Question

Hotspots of biodiversity means

• A. Areas of the Earth, that contain many endemic species.
• B. Species serves as proxy for entire communities in particular area.
• C. Species in particular niche / area.
• D. Species diversity at particular area.

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Biodiversity hotspots are regions with very high levels of species richness and high degree of endemism (that is, species confined to that region and not found anywhere else).

Initially 25 biodiversity hotspots were identified but subsequently nine more have been added to the list, bringing the total number of biodiversity hotspots in the world to 34. These hotspots are also regions of accelerated habitat loss. Three of these hotspots are - western ghats and Sri Lanka, Indo-Burma and Himalaya cover our country's exceptionally high biodiversity regions. Although all the biodiversity hotspots put together cover less than 2 percent of the Earth's land area, the number of species they collectively harbour is extremely high and strict protection of these hotspots could reduce the ongoing mass extinctions by almost 30%.