Tropical Ecology

3.

Biodiversity Patterns and Processes

3.1.

Global Biodiversity Patterns

3.1.1.

Latitudinal Diversity Gradient

3.1.1.1.

Species Richness Patterns

3.1.1.2.

Taxonomic Group Variations

3.1.1.3.

Exceptions and Anomalies

3.1.2.

Altitudinal Diversity Patterns

3.1.2.1.

Mountain Diversity Gradients

3.1.2.2.

Mid-Elevation Peaks

3.1.2.3.

Climate-Diversity Relationships

3.1.3.

Biodiversity Hotspots

3.1.3.1.

Hotspot Criteria

3.1.3.2.

Major Tropical Hotspots

3.1.3.3.

Endemism Patterns

3.1.3.4.

Conservation Priorities

3.2.

Mechanisms of High Tropical Diversity

3.2.1.

Historical Hypotheses

3.2.1.1.

Time and Area Hypothesis

3.2.1.1.1.

Evolutionary Time

3.2.1.1.2.

Habitat Stability

3.2.1.1.3.

Species Accumulation

3.2.1.2.

Museum Hypothesis

3.2.1.2.1.

Long-Term Persistence

3.2.1.2.2.

3.2.1.3.

Pleistocene Refugia

3.2.1.3.1.

Glacial-Interglacial Cycles

3.2.1.3.2.

Forest Fragmentation

3.2.1.3.3.

Speciation in Refugia

3.2.2.

Contemporary Ecological Hypotheses

3.2.2.1.

Productivity Hypothesis

3.2.2.1.1.

Energy Availability

3.2.2.1.2.

Resource Abundance

3.2.2.1.3.

Carrying Capacity

3.2.2.2.

Climate Stability Hypothesis

3.2.2.2.1.

Predictable Environments

3.2.2.2.2.

Reduced Extinction Risk

3.2.2.2.3.

Specialization Opportunities

3.2.2.3.

Habitat Heterogeneity Hypothesis

3.2.2.3.1.

Microhabitat Diversity

3.2.2.3.2.

Niche Availability

3.2.2.3.3.

Spatial Complexity

3.2.2.4.

Biotic Interactions Hypothesis

3.2.2.4.1.

Janzen-Connell Effects

3.2.2.4.2.

3.2.2.4.3.

Density-Dependent Mortality

3.2.2.5.

3.2.2.5.1.

Random Drift Processes

3.2.2.5.2.

Immigration-Extinction Balance

3.2.2.5.3.

Community Assembly

3.3.

Endemism and Speciation

3.3.1.

Geographic Isolation

3.3.1.1.

Island Biogeography

3.3.1.2.

Mountain Isolation

3.3.1.3.

3.3.2.

Ecological Speciation

3.3.2.1.

Adaptive Radiation

3.3.2.2.

Niche Specialization

3.3.2.3.

Reproductive Isolation

3.3.3.

Polyploidy and Hybridization

3.3.3.1.

Chromosomal Evolution

3.3.3.2.

3.3.3.3.

3.4.

Measuring Biodiversity

3.4.1.

Species Diversity Indices

3.4.1.1.

Alpha Diversity

3.4.1.2.

3.4.1.3.

Gamma Diversity

3.4.2.

Functional Diversity

3.4.2.1.

Trait-Based Approaches

3.4.2.2.

Functional Groups

3.4.2.3.

Ecosystem Function Relationships

3.4.3.

Phylogenetic Diversity

3.4.3.1.

Evolutionary Distinctiveness

3.4.3.2.

Phylogenetic Endemism

3.4.3.3.

Community Phylogenetics

3.4.4.

Sampling and Survey Methods

3.4.4.1.

Plot-Based Sampling

3.4.4.2.

Transect Methods

3.4.4.3.

Remote Sensing Applications

3.4.4.4.

Molecular Techniques

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2. Major Tropical Biomes and Ecosystems

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4. Ecological Processes and Interactions