All mysteries
Mystery #3Tier 2forests / biodiversity

Why does a single forest shelter such an enormous number of different creatures?

Step into a wood and you are surrounded by life: birds above, bugs below, and rustles you never quite catch sight of. A single forest can be home to more kinds of creature than you could name in a week. Why does one patch of trees end up packed with such a huge variety of living things?

The inside of a dense forest, sunlit treetops above, a tangle of shrubs and saplings in the middle, and deep shade on the floor below
Photo: Krishna K. Sahh · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Your guess

What's your hunch? What makes one forest home to so many different creatures?

There's no single magic word to type, have a go in your own words, then reveal the answer to see how close you got.

Make a guess to unlock the hints and the answer.