Biodiversity hotspot

Hotspots of biodiversity—areas particularly rich in species, rare species,
threatened species, or some combination of these attributes—are increasingly
being delineated to help set priorities for conservation. Only recently have we
begun to test key assumptions that determine how useful a hotspot approach
can be for conservation planning. The evidence suggests that although at large
geographic scales hotspots do provide useful information for conservation
planning, at smaller scales their value may be more limited.

1. HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Biodiversity
Hotspot.

kirtish Dudwadkar
[email protected]
DIV:-A
COMBINATION :- BOTANY , CHEMISTRY, BIOCHEMISTRY.
MOB:-8104511307.

Abstract
Hotspots of biodiversity—areas particularly rich in species, rare species,
threatened species, or some combination of these attributes—are increasingly
being delineated to help set priorities for conservation. Only recently have we
begun to test key assumptions that determine how useful a hotspot approach
can be for conservation planning. The evidence suggests that although at large
geographic scales hotspots do provide useful information for conservation
planning, at smaller scales their value may be more limited.

2. S. P. Mandali’s
Ramnarain Ruia Autonomous College
Matunga, Mumbai.


Department of Botany


CERTIFICATE


This is to certify that Mr. KIRTISH RAVINDAR DUDWADKAR of
FY.BSc(Botany,Chemistry,Biochemistry)
has completed an assignment in RUSBOT 102, titled:
“Biodiversity Hotspot.” and submitted the same on :-
DATE :- 30/10/2020






Signature of the Teacher :-

3. Biodiversity Hotspot:-
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region that is both a
significant reservoir of biodiversity and is threatened with destruction. A
hotspot is an area which faces serious threat from human activities and
supports a unique biodiversity (endemic, threatened, rare species) with
representatives of evolutionary of speciation and extinction.
The term biodiversity hotspot specifically refers to 25 biologically rich
areas around the world that have lost at least 70 percent of their original
habitat.
The remaining natural habitat in these biodiversity hotspots amounts to
just 1.4 percent of the land surface of the planet, yet supports nearly 60
percent of the world's plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species.

The concept of biodiversity was given by Norman Myers
(1988) :-
To qualify as a biodiversity hotspots on Myers 2000 edition of
the hotspot map, a region must meet two strict criteria:
1. It must contain at-least 0.5% or 1500 species of vascular plants of
the world.
2. It has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation.
Myers originally recognised 25 hotspots but recently the Conservation
International has added 9 more biodiversity hotspots which make the
present number to 34. These sites support nearly 60% of the world’s
plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species, with a very high
share of endemic species.


BIODIVERSITY, in general terms, comprises the variability of all life forms
present on the Earth including all the fauna and flora species present on the
planet. To be more specific, it denotes the total species present in a specific
ecosystem. All the species on Earth compete with each other for ensuring
their survival while living together in the same ecosystem with each other.
It has been estimated that about 8.7 million species of flora and fauna are

4. currently in existence on the Planet Earth of which only 1.2 million species
have been discovered so far and still a lot more is yet to be discovered as
many of the Earth’s rich biodiversity areas are still unexplored.
These places serve as the plethora of fauna and flora species including
some of the endemic species because of the geologic formations and also
exhibiting exceptional scientific interest. These designated areas account
for about 2.3% of the Earth’s surface accounting for a total of 35% of the
global ecosystem services. The hotspots provide crucial ecosystem services
for human life, such as the provision of clean water, pollination and climate
regulation besides supporting rich biodiversity. They also serve as a home
for several ‘ENDEMIC SPECIES’ that are confined to a specific ecological
spot and are not found anywhere else on the planet. These are
the Native species of the particular area. For any area to be considered as a
Biodiversity Hotspot, it must meet the following two criteria:

• The area should have at least 1500 vascular species of
plants as ENDEMIC.

• The area must be in the Threatened list of IUCN which
means that it should have left with 30% or less of its
natural vegetation.


➢ There are a total of 34 Biodiversity Hotspots
in the World that are listed as :-

5. Hotspots in India:
India has two major hotspots. The rate of deforestation in these areas is
very high and ecosystems have reached at a fragile stage.
1. The Western Ghats:
About the region:
The Western Ghats are a chain of hills that run along the western edge of
peninsular India. They are also known as Sahyadri Mountains. They receive
high rainfall. It run parallel to the west coast of India and constitute more
than 1600 km strip of forests in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Flora:
These regions have moist deciduous forest and rain forest. The region
shows high species diversity as well as high levels of endemism. There are
over 6000 vascular plants belonging to over 2500 genera in this hotspot, of
which over 3000 are endemic.

