Question

(a) Tropical regions harbour more species than temperate regions. How have biologists tried to explain this in their own ways? Explain.
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Hint:

Tropical regions are biodiversity hotspots due to their long-term climate stability and high productivity.

Answer 1

Tropical regions experience stable climates over millions of years, allowing uninterrupted evolution and speciation. High solar energy enhances productivity, providing abundant resources. Constant temperatures reduce the risk of species extinction due to extreme conditions. Longer growing seasons enable more generations, accelerating evolution. Absence of glaciation in the tropics prevented mass extinctions. Higher ecological niches support diverse species. These factors together explain why tropical ecosystems, like rainforests, support the greatest biodiversity on Earth compared to temperate regions. % Quick tip