Biodiversity Pattern Species: Definition, Types, Patterns, Relationship, examples

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Jul 02, 2025 05:24 PM IST

The diversity of life forms on earth is referred to as biodiversity. Different species, communities, regions, habitats, biomes, ecosystems, and even the entire Earth can exhibit different biodiversity patterns. With the study of biodiversity, we can learn about species-area correlations. Check out or download the Vedantu app for a thorough and understandable explanation.

This Story also Contains

Biodiversity
Patterns of Biodiversity
Biodiversity of Species: Patterns
Biodiversity: Pattern with Time
Biodiversity: Key Points

Biodiversity

The phrase "biodiversity" refers to the wide range of ecosystems and organisms, the connections and interactions among them that support life, and the variety of their species and genetic makeup.

Examples of biodiversity include habitat, species, and genetic diversity. The amount of biodiversity varies with latitude and elevation rather than uniformly distributed throughout the planet.

When the environmental conditions are favourable, and speciation may occur, it is feasible to have more species in particular places. More species are found in the tropics than in the polar or temperate regions.

Loss and conservation are the guiding ideas for biodiversity management. Initiatives for nature protection involve several parties, including governments, corporations, non-profit organisations, and volunteers.

Patterns of Biodiversity

1) Over time, species change

After studying their fossilised bones, scientists discovered that certain ancient species were enormous duplicates of their more recent relatives. The size and appearance of modern armadillos (50 cm long) and the 3 m long glyptodont species from prehistory are comparable.

2) Global species diversity

Since they share many traits, creatures from different parts of the world may be distantly related according to one biodiversity pattern. In terms of appearance and behaviour, emus, rheas, and ostriches are all comparable. They are all unable to fly.

3) Local species vary

A range of habitats for different species within a constrained area defines this biodiversity pattern. The temperatures of the Galapagos Islands are incredibly diverse despite their proximity. The biological conditions and tortoise shells on the various islands vary. The high peaks of Isabela Island receive more rainfall than the rest of the island and are covered in luxuriant vegetation. A short neck and a canopy shell characterise the tortoise on this island. Hood Island has a drier climate, lower elevations, and fewer trees and bushes. This tortoise can be distinguished from other species by its thick neck and saddle-backed shell. Researchers have also noted that the mockingbird species found on various islands are distinct.

Biodiversity of Species: Patterns

The world's ecosystems contain different amounts of biodiversity. The evolution of biodiversity is influenced by both the passage of time and variations in distance from the equator. It is unquestionably the most precisely defined pattern in all of nature.

Observing and Understanding Patterns in the Universe: Diversity develops in accordance with two distinct patterns, each of which has its unique way of doing so:

1) Latitudinal gradients

The variety of species increases as we move closer to the equator and decreases as we move closer to the pole. Due to the lower altitudes at which it occurs, the equator contains more biodiversity than the poles. A few species represent an exception to this rule. India is home to a diverse range of animals due to its position in a tropical area.

The Amazon jungles are the most biologically diverse in the world regarding the number of species.

The climate in the Tropics (latitudinal range of 23.50 N to 23.50 S) is steady in contrast to temperate regions. In this area, species don't have to adapt to the changing seasons sparingly. Therefore, we might see a broader range of species.

Tropical latitudes have stayed mostly unmodified for millions of years, giving enough chance for biological diversity, in contrast to temperate regions that have periodically endured glacial.

2) Species-area relationships

Up to a certain degree, there is a correlation between species richness and region size. Alexander von Humboldt made this discovery. The connection is shown as a straight line on a logarithmic scale.

log S = log C + Z log A

where,

S = richness of species

C = Y-intercept

Z = regression coefficient

A = Area

Biodiversity: Pattern with Time

Evolutionary Pattern: As a result of animal evolution, biodiversity has risen over the past 600 million years in every regime and epoch. While other species are extinct but may still be found as living fossils, others are depicted as missing or extant connections on the evolutionary timeline.
Successional Pattern: Following a disturbance, plants and animals start to retake the region in a successional pattern. When another species replaces them, they go extinct. Success describes this pattern of changing species composition over time.
Seasonal Pattern: Species diversity changes as the seasons' change. The number of bug species fluctuates over the wet season. The number of birds in the area is influenced by the migratory and breeding seasons.

