PATTERNS OF BIODIVERSITY

• Flora and Fauna diversity depends on – CLIMATE ALTITUDE SOILS PRESENCE OF OTHER SPECIES

•Biodiversity is in the form of a mosaic, varying greatly across the globe as well as within regions. Such a study is called BIOGEOGRAPHY

Species diversity declines with increasing distance from the EQUATOR (north or south)

•Tropical region (Lat. Range -23.5°N to 23.5°S) harbors more species than the temperate or polar areas(Lat. Range -23.5°N to 66.5°N and 23.5°S and 66.5°S).

Temperate region

Tropical region

Colombia located near the Equator has 1400 species of bird

INDIA located near the tropical latitude has 1200 species of birds

Phillippines 13°N has 530 bird species

New York 41°N has 105 species GreenLand 71°N has 56 species

Tropical Forests in the Equator has ten times more species of vascular plants when compared to the forest of equal area in a temperate region

This pattern of distribution can be studied under 2 categories :I. Latitudinal Gradients II. Species –Area Relationship