Definition Of Biodiversity Hotspot In Biology
To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot on myers 2000 edition of the hotspot map a region.
Definition of biodiversity hotspot in biology. Biodiversity hotspots are home to unique flora and fauna most of which are endemic to the particular environment. Of the twenty five hotspots of biodiversity recognized in the world two are found in india which extend into the neighboring countries. Biodiversity the existence of a wide range of different types of organisms in a given place at a given time. The idea was first developed by norman myers in 1988 to identify tropical forest hotspots characterized both by exceptional levels of plant endemism and serious habitat loss 1 which he then expanded to a more global scope 2.
These are earth s most biologically rich yet threatened terrestrial regions. The diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat or in the world as a whole. 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. A high level of biodiversity is desirable pertaining to the diversity and frequency of organisms in a given area.
A biodiversity hotspot is an area with a relatively high biodiversity value. Around 25 sites worldwide are recognized as such hotspots and several organizations have made efforts to protect these sites. Contain at least 1 500 species of vascular plants found nowhere else on earth known as endemic species. Earth s biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial ecoregions and a paper published in the journal nature.
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic area notable for sustaining significant levels of biological diversity and which is threatened by destructive activities. Norman myers wrote about the concept in two articles in the environmentalist and 1990 revised after thorough analysis by myers and others hotspots. I the indo burma region covering the eastern himalayas and ii the western ghats sri lankan region. To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot an area must meet two strict criteria.
The term biodiversity hotspot specifically refers to 25. To be classified as a biodiversity hotspot a region must have lost at least 70 percent of its original natural vegetation usually due to human activity. The idea of defining hotspots is generally credited to the ecologist norman myers who suggested that global conservation efforts should be concentrated in areas where there were high numbers of endemic species and the threat to those species was high. A biodiversity hotspot is a region of the earth that is extremely biologically diverse and also under severe threat due to habitat loss climate change or extensive species loss.
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation. Biodiversity hotspots make up about 2 3 percent of earth s land surface but 44 percent of the world s plants and 35 percent of land vertebrates live in these regions. The hotspots are rich in floral wealth reptiles amphibians mammals and also in their endemism. There are currently 36 recognized biodiversity hotspots.