Consider the following statements : 1. Biodivesity is normally greater in the lower latitudes as compared to the higher latitudes. 2. Along the mountain gradients, biodiversity is normally greater in the lower altitudes as compared to the higher altitudes. Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?

Statement 1 is correct as biodiversity generally increases from the poles toward the tropics, a phenomenon known as the latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) [6]. This pattern is driven by higher solar energy and water availability in lower latitudes, which supports a wider spectrum of biodiversity [3]. Statement 2 is also correct because biodiversity typically varies with altitude; as elevation increases, the air becomes colder and drier, which limits the number of species that can survive [1]. Consequently, species richness often decreases monotonically along altitudinal gradients, making lower altitudes more diverse than higher altitudes [2]. While some studies observe a 'hump-shaped' pattern at intermediate elevations due to the mid-domain effect, the general ecological trend remains that lower altitudes and latitudes harbor greater biodiversity compared to their extreme counterparts [3].

Sources

1. [3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2287884X14000089
2. [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latitudinal_gradients_in_species_diversity
3. [6] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10433455/
4. [1] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 1: Ecology > g) Latitude and altitude > p. 6
5. [2] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 14: Biodiversity and Conservation > BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION > p. 115