Final answer:
Species diversity at any given time is influenced by extinctions, originations, and initial diversity. Conservation efforts are crucial in protecting biodiversity, which faces threats from both natural and anthropogenic factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The factors that contribute to species diversity observed at a particular point in time are extinctions, originations (speciation), and initial diversity. Extinctions reduce diversity by removing species, originations increase it by adding new species, and initial diversity is the baseline from which these changes occur. Over time, speciation and extinction rates can fluctuate, sometimes leading to dramatic changes in the number of species, as evidenced by significant events like the Cambrian explosion or mass extinction events.
Biodiversity hotspots, for instance, are likely to host a large number of endemic species, which are species that are found nowhere else on Earth. Conservation efforts to protect biodiversity typically include legal protections, conservation efforts such as creating protected areas, and restoration efforts aimed at rehabilitating damaged ecosystems.
In terms of biodiversity change through geological time, the equilibrium between speciation and extinction determines the number of species. Anthropogenic actions, like logging a forest, can contribute to biodiversity loss or changes in biodiversity by directly affecting this natural equilibrium.