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Global and Continental Factors Size of An Area Biodiversity increases as this increases because large continuous places with less boundaries encourage migration AND support wider range of species History and Age Biodiversity is greatest in the oldest and least disturbed ecosystems Isolation Altitudinal Range This (on remote islands for example) can reduce the number of species, but also encourages endemism – a species being exclusive to a place and specialising as a result. Going from valley floors to high mountains means that a variety of climatic zones are crossed, so therefore a higher biodiversity could be expected due to the range of the environments. The same would apply to ocean depth ; going from shallow reefs to deep ocean trenches increases the range of species found. Regional Factors Productivity Habitat Architecture Habitat Heterogeneity High temperature and humidity levels, coupled with good nutrient supplies and sunshine hours and a lack of seasonal variation, means that photosynthesis in plants and therefore Primary Productivity (PP) is high. This means consumers at higher trophic levels will have more energy available to them. Coral Reefs and Rainforests are good examples of these. Cold and dry places have limited Biodiversity. In ecosystems with high Primary Productivity (PP) a complex food web will form due to all the ecological niches available to species – for example the many different layers of trees and shrubs in the rainforest means the structure of the ecosystem allows species to live and specialise in very localised areas of the forest. A varied physical environment will have a greater biodiversity as it provides a greater range of habitats for species – for example an environment that consists of mixed woodland (coniferous and deciduous trees) will be able to support a wider variety of species that a woodland made up of only coniferous tree species. Local Factors Succession Biodiversity increases as species establish themselves and in doing so the species interact and alter the environment Interaction between species This can lead to competition which can lead to the extinction of a certain species, especially where an alien/exotic species is introduced. Disturbance Environmental disasters like fires, flooding and storms can reduce biodiversity. Dispersal and Colonisation The speed at which a species releases its seeds or colonises a new area can be a factor– high rates of speed and/or efficiency can enhance biodiversity. Habitat Destruction Often the factor attributed most to humans - this can also include degradation of a habitat as well as total loss. Effective Conservation and Restoration This has become a more prominent factor over the last 50 years with the establishment of designations to protect and enhance wildlife around the world.