Question

Which of the following ecosystems would be predicted to have the highest species richness based on the latitudinal and species-area principles?

पर्याय

• A large polar tundra ecosystem

• A small tropical island at the equator

• A small temperate forest at 45° latitude

• A large tropical rainforest near the equator

Answer 1

Based on the latitudinal gradient principle, tropical regions near the equator have the highest species richness. Additionally, the species-area relationship indicates that larger areas support greater biodiversity. A large tropical rainforest near the equator combines both advantages: favorable tropical conditions for speciation and habitat diversity plus the greater size to support maximum species richness, making it the ecosystem predicted to have the highest species richness.