Latitudinal-species diversity gradient and its effect on stability

Geographical distribution of species is affected by latitude. The greatest biodiversity is found along the equator, and these levels decrease as latitude increases. The latitudinal species-diversity gradient occurs at all levels of life, up to and including microbial forms. It has long been thought that the latitudinal species gradient occurred only on surface environments as the environmental gradients which cause this effect could not affect ocean communities living at great depth. A recent study has shown that the opposite may be true.