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Biodiversity - Notes:: Surprise) Associated With This Prediction
Biodiversity - Notes:: Surprise) Associated With This Prediction
Biodiversity - Notes:: Surprise) Associated With This Prediction
-‐ notes:
2. Biodiversity
Trends:
a. Latitudinal
Diversity
Gradient
(LDG)
i. In
general,
as
latitude
increases,
biodiversity
decreases
ii. There
exists
a
general
lack
of
consensus
as
to
why
this
pattern
exists
(see
Wikipedia
for
a
good
summary
of
the
major
theories
to
date)
b. Elevational
Diversity
Gradient
(EDG)
i. Species
richness
(S)
tends
to
increase
as
elevation
increases,
up
to
a
certain
point,
creating
a
"diversity
bulge"
at
middle
elevations
(approx.
1,000m-‐1,300m
[3,200-‐4,300
ft])
c. Rapoport’s
Rule
(Eduardo
Rapoport)
i. States
that
latitudinal
ranges
of
plants
and
animals
are
smaller
at
low
latitudes
and
altitudes
1. Niche
specialization
d. Biodiversity
trends
through
history:
i. See
Phanerozoic
biodiversity
graph
on
course
website
1. Growth
follows
hyperbolic
model,
in
which
second-‐order
positive
feedback
of
an
increase
in
biodiversity
causes
an
increased
growth
in
biodiversity
(goes
beyond
first-‐order
positive
feedback
system
where
resource
availability
alone
allows
for
more
biodiversity)
2. In
the
midst
of
the
Holocene
extinction
event
since
the
emergence
of
humans,
some
arguing
that
current
rate
is
enough
to
eliminate
most
species
on
earth
within
next
100
years