Biodiversity: Key Points

The diversity of life forms on earth is referred to as biodiversity. Different species, communities, regions, habitats, biomes, ecosystems, and even the entire Earth can exhibit different biodiversity patterns.
The world's ecosystems do not all contain different amounts of biodiversity. The evolution of biodiversity is influenced by both the passage of time and variations in distance from the equator. It is unquestionably the most precisely defined pattern in all of nature.
When the environmental conditions are favourable, and speciation may occur, it is feasible to have more species in particular places. More species are found in the tropics than in the polar or temperate regions.
Loss and conservation are the guiding ideas for biodiversity management. Initiatives for nature protection involve several parties, including governments, corporations, non-profit organisations, and volunteers.
The climate in the Tropics (latitudinal range of 23.50 N to 23.50 S) is steady in contrast to temperate regions. In this area, species don't have to adapt to the changing seasons constantly, therefore, we might see a broader range of species.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is biodiversity and why is it important?

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms on Earth, including the diversity of plants, animals, microorganisms, and their ecosystems. It is important because it maintains ecological balance, provides ecosystem services, supports human well-being, and contributes to the planet's resilience against environmental changes.

2. What are the three main levels of biodiversity?

The three main levels of biodiversity are:

3. What is the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services?

Biodiversity is closely linked to ecosystem services, which are the benefits humans derive from ecosystems. Generally, higher biodiversity is associated with:

4. What is the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem stability?

Generally, higher biodiversity is associated with greater ecosystem stability. This is due to several mechanisms:

5. What is the role of keystone structures in maintaining biodiversity?

Keystone structures are distinct spatial structures that provide resources, shelter, or "goods and services" crucial for other species. Examples include large old trees, rock formations, or coral reefs. They maintain biodiversity by:

6. What is the species-area relationship in biodiversity?

The species-area relationship is a fundamental pattern in ecology that describes how the number of species increases with increasing area. Typically, larger areas support more species due to greater habitat diversity and resources. This relationship is often represented by the equation S = cAz, where S is the number of species, A is the area, and c and z are constants.

7. How does elevation affect biodiversity patterns?

Biodiversity often changes with elevation, typically showing a hump-shaped pattern. Species richness tends to increase from low to mid-elevations due to optimal environmental conditions, then decreases at higher elevations due to harsher conditions. This pattern can vary depending on the specific ecosystem and taxa studied.

8. What is endemism and how does it relate to biodiversity patterns?

Endemism refers to species that are unique to a particular geographic location, such as a continent, island, country, or habitat. Areas with high endemism often have unique biodiversity patterns due to isolation and specific environmental conditions, contributing to global biodiversity hotspots.

9. How do ecological niches contribute to biodiversity patterns?

Ecological niches represent the specific role and position a species occupies in its environment. The diversity of available niches in an ecosystem influences biodiversity patterns. More complex environments with a greater variety of niches can support higher biodiversity by allowing more species to coexist without direct competition.

10. What is the relationship between productivity and biodiversity?

The relationship between productivity and biodiversity is often hump-shaped, known as the productivity-diversity relationship. At low productivity levels, few species can survive. As productivity increases, more species can coexist due to increased resources. However, at very high productivity levels, competitive exclusion may reduce diversity as a few species dominate.

11. How does latitude affect biodiversity patterns?

Generally, biodiversity increases from the poles to the equator. This pattern, known as the latitudinal diversity gradient, is due to factors such as higher energy input, more stable climate, and longer evolutionary time in tropical regions compared to temperate and polar areas.

12. What is the difference between alpha, beta, and gamma diversity?

Alpha diversity refers to the diversity within a particular area or ecosystem. Beta diversity measures the difference in species composition between ecosystems. Gamma diversity is the total species diversity in a landscape or region, encompassing both alpha and beta diversity.

13. How do island biogeography principles apply to biodiversity patterns?

Island biogeography theory, developed by MacArthur and Wilson, explains biodiversity patterns on islands. It states that species richness on an island is determined by a balance between immigration and extinction rates, which are influenced by island size and distance from the mainland. Larger islands closer to the mainland tend to have higher biodiversity.

14. How do scientists measure biodiversity?

Scientists measure biodiversity using various methods, including species richness (number of different species), species evenness (relative abundance of each species), and genetic diversity within species. They also use biodiversity indices like the Shannon index or Simpson's index to quantify diversity in an ecosystem.

