species richness in an ecological community. Example – woodland forest comprising 4-5 different species of trees.

Why is diversity important in an ecosystem?

In an ecosystem, all the species depend on each other directly or indirectly. So to make a more efficient, productive and sustainable ecosystem, it is important to maintain high species diversity.

What is the definition of biodiversity?

The term “Biodiversity” refers to the heterogeneity present in the world or a habitat, ranging from macromolecules within the cells to biomes. Biodiversity comprises: Species diversity: Variety of species and abundance of species. Genetic diversity: Genetic variability present within the species. Ecological diversity: Ecosystem variety present ...

How much oxygen does the Amazon forest produce?

Amazon forest is estimated to produce 20 percent of total oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere through photosynthesis. Pollinators, symbiotic relationships, decomposers, each species perform a unique role, which is irreplaceable.

Why is species richness important?

Species richness makes an ecosystem able to respond to any catastrophe.

What is species richness?

Species richness makes an ecosystem able to respond to any catastrophe. In Species-rich communities, each species can use a different portion of resources available as per their requirement. E.g. plants with smaller roots can absorb water and minerals from shallow soil and plants with deeper roots can tap deeper soil.

How many species of plants are there in tropical rainforests?

Tropical Rainforests: They contain half of the world’s species. There are about 5-10 million insect species present. 40% of the world’s 2,75,000 species of flowering plants are present in the tropical regions. 30% of total bird species are present in tropical forests. The species richness of tropical forests is mostly due to relatively constant environmental conditions.

What is the diversity of a species?

Species diversity is defined as the number of species and abundance of each species that live in a particular location. The number of species that live in a certain location is called species richness. If you were to measure the species richness of a forest, you might find 20 bird species, 50 plant species, and 10 mammal species.

Why is species diversity important?

Species diversity is important for ecosystem health and for medicine. If a species disappears, an entire ecosystem can start to unravel. The wood in our houses, medicines we take, and the food we eat is all connected to species diversity. Human population growth is threatening species diversity.

How many species are there on Earth?

There are approximately 1.8 million different species classified on Earth. Of all the species identified, nearly one million are insects! New species are being discovered each year. Scientists estimate that there may be between 5 to 30 million species that actually live on Earth.

What is abundance in biology?

Abundance is the number of individuals of each species. For example, there might be 100 mountain beavers that live in a forest. You can talk about species diversity on a small scale, like a forest, or on a large scale, like the total diversity of species living on Earth. paywall_what-is-species-diversity-definition-importance-examples.

How many species of birds are there in the tropical rainforest?

Tropical rainforests comprise only 7% of all land on Earth yet are home to nearly 50% of all the species on Earth! In Costa Rica, there are over 1,400 species of orchids, 1,200 species of butterflies, and 600 species of birds! Interesting species of mammals live here as well, like howler monkeys, jaguars, and sloths.

What happens when a species disappears?

If a species disappears, an entire ecosystem can start to unravel. Species diversity is crucial for ecosystem health. For example, in the Pacific Northwest, salmon holds together the entire ecosystem. Salmon carry rich nutrients from the ocean back to the stream environment.

What is the fruit of a tree called?

Also, the fruit of a tree called the Chinese star anise is an ingredient in flu vaccines. The list goes on: aspirin, codeine, and pseudoephedrine all are sourced from plants. There are medicinal treasures still yet to be discovered. Perhaps hidden in some forest is the cure to cancer. Threats to Species Diversity.

How many species are undescribed?

Estimates of the possible number of identifiable species range from 5 million to 30 million.

Where are amphibians found in South America?

For example, in South America, concentrations of amphibians, birds, mammals, and plants are greatest in the western Amazon, with secondary concentrations in the highlands of the northeastern, and the Atlantic forests of southeastern, Brazil (Figure 3.3). In.

What is the largest coral reef in the world?

The world’s largest coral reef is Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, with an area of 349,000 km2. The Great Barrier Reef contains over 400 species of coral, 1500 species of fish, 4000 species of mollusks, and 6 species of turtles, and it provides breeding sites for some 252 species of birds.

How many phyla are there in coral reefs?

In coral reefs and the deep sea, diversity is spread over a much broader range of phyla and classes. These marine systems contain representatives of 28 of the 35 animal phyla that exist today; one-third of these phyla exist only in the marine environment (Grassle 2001).

How many fish are there in the Philippines?

The great diversity of species in this region is illustrated by the fact that more than 2000 fish species are found in the Philippine Islands, compared with 448 species found in the mid-Pacific Hawaiian Islands, and 500 species around the Bahama Islands.

How many fungi are there in the world?

If this general ratio is applicable throughout the world, there may be as many as 1.5 million fungus species, in addition to the estimated 250,000 plant species worldwide.

Which region has a Mediterranean climate?

Many of the biodiversity hotspots in the temperate zone have a Mediterranean climate, such as southwestern Australia, South Africa, California, Chile, and the Mediter- ranean basin. This map is a Fuller Projection, a type of map that has less distortion of the size and shapes of continents than typical maps.