Why would a rough, steep mountain habitat have a higher rate of speciation than a large, open grasslands habitat?
2 Answers
Due to the mountains
Explanation:
This is an example of geographic isolation. Some members of the species may get separated by the mountain, so they can no longer interbreed. This causes them to nit mix their gene pools, which would result in the forming new traits, and therefore new species. A grassland has generally no obstructions so the species inhabiting it can interbreed a lot easier
A mountainous environment creates more niches for different types of organism to occupy.
Explanation:
Different plants can thrive at various levels of elevations. In Climbing Mt. Kilamajaro the climber starts out in a tropical rain forest, climbs to a temperate forest, into a taiga like environment and finally into a arctic habitat. Even at the same elevation rocky outcrops and sheltered valleys have different types of plants.
The different plants populations support different types of animals. The parrots and monkeys or the rain forest give way to other types of animals.
The multiple niches of the mountain support multiply populations and species of animals and plants.
