Question

Draw a graph showing species-area relationship. Name the naturalist who studied such relationship. Write the observation made by him.

Hint:

Tropical regions support a higher level of biodiversity due to stable environmental conditions and abundant resources, making them hotspots for various species. Ex situ conservation plays a critical role in preserving species that cannot be saved in the wild.

Answer 1

Species-area relationship and the naturalist who studied it:
- The species-area relationship suggests that the number of species increases with the area of the habitat, but at a decreasing rate. This relationship is expressed mathematically as: \[ S = cA^z \] where \(S\) is the number of species, \(A\) is the area of the habitat, and \(c\) and \(z\) are constants.
- The naturalist who studied this relationship is Robert H. MacArthur and E.O. Wilson. They are known for their work on the theory of island biogeography.
- Observation by them: They observed that larger islands tend to have more species than smaller islands, but the rate of increase of species number diminishes with increasing area. They concluded that the species diversity is also influenced by factors like immigration and extinction rates.