Final answer:
Species richness, which is the number of species in a community, is influenced by latitude, with higher latitudes having lower species richness, and by land characteristics, where an increase in heterogeneity correlates with higher richness. The peninsular effect reduces species richness in areas like Florida and Baja California.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of species in a specific community, called species richness, is influenced by latitude and general characteristics of the landmass. Higher latitudes have lower species richness as compared to the lower latitudes.
For a given latitude, an increase in heterogeneity, such as is found in mountainous areas, correlates with an increase in species richness. In contrast, the peninsular effect, seen in areas that are further away from the main body of land, e.g., Florida and/or Baja California, see a reduction in species richness compared to other areas of the same latitude.