What is Humboldt’s enigma?

Subject: Environment

Section: Biodiversity

About Alexander von Humboldt

Explorers like Alexander von Humboldt have long studied biodiversity concentration, especially in mountainous regions.
Humboldt suggested a link between temperature, altitude, humidity, and biodiversity, illustrated by mountains like Chimborazo in Ecuador.

About Humboldt’s enigma:

Humboldt’s enigma revolves around the observation that, contrary to expectations, biodiversity doesn’t solely decrease away from the tropics; mountains stand as a significant exception.
Geological processes, such as uplifts creating new habitats, and climatic stability fostering species persistence, contribute to the richness of mountain biodiversity.
The geological heterogeneity of mountains promotes unique habitat patches, enhancing diversification.
This phenomenon challenges conventional wisdom that lowland tropical forests hold unparalleled biodiversity, as mountains, despite their smaller area, host a remarkable proportion of Earth’s terrestrial vertebrate species.