Biodiversity Hotspot – Criteria, Examples & Importance

The variance of plant and animal species in a specific habitat is referred to as Biodiversity. We have to protect our biodiversity hotspots in order to support the environment. Biodiversity comes from two different words, ‘Biological’ ‘Diversity’ that means the variety between living organisms. But the biodiversity hotspots are affected by various human activities. The negative consequences of climate change are the reason for the loss of biodiversity. The decline in biodiversity harms ecosystems, species, and genes. It is necessary to protect the ecosystem and endangered or extinct species to have balanced biodiversity.

We have discussed 36 global Biodiversity Hotspots that have been identified to conserve these species of flora and fauna. Biodiversity hotspots are the biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that are under threat with destruction. In this article, we will study in detail the Biodiversity Hotspot definition in India.

Biodiversity Hotspot Definition

Biodiversity is ‘the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat, a high level of which is usually considered to be important and desirable’. A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region that has a significant pool of biodiversity, but at the same time, it is also threatened with destruction. The British biologist Norman Myers gave the term “biodiversity hotspot” in \(1988.\) (Source: NCERT). Or, in simple words, ‘a biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation’.

Biodiversity Hotspot Criteria

There are two criteria for a region to qualify as a hotspot:
1. The region must contain at least \(1500\) vascular plants as endemic and rare species.
2. It should contain \(30\% \) (or less) of its original natural vegetation.

Biodiversity hotspot areas are rich in endemic and rare species and are highly threatened. In simpler words, the two main criteria which need to be considered when determining that a place is a biodiversity hotspot are:
1. The number of different species present in that particular area.
2. Whether the species in that given area are endangered or currently being destroyed or threatened.

List of Biodiversity Hotspots in World

All over the world, there are as many as \(36\) biodiversity hotspots recognised Internationally. Together, these sites support nearly \(60\% \) of the world’s plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibian species. Interestingly most of them are endemic to the said area. It is also estimated that nearly \(15000\) endemic plants are supported in these areas. The list of biodiversity hotspots in world are given below:
1. Tropical Andes
2. Mesoamerica
3. Caribbean Islands
4. Mountains of Southwest China
5. Southwest Australia

Biodiversity Hotspot Examples: India

India is a geographically diverse country, and it is rich in biodiversity. In India, many species of animals and vascular plants are present. So, there is always a threat of extinction of various species and a declining ecosystem. To protect and conserve the species and ecosystem in India. It is necessary to identify some biodiversity hotspots where these endangered species can be conserved and protected; \(4\) out of \(36\) hotspots are in India. The biodiversity hotspot in India are:
1. The Himalayas
2. Indo Burma Region
3. The Western Ghats
4. Sundaland

Fig: Biodiversity Hotspots in India

1. The Himalayas: As globally known, the Himalayas are the highest mountains comprising Northeast India, Bhutan, Nepal. It covers nearly \({\rm{7,50,000}}\,{\rm{sq\; km}}\) of area.
   a. The Himalayas are home to \(10000\) species of plants, out of which \(3160\) are endemic. The most prominent family of flowering plants found in this region is Orchids, with \(750\) species.
   b. There are around \(980\) species of birds in this region; out of that, \(17\) are endemic. The endangered bird species are White-winged Duck, White Bellied Heron and Bengal Florican.
   c. The Himalayas are home to around \(300\) mammal species, out of which few endangered mammal species are the Golden langur, the Pygmy Hog, the Wild Asian Water Buffalo, and One-Horned Rhinoceros.
   d. Around \(175\) species of reptiles are documented in this region, out of which \(50\) are endemic. Among amphibians, \(105\) species are present, and more than \(40\) of them are endemic. Out of \(270\) fish species, nearly \(30\) are in danger.

Fig: One Horned Rhinoceros

2. Indo Burma Region: Indo Burma Region covers around \({\rm{23,73,000}}\,{\rm{sq\; km}}\) area of tropical Asia, including lowlands of Ganges and Brahmaputra, and it is considered one of the most important biodiversity hotspots for species that are under threat of extinction.
a. The threatened species of this region are Pygmy Loris, Hairy Rhinoceros. Additionally, in the last few years, species like the Leaf Deer, The Annamite Striped Rabbit, The Annamite Muntjac, The Large-antlered Muntjac have been discovered in this region.
b. \(1300\) different bird species are found in this region; the endangered bird species are White-eared night-heron, the Grey-crowned Coracias and the Orange-necked Partridge.
c. This region is a habitat of around \(500\) reptile species, and out of this, around \(20\) species are endemic.
d. More than \(300\) amphibian species are known to occur in the Indo Burma hotspot and out of which around half are endemic.

