Extreme sites: definition and diversity

Main Article Content

Pia Parolin Leandro V. Ferreira

Abstract

We propose a definition of the term ‚extreme site’ basing on the biological stress concept: extreme sites are environments in which one or more factors are over- or underrepresented in a manner that the organisms can live there only if they possess special adaptations.

Extreme sites may exhibit a very high diversity of species and adaptations despite their unfavourable growth conditions. A good example can be found in Amazonian floodplains where the world’s highest diversity of flood tolerant trees occurs despite uninterrupted flood durations of eight months with high amplitudes. Since there is a very regular flooding periodicity, a large variety of adaptations could evolve. On these extreme sites, species and functional diversity therefore can be manifold.

Article Details

How to Cite
PAROLIN, Pia; FERREIRA, Leandro V.. Extreme sites: definition and diversity. International Biology Review, [S.l.], n. 1, apr. 2015. ISSN 2572-7168. Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/ibr/article/view/54>. Date accessed: 28 mar. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/ibr.v0i1.54.
Keywords
diversity, floodplain forest, Amazonia, flooding tolerance, drought
Section
Articles

References

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