Patterns of Biodiversity

Introduction

There are a variety of species in the Amazon Rainforest. Also, there’s an abundance of uncommon species in the Arctic as well. Such diversity of species is due to a variety of causes. The diversity of species is heavily influenced by changes in altitude and latitude. Biodiversity patterns vary worldwide, regionally, and across different eras.

Biodiversity

The term “biodiversity” includes the wide variety of ecosystems, creatures, and their relationships and processes that maintain life, as well as the range of their species and genes.  Habitat, species, and genetic diversity are examples of biodiversity. Biodiversity does not exist in a consistent manner across the earth but rather varies with latitude and elevation. It is possible to have a greater number of species in specific locations when the environmental circumstances are favourable, which allows for speciation to occur. The tropics support a greater diversity of species than the temperate and polar zones. Management of biodiversity is based on principles of loss and conservation. Nature conservation initiatives involve several stakeholders, from governments to commercial businesses, NGOs and volunteers.

Patterns of Biodiversity

1. Species vary globally: One of the patterns of biodiversity is that organisms from various places on the planet might be distantly related since they share many characteristics. Emus, Rheas, and Ostriches are all similar in appearance and behaviour. All of them are unable to fly.
2. Species vary locally: This pattern of biodiversity is characterised by a variety of habitats for various species within a limited region. Despite their near proximity, the Galapagos Islands have vastly varied climates. The tortoise shells on the various islands varied, as did the biological circumstances. Isabela Island’s high peaks get more rainfall than the rest of the island and are covered with lush flora. Short neck and canopy shell characterise the tortoise on this island. There are fewer trees and shrubs on Hood Island, which has a drier environment and lower heights. This tortoise has a thick neck and a saddle-backed shell, which distinguishes it from other species. Researchers also observed that the mockingbirds found on different islands are all different species of the mockingbird.
3. Species vary over time: Scientists have learned that some prehistoric animals were massive replicas of their younger counterparts after researching their fossilised remains. Armadillos of the current day (50 cm long) and the prehistoric species glyptodont (3 m long) are strikingly similar in size and appearance.

Patterns of Species Biodiversity

Biodiversity is not evenly distributed across the world’s ecosystems. Time and differences in distance from the equator have an effect on the evolution of biodiversity. It is, by far, the most perfectly defined pattern that can be seen anywhere in nature.

Observing and Understanding Patterns in the Universe: Diversity evolves in two distinct ways, according to two distinct patterns:

1. Latitudinal gradients: There is more variety of species towards the equator, and this diminishes as we approach the pole. As a result, the equator has greater biodiversity than the poles because of the lower altitudes at which it occurs. There may be a few species that are exempt from this rule. Because of its location in a tropical region, India is home to a wide variety of species. In terms of the number of species, the Amazon rainforests are the most biologically diverse in the world.
   

   In contrast to temperate places, the climate in the Tropics (latitudinal range of 23.50 N to 23.50 S) is stable. Species don’t have to continually adjust to the shifting seasons in this location; thus, we may witness a greater variety of species here.

   Tropical latitudes, in contrast to temperate regions that have experienced periodic glaciation, have remained relatively unaltered for millions of years, providing enough opportunity for species diversity.

2. Species-area relationships: There is a link between species richness and the size of the researched region, but only up to a point. This was discovered by Alexander Von Humboldt. The following equation depicts the connection as a straight line on a logarithmic scale:

log S = log C + Z log A 

Where,

S = Species richness 

A= Area 

Z = slope of the line (regression coefficient) 

C = Y-intercept

Time’s Patterns

In this section, we’ll examine three distinct time-related patterns:

1. Seasonal Pattern: Species diversity fluctuates with the passing of the seasons. An increase and decrease in bug species occur throughout the rainy season. The migratory and breeding seasons influence the number of birds in the area.
2. Successional Pattern: After a disruption, plants and animals begin to reconquer the area in a successional pattern. They go extinct when other species take their place. The term “success” refers to this trend of species compositional change through time.
3. Evolutionary Pattern: Biodiversity has increased over the last 600 million years in each regime and period due to animal evolution. In the evolutionary timeline, certain species are portrayed as missing or extant connections, while others are extinct yet may still be discovered as living fossils.

Conclusion

It is the overall amount of biological variation that is introduced by the term biodiversity. A species’ diversity may change globally, regionally, and with time according to Charles Darwin’s theories. Climate, elevation, and species-area interactions all influence biodiversity patterns. Seasonal and successional trends in species diversity are also apparent. Taking care of our planet’s biodiversity will ensure that future generations can see and benefit from the world’s incredible variety.