Biodiversity hotspot analysis was originally used to identify large regions, typically the size of an entire nation, that deserved conservation attention, such as madagascar, northern borneo, or the philippines. Aspirants will also find the list of iucn endangered species. Apr 25, 2017 biodiversity hotspots are home to unique flora and fauna, most of which are endemic to the particular environment. Conserving biodiversity coldspots semantic scholar. Across the world, about 35 areas are marked as hotspots of biodiversity and they represent 2. To qualify as a hotspot, a region must meet two criteria. This article will discuss the major biodiversity hotspots in india. Intuitively, we want to conserve the most threatened areas. A large proportion of the species waiting to be discovered are in the tropics. Currently, we lack an understanding of the threat of n deposition to biodiversity at the global scale. Biodiversity hotspots are areas that support natural ecosystems that are largely intact and where native species and communities associated with these ecosystems are well represented.
Nearly 45,000 species of plants and twice as many of animals have been recorded from india. The 36 biodiversity hotspots are home to around 2 billion people, including some of the world s poorest, many of whom rely directly on healthy ecosystems for their livelihood and wellbeing. That is what makes our country one of the 12 mega diversity countries of the world. These hot spots support nearly 60% of the worlds plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species. Originally representing 16% of the earths surface, the unique habitat of the hotspots. The third one, that is, indo burma lies partially in northeast india. These hotspots are important because biodiversity underpins all life on earth. Areas which exhibit high species richness as well as high species endemism are termed as hot spots of biodiversity. Research vulnerability of biodiversity hotspots to global change. Pdf understanding the origins and evolution of the world. Cepf is an alliance of leading conservation donors that provides grants to nonprofit and privatesector organizations that are working to protect the biodiversity hotspots and improve human wellbeing. Biodiversity hotspots in india is an important topic for the ias exam and is under upsc mains gsiii syllabus. Pdf evaluating global biodiversity hotspots very rich and even. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition in world biodiversity.
Collectively, the biodiversity hotspots support 60% of worlds plant and animal species with a high share of endemics and cover around 2. Geographic distribution of biodiversity healingearth. The 25 hotspots feature several habitat types at global scale. But today in its latest update,us based conservation international ci,has. Norman myers wrote about the concept in two articles in the environmentalist, and 1990 revised after thorough analysis by myers and others hotspots.
Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities pdf. A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation norman myers wrote about the concept in two articles in the environmentalist 1988, and 1990 revised after thorough analysis by myers and others hotspots. Pdf biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities carlos. Conserving biodiversity coldspots recent calls to direct conservation funding to the worlds biodiversity hotspots may be bad investment advice peter kareiva and michelle marvier peter knrelva is lead scientist for the nature conseivana. To qualify as a hotspot, an area must contain at least 0. In fact, 15 of the 25 hotspots contain at least 2,500 endemic plant species, and 10 of them at least 5,000. According to iucn 2004, the total number of plant and animal species described so far is slightly more than 1. The 36 biodiversity hotspots are home to around 2 billion people, including some of the worlds poorest, many of whom rely directly on healthy ecosystems for their livelihood and wellbeing. Understanding the origins and evolution of the worlds biodiversity hotspots.
Biodiversity hotspots are defined as areas having at least 1500 endemic plant species and having lost at least 70 per cent of their original habitat extent. The 18 global hotspots defined by norman myers have since been used by the macarthur foundation to target its grantmaking. Only recently have we begun to test key assumptions that determine how useful a hotspot approach can be for conservation planning. Some concentrate on regional biodiversity conservation concerns, such as the africa wildlife foundation, founded in 1961. Springer, heidelberg description biodiversity hotspots are a method to identify those regions of the world where attention is. Earths biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial ecoregoins, 25 biodiversity hotspots were identified. The areas where can be found the highest concentrations of endemic species and that also face the highest loss of natural habitats are called biodiversity hotspots. Pdf in an era of human activities, global environmental changes, habitat loss and species extinction, conservation strategies are a crucial. In particular, rates of n deposition within the newly defined 34 world biodiversity hotspots, to which 50% of the worlds floristic diversity is restricted, has not been quantified previously. Biodiversity and conservation were among the central.
Whats more, conservation international is an investor in the critical ecosystem partnership fund. While hotspots are spread all over the world, the majority are forest areas and most are located in the tropics. Aspirants can also download the notes pdf at the end of the article. Estimates place the global species diversity at several million. Apr 10, 2018 find out the concept of biodiversity hotspots, criteria to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot and the name of hotspots regions of the world, which is very useful for the competitive examinations. A relatively small number of countries 17 have less than 10%. Biodiversity and biodiversity hotspots iasmania civil. This term was introduced by myers in 1988, who has presently recognized twentyfive such hotspots of biodiversity on a global level. Biodiversity hotspots pennsylvania state university. The worlds 34 recognized biodiversity hotspots only cover 2.
Pdf hotspots of biodiversityareas particularly rich in species, rare species, threatened. How many biodiversity hotspots are in the world, 34 or 25. These regions have been identified as some of the worlds most important ecosystems. Biodiversity hotspots around the world and in india by, r. This article is a qualitative as well as a quantitative advance on a preliminary effort5,6, which limited itself to vascular plants in 18 hotspots. Biodiversity hotspots in india indian flora and fauna. Our diversity hotspots cannot be equated to the biodiversity hotspots normally mentioned in the conservation literature, as the latter usually consider also aspects of species traits and identity. All biodiversity hotspots contain at least one global 200 ecoregion. In 1999,when norman myers published the book,hotspots. In order to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, according to conservation international, a region must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants 0. A biodiversity hotspot is a region with a high level of endemic species that have experienced great habitat loss. They are also areas with a high diversity of locally endemic sp. Biodiversity and biodiversity hotspots biodiversity.
