What could cause the number of species on Earth to increase dramatically?

A dramatic increase in the number of species on Earth could be driven by factors such as the emergence of new ecological niches due to environmental changes, such as climate shifts or habitat fragmentation. Additionally, evolutionary processes like adaptive radiation, where a single ancestor species rapidly diversifies into a variety of forms to exploit different resources, can lead to an increase in biodiversity. Conservation efforts that protect habitats and promote species recovery could also facilitate a rise in species numbers. Lastly, the introduction of species to new environments, whether naturally or through human activities, might result in new species forming through hybridization or other mechanisms.