(© Image: Unsplash) Biodiversity is greatest in the tropics. That fact that it is hot and humid there plays an important role. However, climate alone cannot explain the global biodiversity patterns well. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research have now tackled this old problem from a completely different angle - and identified a new, doubly important reason for high tropical diversity. No one knows exactly why many species live in the tropical rainforest. According to a frequently quoted estimate, it is two-thirds of the world's total; a recent study found that for terrestrial vertebrates - amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals - it is over 60 per cent. What is clear is that biodiversity is greatest in the tropics and declines towards the poles.
TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.
Your Benefits
- Access to all content
- Receive newsmails for news and jobs
- Post ads
