Which statements describe the relationship between the area and the biodiversity of an ecosystem? Check all that apply.

1 answer

The relationship between the area and the biodiversity of an ecosystem can be understood through several key statements. Here are some that typically apply:

  1. Larger areas tend to have higher biodiversity: Larger ecosystems often support a greater variety of habitats, which can accommodate more species.

  2. Increased habitat variety leads to increased species richness: As the area increases, the variety of habitats and niches typically increases, allowing for more species to coexist.

  3. Island biogeography theory: This ecological theory suggests that the size of an island (or habitat patch) affects its biodiversity; larger islands can support more species due to lower extinction rates and greater resource availability.

  4. Edge effects: In larger ecosystems, the relative amount of edge habitat can increase, affecting species composition and biodiversity.

  5. Isolation and fragmentation: Smaller, isolated areas may experience reduced biodiversity due to limited resources, genetic drift, and higher extinction rates.

  6. Species-area relationship: This relationship describes how the number of species increases with area in a logarithmic manner, indicating that biodiversity is often proportional to the area available.

These statements help to illustrate the connection between area and biodiversity within ecosystems.