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Question
Give three hypotheses for explaining why tropics show greatest levels of species richness.
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Solution
- Speciation is generally a function of time. Temperate regions have been repeatedly glaciated since ancient times, while tropical latitudes have remained undisturbed for millions of years. Hence, there has been more time for species to evolve and diversify.
- The tropical environment is different from the temperate environment and shows fewer seasonal changes. This stable environment has encouraged niche specialisation, leading to greater species diversity.
- More solar energy is available in tropical regions, which leads to greater productivity and, indirectly, to more extraordinary biodiversity.
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