Species richness generally increases from poles toward the tropics.
Explanations: more energy, stable climate, larger area, time for diversification, higher speciation rates. Not universal; penguins and some marine taxa peak at high latitudes.
Hypotheses include energy availability, area and historic stability. Tropical regions also have higher rates of diversification.
Key idea: biodiversity is highest near the equator.
Species richness generally increases from poles toward the tropics.
Latitudinal Diversity Gradient is one of the 52 topics in Taxonomy & Biodiversity. It is rated Intermediate, so it suits learners who already know the core vocabulary. Related topics in this area include Biodiversity, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function, Simpson and Shannon Indices.
The Amazon basin holds more tree species per hectare than all of Europe.
Work through the Beginner topics in Taxonomy & Biodiversity first, such as Taxonomy, Binomial Nomenclature, Taxonomic Hierarchy, then return to Latitudinal Diversity Gradient. Intermediate topics assume the Beginner vocabulary.
The closest topics to Latitudinal Diversity Gradient are Biodiversity, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function, Simpson and Shannon Indices, Genetic Diversity. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Latitudinal Diversity Gradient. To practise the whole of Taxonomy & Biodiversity, use the Taxonomy & Biodiversity quiz.
Latitudinal Diversity Gradient: Species richness generally increases from poles toward the tropics. Biodiversity: The variety of life at the level of genes, species and ecosystems. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Biodiversity and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Taxonomy & Biodiversity quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
The variety of life at the level of genes, species and ecosystems.
🗂️ Taxonomy & BiodiversityExperiments show richer communities often have higher productivity and stability.
🗂️ Taxonomy & BiodiversityMathematical measures that combine richness and abundance to quantify diversity.
🗂️ Taxonomy & BiodiversityVariation of alleles within a species that enables adaptation and resilience.
🗂️ Taxonomy & Biodiversity