1. Module 4: Biomes of the World (Part-III)

2. Biodiversity Hotspots

3. Diversity rich areas in the world
Tropical rain forests
Coral reefs
Large tropical lakes…fishes…isolated productive habitat
Deep sea…..age and stability
Tropical shrublands
Tropical grasslands
Deserts
Temperate shrublands

4. Diversity rich areas in the world
Marine systems contain 28 of 33 existing animal phyla
13 of these phyla are present only in marine environment

5. Biodiversity Hotspots

6. Biodiversity hotspots
The 34 biodiversity hotspots contain:
at least 150,000 plant species as endemics, 50 percent of the world’s total.
29 percent of the world's freshwater fish species
In only 2.3 percent of the planet's land area

7. What are these hotspots?
Qualifying factors for hotspot designation:
Regions harbouring a great diversity of endemic species
Must have at least 1,500 endemic species (0.5% of the global total)
Significantly impacted and influenced by human activities
Must have lost at least 70% of its original habitat

8. Why hotspots rich in endemism?
Isolation over long period of geologic time
Island
Benign environments
Tropical and Mediterranean
Topographically diverse
Mountains
Benign environments +
varied topography +
isolated for long geological time
Presence of species not present anywhere else

9. Why hotspots rich in endemism?
Isolation of hotspots:
Tropical island archepelagos
Caribbean island
Philippines
Large island
Caledonia
Combination of both
Sundaland
Continental islands
Isolation by surrounded deserts, mountains, seas
Indo-Burma, Western Ghats
Landlocked islands

10. Threats to hotspots Fragile ecosystems Loss of habitat:
Physical restriction of species
No other population of the same species…..global extinction
Species not prepared to compete with the exotics

11. Hottest of the hotspots
Madagascar & Indian Ocean Islands
Philippines
Sundaland
Atlantic Forest
Caribbean
Indo-Burma
Western Ghats & Sri Lanka
Eastern Arc Mountains & Coastal Forests

12. Madagascar & Indian Ocean Islands 11,600 3.9 Philippines 6,091 2
Hotspot
Endemic plants
Endemics as a Percentage
of World Total
Madagascar & Indian Ocean Islands
11,600
3.9
Philippines
6,091 2
Tropical Andes
15,000 5
Southwest Australia
2948 1
Mediterranean Basin
11,700
Indo-Burma
7,000
2.3
Western Ghats & Sri Lanka
3,049
Himalayas
3,160
1.1

13. References
Campbell, N.A Biology, 4th Edition. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc., Menlo Park, California.
Large Marine Ecosystems of the World
Ecoregions of the World by WWF
Hotspots in Context
Norman Myers, Russell A. Mittermeier, Cristina G. Mittermeier, Gustavo A. B. da Fonseca & Jennifer Ken Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. NATURE | VOL 403 | 24 FEBRUARY 2000.
Roberts, et al Marine biodiversity hotspots and conservation priorities for tropical reefs. Science 295,
Maps and resources:
World Atlas on Biodiversity
World Mangrove Atlas

14. Food for Thought
-Which aspects of the biodiversity hotspot concept do you consider the most relevant for the conservation of marine and coastal sites? - Do you see any risk involved in using this concept for prioritizing conservation at global and national level? - Some areas harbor higher species richness than others – why is that so? Do you see ways of enhancing species richness in threatened or degraded areas?
A difficult decision: imagine you were responsible for the management of your site: would you rather invest the restricted funds available in the maintenance / restoration of singular habitats and endemic species, or would you concentrate on broader conservation and outreach strategies? Think about your reasons – and potential strategies for covering both aspects.