Biodiversity Hotspots

Biodiversity Hotspots

“Large regions containing exceptional concentrations of species endemism and experiencing high rates of habitat loss due to human activities”.

Ø  The idea was first developed by Norman Myers in 1988.

Ø  Currently, 35 biodiversity hotspots have been identified, most of which occur in tropical forests.

Ø  They represent just 2.3% of Earth’s land surface, but between them they contain around 50% of the world’s endemic plant species and 42% of all terrestrial vertebrates. Overall, Hotspots have lost around 86% of their original habitat and additionally are considered to be significantly threatened by extinctions induced by climate change.

Hotspot Areas:

Criteria:

To qualify as a hotspot, a region must meet two criteria

Ø  It must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants (> 0.5% of the world’s total) as endemic.

Ø  It has to have lost ≥ 70% of its original native habitat.

Factors:

Hotspot biodiversity is usually based on one of three factors

Ø  The number of total species (species richness).

Ø  The number of unique or endemic species (endemism).

Ø  The number of species at risk.

Hotspot conservation initiatives:

Only a small percentage of the total land area within biodiversity hotspots is now protected. Several international organizations are working in many ways to conserve biodiversity hotspots.

Ø  Plant life International coordinates several the world aiming to identify Important Plant Areas.

Ø  The National Geographic Society has prepared a world map.

Ø  The World Wide Fund for Nature has derived a system called the "Global 200 Ecoregions.