Fig: The Annamite Striped Rabbit

3. The Western Ghats: The Western ghat sare the mountain range present along peninsular India’s Western coast. It is a biodiversity hotspot with \(39\) protected areas, including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and reserve forests.
a. There are around \(7,402\) species of flowering plants, out of which \(3000\) are found endemic.
b. This region hosts around \(139\) species of mammals, out of which \(13\) are endemic. The Malabar Large Spotted Civet, Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Nilgiri Tahr, and The Bengal Tiger are a few threatened species found in this region. 
c. This region is home to \(508\) species of birds, and \(16\) of them are endemic. Some bird species in this region are Malabar Gray Hornbill, Nilgiri Flycatcher, White-Bellied Shortwing, etc.
d. The Western ghat has \(179\) species of amphibian, out of which \(80%\) are endemic, and this region is also a home for \(290\) species of freshwater fishes, including the endemic species.

Fig: Nilgiri Tahr

4. Sundaland: Sundaland is among one of the biologically richest hotspots globally. It lies in South-East Asia and includes Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and Malaysia. The Indian part lies in the Nicobar Islands. In \(2013\) these islands were declared as the world biosphere reserve by the United Nations.
a. These islands have a rich terrestrial as well as marine ecosystem, including species mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs.
b. Species such as dolphins, whales, turtles, crocodiles, fishes, prawns, lobsters, and seashells comprise the marine biodiversity of these Islands.

Fig: Coral Reef

Biodiversity Hotspot Importance

The importance of Biodiversity hotspots is:
1. Preservation: They provide an ecoregion for the preservation and conservation of many endemic species.
2. Development: They help in developing a healthy ecosystem.
3. Natural resources: These hotspots are helpful in the conservation of natural resources.
4. Pollution control: These regions help in controlling pollution.
5. Habitat: The biodiversity hotspots are habitats for many species.
6. Food: They provide food sources for many species and humankind.
7. Medicinal resources: They are a good source of medicines and pharmaceutical drugs.

Limitations of Biodiversity Hotspot

While many scientists support the concept of biodiversity hotspots, there are certain points raised by other groups of scientists as a major drawback of these areas. They are like:
1. They do not protect ecosystem services.
2. They do not adequately represent taxa other than vascular plants.
3. They do not adequately represent other forms of species richness, like threatened species richness.

Summary

As we know, human interference and various climate change have affected the ecosystem and resulted in a loss of biodiversity. Due to this, many species have come under the threat of extinction. The biodiversity hotspots have opened the way for a new strategy of nature conservation. This approach of biodiversity hotspot has played a critical role in the protection and preservation of various species of flora and fauna, which are under threat.

FAQs on Biodiversity Hotspots in India

Some of the most commonly asked questions about biodiversity hotspots are given below.

Q.1: Which are some examples of biodiversity hotspots in India?

Ans: There are four biodiversity hotspots in India

a. The Himalayas

b. Indo Burma Region

c. The Western Ghats

d. The Sundaland

Q.2: How many biodiversity hotspots are there in the world?

Ans: There are \(36\) biodiversity hotspots in the world.

Q.3: What are biodiversity hotspots, and why is it important?

Ans: A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region that has a significant pool of biodiversity, but at the same time, it is also threatened with destruction. The biodiversity hotspot is important to protect the ecosystem and endangered or extinct species of flora and fauna.

Q.4: What are the criteria of a biodiversity hotspot?

Ans: There are two criteria for a region to qualify as a hotspot:

a. The region must contain at least \(1500\) vascular plants as endemic and rare species.

b. It should contain \(30\% \) (or less) of its original natural vegetation.

Q.5: What is a Sundaland hotspot?

Ans: The Sundaland is a biodiversity hotspot located in South-East Asia and includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, and Malaysia.

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