Question

Read the following statements (A - D) related to species - area relationship and select the correct option stating true (T) and false (F).
A. Explored area plot against species richness gives a rectangular hyperbola.
B. Log S = log C + Z log E.
C. Species richness increases with decreasing explored area.
D. Alexander von Humboldt proposed the species - area relationship.

• A. A - F, B - T, C - T and D - T
• B. A - T, B - F, C - F and D - T
• C. A - F, B - F, C - T and D - F
• D. A - T, B - T, C - F and D - T

Answer 1

The correct option is B A - T, B - F, C - F and D - T

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 upto a certain limit.
For example, a wide varieties of species will be present deep in the forest compared to its periphery, because the explored area of the deep forest is more. Hence statement C is false and statement D is true.

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


Hence statement A is true.
This graph can be represented by the equation,

$S=C{A}^z$

On logarithmic scale, it can be represented as

log S = log C + Z log A

where S - Species richness
Z - Slope of line (regression coefficient)
C - Y-intercept
A - Area
Hence statement B is false.