Research led by the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath looking at the evolution of terrestrial orchid species has found that global cooling of the climate appears to be the major driving factor in their diversity.
Research led by the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath looking at the evolution of terrestrial orchid species has found that global cooling of the climate appears to be the major driving factor in their diversity. The results help scientists understand the role of global climate on diversity of species, and how our current changing global climate might affect biodiversity in the future.
One of the largest families of plants, there are around 28,000 species of orchids growing across the world. These plants are known for their huge variety of different sized and shaped flowers, so why are there so many species?
Charles Darwin studied orchids as a model for evolution through natural selection, proposing that they evolved an array of different flowers gradually over time to attract specific pollinators.
Read more at: University of Bath
Orchid flowers have evolved a huge variety of shapes, colours and sizes. (Photo Credit Gretel Kiefer, Chicago Botanic Garden)
