What might account for the coexistence of so many species with similar resource needs?

There are more than 600 species of trees in Costa Rica, most of which are in the tropical rain forests. What might account for the coexistence of so many species with similar resource needs?|||Evolutionary adaptation would account for that.





The basic resources that a tree needs are sunlight, water, and nitrogenated soil, just like any other plant. Though the 600+ species you mention in Costa Rica initially appear to all draw on the same resources, if you look much closer at each of them you will see that there are subtle differences in details of how they survive. Each species will thrive and struggle depending on the season, rainfall, soil nutrients, soil acidity, etc.