Rapoport's rule
Rapoport's rule is a rule of ecology derived from empirical observations . It says that with increasing latitude, the area size for living beings increases due to the increasing availability of niches, but decreasing number of species.
In the tropics , small areas are generally expected when there are high numbers of species . In contrast, in higher latitudes, such as in the boreal and polar zones , larger areas are expected. Other factors are the relief and the altitude gradient : In the relief-rich areas of the tropics, the species should, according to the rule, be concentrated in a lower altitude gradient, whereas in the north in higher areas.
Criticism and restriction
Rapoport's rule is empirically derived, but does not take into account the influence of the global land mass distribution. In some cases, no satisfactory derivation can be made from the rule for small-scale geographical conditions, because local conditions there influence the areas and the conditions for spreading.
supporting documents
- ↑ Carl Beierkuhnlein: Biogeographie , p. 100, ISBN 978-3-8385-8341-9