Humboldt’s Enigma

Source-This post is based on the article “What is Humboldt’s enigma and what does it mean for India?” published in “The Hindu” on 12th January 2024.

Why in the News?

The article explores Humboldt’s enigma, a concept introduced by Alexander von Humboldt during the 19th century. This concept suggests a correlation among temperature, altitude, humidity, and biodiversity.

What is Humboldt’s enigma?

1) Humboldt’s enigma proposes that biodiversity isn’t confined solely to Earth’s tropical regions. 

2) It suggests that various regions beyond the tropics, such as mountainous areas, also exhibit significant biodiversity.

3) 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.

What are the different drivers of biodiversity?

1) The history of the earth, its geography, and the climate – These factors are primary drivers of biodiversity.

2) Geological process of Mountains– Mountains act as “cradles” for new species, stemming from geological processes such as uplifts that create novel habitats.

3) Climatic Stability– Climatologically stable mountains have turned these locations into ‘museums‘ that accumulate diverse species over time.

4) Coastal tropical sky islands- The Shola Sky Islands in the Western Ghats demonstrate features of both a cradle and a museum for biodiversity. This is why some of the oldest bird species in the Western Ghats, like the Sholicola and Montecincla, reside on the Shola Sky Islands.

Note– The northern Andes range, which includes Chimborazo, is recognized as the world’s most biodiverse location.

UPSC Syllabus- Environment