%0 Journal Article
%T What Explains Latitudinal Diversity Gradients?
%J -
%D 2019
%R https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2019.02.011
%X The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is the most pernicious of problems. The fact that it is so obvious and so general ¨C the overabundance of species in the tropics was recognized long before there were even ecologists around to describe it ¨C strongly suggests that the explanation should be a simple one; yet distinguishing between alternative simple explanations has proven, well, complicated. However, as Worm and Tittensor (hereafter W&T) remind us in their new book A Theory of Global Biodiversity [ 1 Worm B. Tittensor D.P. A Theory of Global Biodiversity (MPB-60). Princeton University Press, ; 2018 Google Scholar ], there is not one, but many LDGs: different environments and different taxa show a variety of patterns, both today and throughout geological history; of course for many taxa, diversity is highest at low latitudes, but there is considerable variation around both the mean and variance of these distributions. This diversity of diversity gradients may provide biologists with the clues and statistical power to tease apart the influence of various causes
%U https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/fulltext/S0169-5347(19)30058-8