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Biodiversity hotspots

Biodiversity Hotspots are biogeographical areas that have rich biodiversity and are threatened by different destruction like overexploitation, climate change, pollution, and other human activities. The word “Biodiversity Hotspot” was first coined by the British biologist Norman Myers in 1988.

As per the IUCN “Red Data List,” there are around 36 areas in the world that are qualified as the Biodiversity Hotspots. These Biodiversity Hotspots represent only 2.3% of the total Earth’s surface. They contain around 50% endemic flora and 42% endemic fauna of the whole Earth.



Biodiversity Hotspots – Definition

A Biodiversity Hotspot is a geographical area with a high level of diverse endemic species that is not found anywhere else in the world.



In simple words, a biodiversity hotspot is a region where a significant number of threatened or endangered species live together. According to the British biologist Norman Myers, a biodiversity hotspot must contain at least 1500 species of endemic vascular plants that have lost around 70% of their original habitat. The marine hotspots, fish, snails, lobsters, and coral reefs are also considered biodiversity hotspots.

Biodiversity Hotspot Qualification Criteria- Conservation International

Myers’ hotspot theory was adopted by Conservation International (CI) in 1996. The organization works to protect nature for the benefit of the people. Their mission is to conserve the planet’s biodiversity. Their work is mainly focused on making a balance between the planet’s biodiversity and humans. According to Conservation International (CI), there are two strict criteria by which a region can be declared as a Biodiversity Hotspot as mentioned below.

Biodiversity Hotspots In India

As per the IUCN “Red Data List,” there are 36 areas in the world that are qualified as the Biodiversity Hotspots. Of these 36, there are four biodiversity hotspots present in India. Two of them are solely part of India, and rest two are distributed in South Asia.

Himalaya

Himalaya is the youngest and highest mountain chain present on the Earth. It is an arc that stretches across north Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, north-west, and north-eastern states of India. Here are some major features of the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot as mentioned below:

Indo-Burma

Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot includes the entire northeast India, except Assam and Andaman groups of Islands. It also extended to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and southern China. Here are some major features of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot as mentioned below:

Western Ghats

The Western Ghats are also referred to as the Sahyadri Hills. They are made up of the Malabar Plains. It is a group of mountains that extend 30 to 50 kilometers inland and parallel to India’s western coast. Some parts of this region fall under Sri Lanka also. Here are some details as mentioned below:

Sundalands

The Sundaland hotspot covers a small portion of south Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and the western part of Indonesia. India’s Nicobar Islands are part of the Sundaland hotspot. Here are some major details as mentioned below:

Biodiversity of India – Flora and Fauna

India is one of the mega-diverse countries. It is rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge. India has almost 23.39% of its geographical area which is covered by forests and trees. India represents two realms, five biomes, ten bio-geographic zones, and twenty-five bio-geographic provinces in total.

Why Biodiversity Hotspots are Important?

Biodiversity hotspots are biogeographical areas that have rich biodiversity and are threatened by different destruction like overexploitation, climate change, pollution, and other human activities. Here are some factors mentioned below, why Biodiversity Hotspots are important:

Endangered Species of India

As per the IUCN Read list there are so many endangered species present in Indian Biodidersity Hotspots. Here are some of them as mentioned below:

Endangered Species

Scientific Names

Bengal Tiger

Panthera tigris tigris

Indian Elephant

Elephas maximus indicus

Snow Leopard

Panthera uncia

Indian Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros unicornis

Asiatic Lion

Panthera leo persica

Red Panda

Ailurus fulgens

Olive Ridley Turtle

Lepidochelys olivacea

Ganges River Dolphin

Platanista gangetica

Great Indian Bustard

Ardeotis nigriceps

Hangul (Kashmiri Stag)

Cervus hanglu

What is the IUCN Red List?

The IUCN Red List is a complete list of the threatened species. It is an information archive on the global extinction risk status. The list includes of all animal, fungus, and plant species. It is generally maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) organisation.

There are some levels of the division:

Tiger Conservation in India

The conservation of tigers became a major point for India when the tiger population entered in the list of endangered species. Tiger conservation in our country became a significant focus because, tigers plays a major role in our ecosystem. The main aim is to protect and increse their population. Our government has taken so many initiatives like “Project Tiger” that is administered by the National Tiger Conservation Authority directly. For this paricular initiative, the population of tigers has been increased to 3,167.

There are three major threats of the tiger population in India:

Also Read:

Conclusion – Biodiversity Hotspots

A biodiversity hotspot is a geographical area with a high level of diverse endemic species that are not found anywhere else in the world. In simple words, a biodiversity hotspot is a region where a significant number of threatened or endangered species live together. In this article today, we have learned about the different biodiversity hotspots and different flora faunas with the biodiversity of India.

FAQs on Biodiversity Hotspots

What are the 4 Biodiversity Hotspots of India?

The Himalayan, Indo-Burma, Sundalands, Western Ghats and Sri Lanka are four biodiversity hotspots present in India. Two of them are solely part of India, and rest two are distributed in South Asia.

What are the top 5 Biodiversity Hotspots?

The Tropical Andes, Sundaland, Madagascar, Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and the Caribbean—contains endemic plants and vertebrates are the top 5 biodiversity hotspots. They are amounting to at least 2% of total species world-wide.

What do you mean by Biodiversity Hotspots?

A Biodiversity Hotspot is a geographical area with a high level of diverse endemic species which not found anywhere else in the world. In simple words, a Biodiversity Hotspot is a region where a significant number of threatened or endangered species live together.

What is a Biodiversity Hotspot with Example?

A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction. For example forests are considered as biodiversity hotspots.

Why Biodiversity Hotspots are Important?

Biodiversity Hotspots cover a small part of the Earth but they are the home of so many endangered species. This places have rich biodiversity and they are threatened by different destruction like overexploitation, climate change, pollution, and other human activities.

Why are they Called Hotspots?

Hotspot are those areas which have a high density of biodiversity which are the most threatened points in the whole world. India is one of the mega-diverse countries. It is rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge.


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