Question

On a logarithmic scale, the species-area relationship is a ___(A)____described by ___(B)___ equation.

• A. (A): rectangular hyperbola,
  (B): S = CA^Z
• B. (A): straight line,
  (B): log S = log C + Z log A
• C. (A): rectangular hyperbola,
  (B): log S = log C + Z log A
• D. (A): straight line,
  (B): S = CA^Z

Answer 1

The correct option is B (A): straight line,

(B): log S = log C + Z log A
Alexander von Humboldt was a German naturalist and geographer who proposed the species - area relationships of an ecosystem. He observed that within a region, species richness increases with increasing explored area, but up to a certain limit.

The relationship plot between species richness and area gives a rectangular hyperbola.


This graph can be represented by the equation,
S = CA^Z

However, on a logarithmic scale, it is a straight line described by the equation,

log S = log C + Z log A

where S - Species richness
Z - Slope of line (regression coefficient)
C - Y-intercept
A - Area