First of all, biodiversity is the variety of different types of life found on earth. It is a measure of the variety of organisms present in different ecosystems. Oaxaca happens to be one of the most biodiverse places on the planet due to high amounts of rainfall and being near the equator which both significantly increase biodiversity. Depending on where you are in Oaxaca, biodiversity can vary greatly.
On land there are many different types of animals. Oaxaca has the highest diversity of birds and reptiles in Mexico with 634 bird species and 258 reptile species. They have the 2nd highest diversity of mammals in Mexico, with 194 different species. Finally they have the 3rd highest amount of amphibian species in Mexico with 106 different species.
As for plants, Oaxaca is not the most diverse in Mexico in any category. Coming in second with ferns, third with flowering plants, and fourth with gymnosperms (non-flowing plants). Even though Oaxaca doesn't rank first in any plant species, they still have quite a bit relative to the rest of the world.
As for the coast of Oaxaca, there are more marine species than in the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean. In a study, they found 2,157 species of plants and marine mammals. Although there are other places in the world with a higher marine biodiversity, Oaxaca has some of the highest in all of Mexico.
References:
http://geo-mexico.com/?p=2778
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity
http://www.checklist.org.br/getpdf?SL115-11
Great overview of the different aspects of biodiversity in Oaxaca, Lance! I can't imagine what it would be like to have over 600 species of birds in one area! It will be interesting for you all to explore the different climates and landscapes that Oaxaca has to offer while you're there.
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