Three ecologists each give a reason for the high diversity of the tropics…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Three ecologists each give a reason for the high diversity of the tropics. Match each statement to the hypothesis that it states: time, a stable climate, or solar energy.
- "The tropical environment is less seasonal and more predictable, so species can specialise in narrow niches."
- "The tropical latitudes were not hit by ice ages, so speciation went on for millions of years."
- "There is more sunlight in the tropics, so the productivity is higher."
- Which of the three ideas is a statement about how a niche is divided?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
About 1.5 million species are described. Estimates of the total run from 7 million to 50 million. Animals are more than 70 per cent of the described species, plants are no more than 22 per cent, and insects are more than 70 per cent of the animals. The diversity is highest in the tropics and falls towards the poles.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (a) A less seasonal and predictable environment is the stable climate hypothesis. It promotes niche specialisation.
Step 2. (b) Millions of years of undisturbed speciation is the time hypothesis.
Step 3. (c) More sunlight and a higher productivity is the solar energy hypothesis.
Step 4. (d) The idea about niches is (a), the stable climate.
Answer: (a) stable climate; (b) time; (c) solar energy; (d) the stable climate.
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