Costa Rica Biodiversity: Causes, Species and Taxonomy
Biodiversity of Costa Rica (CR)
Biodiversity includes all living organisms in a geographic area and all the relationships between them. Biodiversity is characterized by the abundance and multiplicity of species in a given region. It is the variety of living beings that inhabit the Earth.
Why is Costa Rica so diverse?
Why is CR so diverse? Costa Rica (CR) displays exceptionally high biodiversity. Several determinants explain this diversity:
Determinants of biodiversity
Location (Neotropics)
Costa Rica is located in the Neotropics; for this reason it receives more solar energy year-round, which promotes the abundance and richness of species.
Geological history and soils
The geological history of the country has involved many processes such as volcanism and uplift of the seafloor. These events produced different soil types that influence plant growth and generate varied vegetation.
Latitude and mountain microclimates
The mountain systems of Costa Rica provide numerous and varied microclimates that support a wide range of plants and animals.
Different classifications of living things
The first attempts to classify organisms produced different classification systems. Below are major approaches and concepts historically and currently used.
Empirical classification
Empirical systems are often arbitrary and based only on experience; they typically consider the usefulness of plants and animals. Such groupings form categories like medicinal plants, ornamental plants, edible species, etc. Empirical classifications also divide animals into useful and harmful groups. Historically, figures such as Aristotle began to classify plants and animals scientifically (plants: herbs, shrubs and trees; animals: with apparent red blood — mammals, birds, reptiles; without apparent red blood — insects, molluscs).
Taxonomy (nomenclature and classification)
Taxonomy is the branch of biology responsible for the nomenclature and classification of living organisms.
Species definition
Species: a set (group) of organisms with common ancestry that resemble each other and are capable of reproducing, giving rise to individuals that are fertile and therefore able to leave offspring.
Genus and species categories
Genus and species are taxonomic categories. A genus groups species that share common characteristics; species are the basic unit. There is a hierarchical relationship in taxonomy where more inclusive categories group together related lower categories.
Family, orders, classes, kingdoms
Family: Families unite to form orders; the orders come together to form classes. In plants, classes unite to form divisions; in animals, classes are grouped into phyla (sometimes called "ramas" in older texts). Finally, phyla and divisions are grouped into the broader taxonomic category, the kingdom. In general, the primary divisions of the animal and plant kingdoms are based on the form of organs and their functions.
Reproduction types
Reproduction can be classified as:
Asexual reproduction
Asexual: reproduction that does not require the union of gametes; the organism reproduces by dividing or by other means without gamete fusion.
Sexual reproduction
Sexual: reproduction that involves the intervention of two agencies (parents) that produce gametes which fuse to form a new individual.