Question

Give any four factors that favour high speciation at lower altitudes.

Answer 1

The factors that favour high speciation at lower altitudes (tropical regions) as compared to higher latitudes (towards the poles) are as follows:

1. Factors like overall stability of tropical regions (at lower latitudes) for millions of years, lesser climatic changes throughout the year and availability of plenty of sunlight have favoured speciation. 
2. Tropical areas have less often experienced drastic disturbances like periodic glaciations observed at poles. Such stability over millions of years might have favoured speciation. 
3. Lesser migrations in tropics might have reduced gene flow between geographically isolated regions and favoured speciation. 
4. Scientists also have considered availability of more intense sunlight, warmer temperatures and higher annual rainfall in tropics, as factors responsible for bountifulness of these regions.