6. Much of the world’s spices such as black pepper and cardamom have their
origins in the Western Ghats. Many economically important plants such as
banana, rice, ginger etc. have spread to other parts of the country from
here.
Fauna:
Nearly 77% of the amphibians and 62% of the reptile species found here
are found nowhere else. The region also harbours over 450 bird species,
about 140 mammalian species, 260 reptiles and 175 amphibians. Over 60%
of the reptiles and amphibians are completely endemic to the hotspot.
Remarkable as this diversity is, it is severely threatened.

2. The Eastern Himalayas:
About the region:
The Eastern Himalayas is the region encompassing Bhutan, northeastern
India, and southern, central, and eastern Nepal. The region is geologically
young and shows high altitudinal variation. Together, the Himalayan
mountain system is the world’s highest, and home to the world’s highest
peaks, which include Mount Everest and K2.
Flora:
There are an estimated 10,000 species of plants in the Himalayas, of which
one-third are endemic and found nowhere else in the world. Five families

7. —Tetracentraceae, Hamamelidaceae, Circaesteraceae, Butomaceae and
Stachyuraceae — are completely endemic to this region.
Many plant species are found even in the highest reaches of the Himalayan
Mountains, For example, a plant species Ermania himalayensis was found
at an altitude of 6300 metres in northwestern Himalayas.
Fauna:
Few threatened endemic bird species such as the Himalayan Quail, Cheer
pheasant. Western tragopan are found here, along with some of Asia’s
largest and most endangered birds such as the Himalayan vulture and
White-bellied heron.
The Eastern Himalayan hotspot has nearly 163 globally threatened species
including the One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), the Wild
Asian Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and in all 45 mammals, 50 birds, 17
reptiles, 12 amphibians, 3 invertebrate and 36 plant species. The Relict
Dragonfly (Epiophlebia laidlawi) is an endangered species found here with
the only other species in the genus being found in Japan.



As the world continues to grow at a very fast pace, the Biodiversity
hotspots around the globe are facing a large phase of extinction and a rapid
decrease in its endemic and threatened species present in its ecological

8. area. It is causing serious habitat loss which in turn, is affecting the global
population of species present on the Earth. The biggest killers of wildlife
globally are unsustainable hunting and harvesting. Factors, such as
pollution, exploitation of land, invasive species, deforestation, and climate
change are some of the other major causes of habitat loss and
destruction at these hotspots.
• The consequences of climate change are extremely widespread,
threatening even places untouched by humans.
• Along with habitat destruction, the effects of climate change
are expected to be particularly severe on those plants not
capable of dispersing their seeds over long distances.
• All kinds of habitat ranging from tropical rainforest to coral
reefs are destroyed or extensively modified for human
settlements, agricultural expansion, and exploitation of natural
resources.
• The introduction of exotic species to the local environment is
also a major threat to the native biota.



Increasing population pressure and over-exploitation of the biotic
resources is taking their toll on biodiversity leading to its loss. The major
threats to biodiversity decline are land use changes, pollution, changes in
atmospheric CO2 concentrations, changes in the nitrogen cycle and acid
rain, climate alterations, and the introduction of exotic species, all
coincident to human population growth.
For rainforests, the primary factor is land conversion. Climate will probably
change least in tropical regions, and nitrogen problems are not as
important because growth in rainforests is usually limited more by low
phosphorus levels than by nitrogen insufficiency.
The introduction of exotic species is also less of a problem than in
temperate areas because there is so much diversity in tropical forests that
newcomers have difficulty becoming established.
Let us consider some of the major causes and issues
related to threats to biodiversity

9. 1. Habitat destruction:
2. Resource mismanagement:
3. Poaching:
4. Global Warming:
5. Forest Fragmentation:
6. Introduction of exotic species:
7. Overgrazing:
8. Natural Calamities:


The population has the potential to extend forward in time, but various
factors may prevent the perpetuation of the species. Of the well-known
species, there are several which are under threat by human activity.
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
(IUCN) categorized these species as vulnerable, rare, threatened and
endangered species.
Several plant and animal species in the country are now found in only one
or a few protected areas. Among the important endangered animals are
charismatic species such as the tiger, the elephant, the rhino, etc. The less
well-known major mammals restricted to a single area include the Indian
wild ass, the Hangul or Kashmir stag, the Golden langur, the pygmy hog and
a host of others.
There are also endangered bird species such as the Siberian crane, the
Great Indian Bustard, the Florican and several birds of prey. During the
recent past, vultures which were common a decade ago, have suddenly
disappeared and are now highly threatened. Equally threatened are several
species of reptiles and amphibia. Many invertebrates are also threatened,
including a large number of species that inhabit our coral reefs.
Many plant species are now increasingly threatened due to changes in their
habitats induced by human activity. Apart from major trees, shrubs and

10. climbers that are extremely habitat specific and thus endangered, there are
thousands of small herbs which are greatly threatened by habitat loss.
Several orchids are yet another group of plants that are under threat. Many
plants are threatened due to overharvesting as ingredients in medicinal
products.

