Final answer:
The statement is true; areas where two habitat patches meet often have greater species diversity due to the presence of species from both habitats as well as edge specialists, contributing to higher biodiversity than in homogenous regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that 'the greater the contrast between two adjoining habitat patches, the greater is the diversity of species living along the border between the two patches' is generally true. Ecological edges or ecotones between different habitat types can support a higher diversity of species due to the mixture of resources and conditions from both adjoining habitats. At these boundaries, species from each habitat may coexist, along with species that specialize in edge conditions. This phenomenon contributes to higher biodiversity on a landscape level.
The presence of ecotones enhances biodiversity as it attracts 'edge-loving' species and allows for interactions between species of adjoining habitat types, potentially increasing the overall species richness in a given landscape. Moreover, the size of habitat patches and their configuration can significantly affect species richness. Large habitat patches and connected landscapes tend to support more species, while smaller, isolated patches can contribute to species loss as predicted by the species-area relationship.
Beta diversity is essential for understanding the high variety of species in different patches within a landscape. It shows the differences in species composition between habitats in contrast to alpha diversity, which measures species richness within a single habitat. Including corridors or benign environments that connect habitat patches can mitigate the detrimental effects of isolation and thereby support greater biodiversity across the landscape.