Warner senior technical specialist, world bank and guy parker wychwood biodiversity prepared most of the case study material. Understanding the origins and evolution of the world s biodiversity hotspots. These hotspots include 49955 endemic species which account for about 20% of worlds total plant species, mittermeir and werner 1990 on the basis of species richness put forth the concept of mega diversity centres. The question of what geographical regions to protect in order to maintain the most biological diversity is. To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot on myers 2000 edition of the hotspotmap, a region. This opens the way for a silver bullet strategy on the part of conservation planners, focusing on these hotspots in proportion to their share of the worlds species at risk. Biological hotspots 5000on 4000on 3000on 20noon ioooon p lynesia 0s 70000s 60000 califo nia flo istic pr vince 80doon ca bbeqn.
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation. Biodiversity and conservation although india h as only 2. Sadly, human activity has seen typical extinction rates increase by 100 to 10 000 times, mainly due to the. Only about 5% of natural habitats remain in relatively pristine condition, with another 10 to 25% of the land in damaged, but ecologically functional, condition.
Biodiversity of india, biodiversity hotspots of india pmf ias. In india, there are approximate 350 mammals which make up 7. In 2011, the forests of east australia region was identified as the 35th biodiversity hotspot. In particular, rates of n deposition within the newly defined 34 world biodiversity hotspots, to which 50% of the world s floristic diversity is restricted, has not been quantified previously. Biodiversity hotspots around the world and in india.
The simple answer is that biodiversity hotspots are geographic areas that contain high levels of species diversity but are threatened with extinction. A biodiversity hotspot is a region with a high amount of biodiversity that experiences habitat loss by human activity. The biodiversity hotspot concept first appeared in an article written by the scientist norman myers in 1988. Nearly half the worlds vascular plant species and onethird of terrestrial vertebrates are endemic to 25 hotspots of biodiversity, each of which has at least 1500 endemic plant species. Jun, 2017 biodiversity hotspots around the world and in india by, r. By alan lee many readers will i am sure have heard that the tambopata is part of a world biodiversity hotspot. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Thats because hotspots are among the richest and most important ecosystems in the world and they are home to many vulnerable populations who are directly dependent on nature to survive. Concept was first introduced by norman myers, in a paper published in the journal nature. Home to the greatest nontropi cal concentration of higher plant species in the world, the region is the only hotspot that. The term hotspot was introduced in 1988 by norman myers. Nov 15, 2016 biodiversity hotspots are areas that support natural ecosystems that are largely intact and where native species and communities associated with these ecosystems are well represented. Protecting important biodiversity hotspots iucn the international union for conservation of nature and the critical ecosystem partnership fund cepf are undertaking a fiveyear investment for conservation of globally important biodiversity in the indoburma hotspot.
Areas which exhibit high species richness as well as high species endemism are. Without species, there would be no air to breathe, no food to eat, no water to drink. In this context, it is especially striking that relatively few studies have tried to assess the vulnerability of biodiversity hotspots to climate change, landuse changes, and ias. Pdf understanding the origins and evolution of the worlds. The idea was first developed by norman myers in 1988 to identify tropical forest hotspots characterized. Jul 18, 2018 in 1999,when norman myers published the book,hotspots. A user guide references on biodiversity offsets have recently been produced by organizations such as the. Global mammal distributions, biodiversity hotspots, and. Places with the highest levels of biodiversity in the world tend to be concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions. It is situated in the indomalaya ecozone and comprises of 2 out of the 35 biodiversity hotspots in the world.
List of global hotspots of biodiversity biology discussion. Accordingly, 34 biodiversity hotspots have been so far identified. The variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part. Biodiversity hotspot a biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction. Find out the concept of biodiversity hotspots, criteria to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot and the name of hotspots regions of the world, which is. It is evident that highertaxon richness patterns can be combined to create even better surrogates for overall species diversity. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities nature. The number of species threatened with extinction far outstrips available conservation resources, and the situation looks set to. Ledec lead ecologist, world bank and sally johnson consultant, world bank, under the guidance of magda lovei practice manager, world bank. Species in these regions can account for twothirds of all known species on earth. Biodiversity hotspots are a method to identify those regions of the world where attention is needed to address biodiversity loss and to guide investments in conservation. The map shows 34 biodiversity hotspots which cover 2. There are 34 areas around the world which are qualified as biodiversity hotspots. Global mammal distributions, biodiversity hotspots, and conservation gerardo ceballos and paul r.
Earths biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial ecoregions and a paper published in the journal nature. Many areas within the tropical zones are considered biodiversity hotspots, and are home to the worlds most rare and endangered species. Indoburma is one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots, due to the rate of resource exploitation and habitat loss. Research vulnerability of biodiversity hotspots to global. Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability among all groups of living organisms and ecosystem complexes in which they occur. A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is. Biodiversity of india, biodiversity hotspots of india. His current focus is on the examination of different consenmtion strategies, although he also. The word biodiversity describes the richness of an area in terms of its genes, species and ecosystems.
Hotspots of biodiversityareas particularly rich in species, rare species, threatened species, or some combination of these attributesare increasingly being delineated to help set priorities for conservation. The hotspots provide crucial ecosystem services for human life, such as provision of clean water, pollination and. Predominant are tropical forests, appearing in 15 hotspots, and mediterraneantype zones, in five. Many global organizations are working to conserve these biodiversity hotspots, such as the world wildlife foundations global 200 and the critical ecosystem partnership fund. Earths biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial ecoregions and a paper published in.
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