15. How do keystone species influence biodiversity patterns?

Keystone species have a disproportionately large effect on their ecosystem relative to their abundance. They influence biodiversity patterns by maintaining the organization and diversity of their ecological communities. The presence or absence of keystone species can significantly alter the structure and function of ecosystems, affecting overall biodiversity.

16. How do mass extinction events shape long-term biodiversity patterns?

Mass extinction events dramatically alter biodiversity patterns by causing widespread species loss across many taxa. These events can reset evolutionary trajectories, leading to the emergence of new dominant groups and novel ecosystems. The recovery period following mass extinctions often sees rapid diversification (adaptive radiation) of surviving lineages into newly available niches.

17. What is the intermediate disturbance hypothesis and how does it explain biodiversity patterns?

The intermediate disturbance hypothesis suggests that biodiversity is highest in ecosystems experiencing moderate levels of disturbance. This is because intermediate disturbance prevents competitive exclusion by dominant species while allowing time for many species to establish, leading to a diverse community of both early and late successional species.

18. What is the role of environmental heterogeneity in shaping biodiversity patterns?

Environmental heterogeneity refers to the variability in environmental conditions across space and time. Greater environmental heterogeneity typically supports higher biodiversity by providing a wider range of niches and resources. This allows more species to coexist by reducing competition and promoting specialization.

19. What is the relationship between habitat fragmentation and biodiversity?

Habitat fragmentation generally negatively impacts biodiversity. It reduces the total area of habitat available, increases edge effects, and isolates populations. This can lead to decreased genetic diversity, increased vulnerability to disturbances, and eventual local extinctions. However, some degree of fragmentation can sometimes increase landscape-level diversity by creating a mosaic of different habitats.

20. How do invasive species affect biodiversity patterns?

Invasive species can significantly alter biodiversity patterns by outcompeting native species, changing habitat structure, or disrupting ecosystem processes. They often reduce local biodiversity by causing extinctions or population declines of native species. However, at larger scales, invasive species can sometimes increase overall species richness by adding new species to an area.

21. How do biogeographic barriers influence biodiversity patterns?

Biogeographic barriers, such as mountains, deserts, or oceans, can significantly influence biodiversity patterns by limiting species dispersal. These barriers can lead to allopatric speciation, where populations evolve independently, resulting in unique species assemblages in different regions. They also contribute to patterns of endemism and distinct biogeographic realms.

22. What is the mid-domain effect and how does it contribute to biodiversity patterns?

The mid-domain effect is a theoretical model that predicts peak species richness at the center of a bounded domain (like a continent or mountain range) due to the random overlap of species ranges. This effect can contribute to observed patterns such as the latitudinal diversity gradient or elevational diversity patterns, although its importance relative to other factors is debated.

23. What is the role of dispersal in biodiversity patterns?

Dispersal plays a crucial role in shaping biodiversity patterns by influencing species distributions, gene flow, and community assembly. It affects local and regional species pools, metacommunity dynamics, and the potential for species to track changing environmental conditions. Dispersal limitations can lead to distinct biodiversity patterns across regions, while high dispersal can homogenize communities.

24. What is the species-energy theory and how does it explain biodiversity patterns?

The species-energy theory proposes that areas with higher available energy (usually measured as solar radiation or productivity) can support more individuals and, consequently, more species. This theory helps explain patterns like the latitudinal diversity gradient, where species richness generally increases towards the equator where more solar energy is available.

25. How do disturbance regimes affect biodiversity patterns?

Disturbance regimes, including frequency, intensity, and scale of disturbances, significantly influence biodiversity patterns. Moderate disturbances can promote diversity by preventing competitive exclusion and creating heterogeneous environments. However, very frequent or intense disturbances can reduce diversity by favoring only disturbance-adapted species. Different ecosystems have evolved under specific disturbance regimes, shaping their biodiversity patterns.

26. How do edge effects impact biodiversity patterns?

Edge effects occur at the boundary between two different habitats. These transitional areas often have unique environmental conditions that can support a diverse array of species from both habitats, potentially increasing local biodiversity. However, edge effects can also negatively impact some species, especially those requiring large, undisturbed habitats.

