Module 4:

Biomes of the World(Part-III)

Biodiversity Hotspots

http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcorals/values/biodiversity/resources/coraltri_burdick.jpg

Diversity rich areas in the world

Tropical rain forestsCoral reefsLarge tropical lakes…fishes…isolated

productive habitatDeep sea…..age and stability

Tropical shrublandsTropical grasslandsDesertsTemperate shrublands

Marine systems contain 28 of 33 existing animal phyla

13 of these phyla are present only in marine environment

Diversity rich areas in the world

Biodiversity Hotspots

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

What are these hotspots?

Qualifying factors for hotspot designation:1. Regions harbouring a great diversity of endemic

species– Must have at least 1,500 endemic species (0.5% of

the global total)

2. Significantly impacted and influenced by human activities– Must have lost at least 70% of its original habitat

Why hotspots rich in endemism?1. Isolation over long period of geologic time

– Island

2. Benign environments– Tropical and Mediterranean

3. Topographically diverse – Mountains

Benign environments +

varied topography +

isolated for long geological time

Presence of species not present anywhere else

Why hotspots rich in endemism?Isolation of hotspots:1. Tropical island archepelagos

– Caribbean island– Philippines

2. Large island– Caledonia

3. Combination of both – Sundaland

4. Continental islands– Isolation by surrounded deserts, mountains, seas– Indo-Burma, Western Ghats

5. Landlocked islands

Threats to hotspots

1. Fragile ecosystems

2. Loss of habitat:1. Physical restriction of species

2. No other population of the same species…..global extinction

3. Species not prepared to compete with the exotics

Hottest of the hotspots

1. Madagascar & Indian Ocean Islands

2. Philippines

3. Sundaland

4. Atlantic Forest

5. Caribbean

6. Indo-Burma

7. Western Ghats & Sri Lanka

8. Eastern Arc Mountains & Coastal Forests

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 3.9

Indo-Burma 7,000 2.3

Western Ghats & Sri Lanka

3,049 1

Himalayas 3,160 1.1

References• Campbell, N.A. 1996. Biology, 4th Edition. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing

Company, Inc., Menlo Park, California. http://www.worldbiomes.com/ • Large Marine Ecosystems of the World

http://www.lme.noaa.gov/LMEWeb/downloads/lme64.pdf • Ecoregions of the World by WWF

http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions/item1847.html • Hotspots in Context • http://www.conservation.org/where/priority_areas/hotspots/Pages/

hotspots_in_context.aspx • Norman Myers, Russell A. Mittermeier, Cristina G. Mittermeier, Gustavo A. B. da

Fonseca & Jennifer Ken. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. NATURE | VOL 403 | 24 FEBRUARY 2000.

• Roberts, et al. 2002. Marine biodiversity hotspots and conservation priorities for tropical reefs. Science 295, 1280-1284

• Maps and resources: • http://staff.tuhsd.k12.az.us/gfoster/standard/7seas.gif • World Atlas on Biodiversity http://archive.org/details/worldatlasofbiod02groo • World Mangrove Atlas http://archive.org/details/worldmangroveatl97spal

-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?

Food for Thought

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.