In order to protect our planet, we can start by making some small changes
in our daily lives. Taking action by recycling, picking up trash, being
conservative with our water consumption, and limiting pollution emission
by reducing our dependence on vehicles and promoting more of walking,
biking, or taking public transportation are the ways by which we could help
the environment to heal itself. We can also come up with our own ideas, as
we educate ourselves on biodiversity by reading about different places and
living things. The more scientific way of conserving biodiversity is by
adopting two ways:-
In-situ Conservation– It is the method of conservation of genetic
resources in natural populations and habitats of plant or animal species. It
involves the reduction of biotic pressure rehabilitation and helps in the
multiplication of the species through the process of evolution and
adaptation. The faunal species are more adaptable to this kind of
conservation process as it supports the species mobility with a larger
habitat area.
Examples include:
• National Parks
• Biosphere Reserves
• Wildlife Sanctuaries
Ex-situ Conservation– It is the process of conservation of living organisms
outside of their natural habitat through genetic conservation including both
captive propagation of species and their eventual release into the natural
or restored ecosystem. In this conservation process, artificial conditions
are created to make their habitat almost like a natural habitat. This method
enhances the probability of reproductive success for endangered species.
The faunal species, in this method, have less mobility owing to the smaller
habitat area.
Examples include:
• Zoos
• Aquariums
• Gene Banks
To ensure the survival of highly impacted species with little or no access to
refuges, “active threat management” is needed to open enough viable

11. habitats for the threatened and endemic species of the area to
survive. Conservation in the hotspots promotes sustainable management of
these essential natural resources and supports economic growth, which
also reduces drivers of violent conflict. Some global organizations
like Conservation International, the World Wide Fund for
Nature, Alliance for Zero Extinction, and the Critical Ecosystem
Partnership Fund have implemented efforts to conserve different
biodiversity hotspots.
These Biodiversity Hotspots are the only measure for preventing the
further extinction and wiping off of the biodiversity from the planet as
these areas poses as a viable spots for Biodiversity conservation and are
some rich areas across the world housing the plethora of the faunal and
floral species and hence saving and conserving these Biodiversity Hotspots
is an absolute necessity essential for the survival and proper functioning of
the earth’s cycle.
WHY ARE BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS
IMPORTANT?
There are places on Earth that are both biologically rich — and deeply
threatened. For our own sake, we must work to protect them.
Species are the building blocks of Earth's life-support systems. We all
depend on them.
But our planet’s “biodiversity,” the vast array of life on Earth, faces a crisis
of historic proportions. Development, urbanization, pollution, disease —
they’re all wreaking havoc on the tree of life. Today, species are going
extinct at the fastest rate since the mass extinction of the dinosaurs.
To stem this crisis, we must protect the places where biodiversity lives. But
species aren’t evenly distributed around the planet. Certain areas have
large numbers of endemic species — those found nowhere else. Many of
these are heavily threatened by habitat loss and other human activities.
These areas are the biodiversity hotspots, 36 regions where success in
conserving species can have an enormous impact in securing our global
biodiversity.
The forests and other remnant habitats in hotspots represent just 2.4% of
Earth’s land surface. But you’d be hard-pressed to find another 2.4% of the
planet that’s more important.

12. WHY DO BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS
MATTER?
Conservation International was a pioneer in defining and promoting the
concept of hotspots. In 1989, just one year after scientist Norman Myers
wrote the paper that introduced the hotspots concept, Conservation
International adopted the idea of protecting these incredible places as the
guiding principle of our investments. For nearly two decades thereafter,
hotspots were the blueprint for our work.
Today, our mission has expanded beyond the protection of hotspots. We
recognize that it is not enough to protect species and places; for humanity
to survive and thrive, the protection of nature must be a fundamental part
of every human society.
Yet the hotspots remain important in our work for two important reasons:
• Biodiversity underpins all life on Earth. Without species, there
would be no air to breathe, no food to eat, no water to drink. There
would be no human society at all. And as the places on Earth where the
most biodiversity is under the most threat, hotspots are critical to
human survival.
• The map of hotspots overlaps extraordinarily well with the map of
the natural places that most benefit people. That’s 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. By one estimate, despite comprising
2.4% of Earth’s land surface, forests, wetlands and other ecosystems in
hotspots account for 35% of the “ecosystem services” that vulnerable
human populations depend on.

13. References :-

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity_
hotspot
2. https://www.themightyearth.com/biodiversi
ty-hotspots/
3. https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/biodive
rsity/biodiversity-hotspots-meaning-and-
hotspots-found-in-india/30153
4. https://www.conservation.org/priorities/bi
odiversity-hotspots
5. All images are from google .com