27. What is the role of evolutionary history in shaping current biodiversity patterns?

Evolutionary history plays a crucial role in shaping current biodiversity patterns. Regions with longer periods of stable environmental conditions often have higher biodiversity due to more time for speciation and adaptation. Additionally, past events like continental drift, climate changes, and mass extinctions have left lasting impacts on the distribution and diversity of species we see today.

28. How do climate oscillations affect biodiversity patterns over time?

Climate oscillations, such as glacial-interglacial cycles, cause shifts in species distributions and alter community compositions. These changes can lead to speciation events in refugia during unfavorable periods and range expansions during favorable times. Over long time scales, these oscillations contribute to the dynamic nature of biodiversity patterns and influence species' evolutionary trajectories.

29. How do trophic interactions shape biodiversity patterns?

Trophic interactions, such as predation, herbivory, and mutualism, play a significant role in shaping biodiversity patterns. These interactions can promote coexistence through mechanisms like niche partitioning or negative density dependence. They also drive co-evolutionary processes that lead to diversification. The complexity of food webs and the strength of trophic interactions can influence the stability and diversity of ecosystems.

30. What is the relationship between functional diversity and species diversity?

Functional diversity refers to the range of functional traits present in a community, while species diversity refers to the number and relative abundance of species. Generally, higher species diversity is associated with higher functional diversity, as more species often means more diverse traits. However, this relationship is not always linear, as functionally redundant species may exist in highly diverse communities.

31. How do soil properties influence biodiversity patterns?

Soil properties such as pH, nutrient content, texture, and moisture significantly influence biodiversity patterns, especially for plants and soil organisms. Different soil types support different plant communities, which in turn affect animal diversity. Soil biodiversity itself is enormous and plays a crucial role in ecosystem functioning, contributing to above-ground biodiversity patterns.

32. How do human activities affect global biodiversity patterns?

Human activities significantly impact global biodiversity patterns through:

33. What is beta diversity and why is it important for understanding biodiversity patterns?

Beta diversity measures the difference in species composition between ecosystems. It's important because it captures how species assemblages change across landscapes, providing insights into processes like environmental filtering, dispersal limitations, and historical biogeography. High beta diversity indicates distinct communities across a region, while low beta diversity suggests more homogeneous landscapes.

34. How do species-species interactions contribute to biodiversity patterns?

Species-species interactions, including competition, predation, mutualism, and parasitism, play a crucial role in shaping biodiversity patterns. These interactions can:

35. What is the species pool concept and how does it relate to local biodiversity?

The species pool concept refers to the set of species that could potentially colonize and establish in a local community. It's determined by regional processes like speciation, extinction, and dispersal. Local biodiversity is influenced by both the regional species pool and local factors like environmental conditions and biotic interactions. Understanding the species pool helps explain patterns of local diversity and community assembly.

36. How do phylogenetic relationships among species influence biodiversity patterns?

Phylogenetic relationships among species can significantly influence biodiversity patterns by:

37. What is the role of historical contingency in shaping current biodiversity patterns?

Historical contingency refers to the idea that current biodiversity patterns are influenced by past events and historical processes. This includes:

38. How do source-sink dynamics affect biodiversity patterns?

Source-sink dynamics describe how population processes in different habitats are connected. Source habitats produce excess individuals that disperse to sink habitats, where mortality exceeds reproduction. This affects biodiversity patterns by:

39. How do ecological succession processes influence biodiversity patterns over time?

Ecological succession, the process of change in species composition over time, significantly influences biodiversity patterns by:

40. How do biotic interactions change along environmental gradients, and how does this affect biodiversity patterns?

Biotic interactions often change along environmental gradients, influencing biodiversity patterns. For example:

41. What is the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality?

Ecosystem multifunctionality refers to the ability of an ecosystem to maintain multiple functions simultaneously. Higher biodiversity is generally associated with greater ecosystem multifunctionality because:

42. How do priority effects influence community assembly and biodiversity patterns?

Priority effects occur when the order and timing of species arrivals influence the final composition of a community. They can affect biodiversity patterns by:

43. What is the role of neutral processes in shaping biodiversity patterns?

Neutral theory proposes that many biodiversity patterns can be explained by random processes of birth, death, speciation, and dispersal, without invoking differences between species. While controversial, neutral processes may contribute to biodiversity patterns by: