Biodiversity hotspots

brief ppt on the hotspots in India

1. BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS

2. Totality of genes, species and ecosystems of a region B I O D I V E R S I T Y

3. BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT Hotspot concept- British ecologist Norman Myers (1988) Criteria for designating an area as hotspot: Richness in ENDEMIC SPECIES- should have 0.5% of global total vascular plants Impact by human activities- must have lost more than 70% of its original habitat

4. HOTSPOTS IN INDIA India has rich and varied heritage of biodiversity. Two regions- Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats They are rich in endemic species With 2.4% of worlds area, India accounts for 7.31% of global fauna Only a small percentage of total land area within biodiversity hotspots is protected

5. India shares its territories into three biodiversity hotspots - Eastern Himalaya , Western Ghats and Indo-Burma . Out of them, Eastern Himalaya and Western Ghats are mostly within India’s territory. In the Indo-Burma Biodiversity hotspot, India shares only a small part in North East India .

6. Plant species in India

7. Comparison between number of species in India and World

8. Comparison between number of species in India and World

9. EASTERN HIMALAYAS The Eastern Himalayas is the region encompassing Bhutan, N ortheastern India , 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.

10. FLORA 10,000 species of plants in the Himalayas. Five families — Tetracentraceae , Hamamelidaceae , Circaesteraceae , Butomaceae and Stachyuraceae — are completely endemic to this region. Ermania himalayensis was found at an altitude of 6300 metres in Himalayas . Coelogyne Cristata

11. FAUNA E ndemic bird species such as the Himalayan Quail, Cheer pheasant. Western tragopan , Himalayan vulture and White-bellied heron. 163 globally threatened species including the One-horned Rhinoceros and Wild Asian Water buffalo 45 mammals, 50 birds, 17 reptiles, 12 amphibians, 3 invertebrate and 36 plant species. The Relict Dragonfly is an endangered species found here

12. WESTERN GHATS The Western Ghats are a chain of hills that run along the western edge of peninsular India. They are also known as Sahayadri Mountains. They receive high rainfall. It runs parallel to the west coast of India and constitute 1600 km strip of forests in the states of Maharashtra, Goa , Karnataka , Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

13. FLORA M oist deciduous forest and rain forest . O ver 6000 vascular plants belonging to 2500 genera 3000 are endemic. B lack pepper and cardamom have their origins in the Western Ghats . B anana , rice, ginger etc. have spread to other parts of the country from here.

14. FAUNA 77% of the amphibians and 62% of the reptile species found here are found nowhere else. 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.

15. IMPORTANCE Biodiversity underpins all life on Earth – without species there would be no resources The map of hotspots overlap with natural places that benefit humans- hotspots account for 35% of ecosystem services

16. INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS TO CONSERVE Critical Ecosystem P artnership Fund (CEPF) Conservation International (CI) Global 200 Ecoregions (WWF) Bird Life International (EBAs) Plant Life International Alliance for zero extinction National Geographic Society

17. CRITISISM The Biodiversity Hotspots are often criticized on the following arguments: Do not adequately represent other forms of species richness Do not adequately represent taxa other than vascular plants Do not protect smaller scale richness hotspots. Do not make allowances for changing land use patterns. Do not protect ecosystem services

18. REFERENCES Myers, Norman; Mittermeier, Russell A.; Mittermeier, Cristina G.; da Fonseca Gustavo A. B.; Kent, Jennifer (2000). "Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities“ Nature .  403  (6772): 853–858 . Kareiva , P. and M. Marvier (2003)  Conserving Biodiversity Coldspots , American Scientist, 91, 344-351. Belsare DK (2007), Introduction to biodiversity, A.P.H. Publishing Corp. New Delhi