HUMBOLDT
ENIGMA - GEOGRAPHY
News:
What is Humboldt’s enigma
and what does it mean for India? | Explained
What's
in the news?
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The earth’s tropical areas receive more
sunlight, so they should be the most biodiverse places. Mountains defy this
rule.
Humboldt’s
Enigma:
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Humboldt’s enigma proposes that biodiversity isn’t confined solely to
Earth’s tropical regions.
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It suggests that various regions beyond the tropics, such as mountainous areas, also
exhibit significant biodiversity.
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For Example - In case of India, the
biodiversity isn’t confined only to the tropical regions of MP, Chhattisgarh
and Western Ghats but also the regions like Eastern Himalayas also serve as
regions of abundant biodiversity, where variations in climate and a diverse
geological makeup contribute to abundant biodiversity.
Evidences:
●
Tropical areas receive more solar energy,
fostering greater primary productivity and biodiversity due to the availability
of ecological niches.
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Mountains, despite being outside the
tropics, have been an exception to the rule, posing Humboldt’s enigma.
Uniqueness:
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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.
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Humboldt’s enigma lies in his ability to
synthesize diverse observations into a holistic understanding of nature,
predating many modern ecological concepts.