Where do half of Earth's plant and animal species live?

• A. Arctic
• B. Deserts
• C. Rain forests
• D. Grasslands

Answer: (C)

The main point here is where biodiversity is most concentrated and the reasons behind it. Tropical rain forests host an extraordinary variety of plants and animals because they provide a warm, wet, and stable climate year after year, creating countless niches. The forest’s vertical structure—canopy, understory, and forest floor—adds even more spaces for different species to specialize, reproduce, and adapt, leading to a remarkably high rate of species richness. As a result, these forests support about half of all plant and animal species on Earth, even though they occupy a relatively small portion of the planet’s land area.

In contrast, regions like the Arctic have extreme cold and short growing seasons, deserts have scarce water and harsh conditions, and grasslands, while productive, offer fewer distinct ecological niches than a multi-layered forest. That’s why they do not harbor as many species as tropical rain forests.