Species Diversity And Size Of Area Essay

The relationship between species diversity and size of area.

Research Task

By Keaton Rea

Grade 11 Table of contents

Introduction and Hypothesis

Review of literature

Gathering of data

Presentation of findings

Discussion

Conclusion

Bibliography

Literature Review

In 1921 Swedish scientist, Olaf Arrhenius proposed the Species Area Relationship (SAR). This theory was created to explain and understand the relationship between a size of an area and the number species therein, as the name suggests. It was concluded from the experiment that as the area increases the number of species found within increases continuously less. If graphed we notice a curve hence the species-area curve. (Vreugdenhil, 2003)

The curve is very different between

However, the rate at which the species were discovered became less and less. This correlates with the Species Area Relationship (SAR) theory as proposed by Arrhenius. When graphed, in both plots we notice a curve. This to correlates within the SAR theory in a small area. As we did not analyze a large area, which encompassed multiple biomes, we did not find the “s” shape graph, which is evident in figure 1 in the literature review.

The gradual flattening of the graph is because species are not counted twice (when the area expands). The plots analyzed were also relatively homogenous and the species were fairly frequent. Hence, when the plot has been expanded enough (in this case to approximately 6 m2) most commonly occurring species have been found and counted. From then on, it is only the occasional infrequent species that is added to the number.

The findings of this project must however been subjected to some scrutiny as the plots were situated in disturbed areas of savannah. This could have a direct effect on the number of species in the area and therefore greatly change the conclusion of this research. However, the biome the plot was situated was still savannah and thus adequate conclusions can still be drawn from the