The document discusses biodiversity hotspots around the world. It defines biodiversity hotspots as regions with exceptional concentrations of endemic plant and animal species that have experienced significant habitat loss. 35 hotspots have been identified that contain over 50% of the world's endemic plant species and 42% of terrestrial vertebrates, despite representing only 2.3% of the Earth's land. Some key hotspots mentioned include the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Sundaland, Mediterranean Basin, Horn of Africa, Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands, Forests of Australia, Caucasus, and Mesoamerica. Each hotspot contains a high number of endemic species and has experienced extensive habitat

1. MUTTURAJ M D
Jr.M.Sc(agri)
GPB

2. HOT SPOTS OF
BIODIVERSITY

3. Definition
Large regions containing exceptional concentrations
of plant and animal endemism and experiencing high
rates of habitat loss.
 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.
The idea was first developed by Norman Myers in
1988.

4. Currently, 35 biodiversity hotspots have been
identified.
 most of which occur in tropical forests. They
represent just 2.3% of Earth’s land surface, but
between them they contain around 50% of the
world’s endemic plant species and 42% of all
terrestrial vertebrates.
Overall, Hotspots have lost around 86% of their
original habitat and additionally are considered to be
significantly threatened by extinctions induced by
climate change.

5. CRITERIA
To qualify as a hotspot, a region must meet two
criteria:
1. it must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular
plants (> 0.5% of the world’s total) as endemics;
2. it has to have lost ≥ 70% of its original native habitat.

7. Important hot spots,
1.western Ghats and Sri Lanka
2.Himalaya
3.Mediterranean basin
4.Indo-Burma
5.Horn of Africa
6.Madagacsar and Indian ocean islands
7.Sundaland
8.Forests of Australia
9. Caucasus
10. Mesoamerica

8. WESTERN GHATS AND SRI LANKA
Western Ghats of southwestern and
southwestern Srilanka are similar in geology,
climate and evolutionary history.
The western Ghats, known locally as the
Sahyadri hills run parallel to India's western
coast, about 30 to 50 Km inland.
They cover an area about 1,60,000 Sq Km and
stretch for 1,600 Km from Gujarat to south tip.

10. SPECIES DIVERSITY AND ENDEMISM
Taxonomic Group Species Endemic Species Endemism (%)
Plants 5,916 3,049 51.5
Mammals 140 18 12.9
Birds 458 35 7.6
Reptiles 267 174 65.2
Amphibians 178 130 73.0
Freshwater fishes 191 139 72.8

11. • Includes the entire Indian Himalayan
region (and that falling in Pakistan,
Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, China and
Myanmar).
• The Himalaya Hotspot is home to
the world's highest mountains.
• The hotspot is home to important
populations of numerous large birds
and mammals, including vultures,
tigers, elephants, rhinos and wild
water buffalo.
HIMALAYAN

12. SPECIES DIVERSITY AND ENDEMISM
Taxonomic Group Species Endemic Species Endemism (%)
Plants 10,000 3,160 31.6
Mammals 300 12 4.0
Birds 977 15 1.5
Reptiles 176 48 27.3
Amphibians 105 42 40.0
Freshwater fishes 269 33 12.3

13. gloss pheasant
mithun
yak

14. INDO-BURMA

15. • Encompassing more than 2 million km² of tropical
Asia.
• Indo-Burma is still revealing its biological treasures.
• Six large mammal species have been discovered in
the last 12 years: the large-antlered muntjac, the
Annamite muntjac, the grey-shanked douc, the
Annamite striped rabbit, the leaf deer.
large-antlered muntjac the grey-shanked douc
Annamite striped rabbit
leaf deer

16. • This hotspot also holds remarkable endemism in
freshwater turtle species, most of which are
threatened with extinction, due to over-harvesting
and extensive habitat loss.
• Bird life in Indo-Burma is also incredibly diverse,
holding almost 1,300 different bird species, including
the threatened white-eared night-heron, the grey-
crowned crocias, and the orange-necked partridge.
white-eared night-heron grey-crowned crocias orange-necked partridge

17. SPECIES DIVERSITY AND ENDEMISM
Taxonomic Group Species Endemic Species Endemism (%)
Plants 13,500 7,000 51.9
Mammals 433 73 16.9
Birds 1,266 64 5.1
Reptiles 522 204 39.1
Amphibians 286 154 53.8
Freshwater Fishes 1,262 553 43.8

18. SUNDALAND

19. • The Sundaland hotspot covers the western half of
the Indo-Malayan.
• Dominated by two of the largest islands in the
world: Borneo (725,000 km²) and Sumatra
(427,300 km²).
• More than a million years ago, the islands of
Sundaland were connected to mainland Asia. As
sea levels changed, this connection periodically
disappeared, eventually leading to the current
isolation of the islands.
• Notable plants in the hotspot include members of
the genus Rafflesia, Rafflesia arnoldii, has the
largest flowers in the world, measuring up to one
meter in diameter.

20. Rafflesia arnoldii
red-knobbed hornbill
Sunda Clouded Leopard

21. Taxonomic Group Species Endemic Species Endemism (%)
Plants 25,000 15,000 60.0
mammals 380 172 45.6
Birds 769 142 18.5
Reptiles 452 243 53.8
Amphibians 244 196 80.3
Freshwater Fishes 950 350 36.8
SPECIES DIVERSITY AND ENDEMISM

22. Mediterranean basin
• The Mediterranean Basin is one of the world’s richest places
in terms of animal and plant diversity.
• The Mediterranean is particularly noted for the diversity of its
plants – about 25,000 species are native to the region, and
more than half of these are endemic.
• “An outstanding centre of biodiversity but also one of the
most threatened, mainly by human activity”.
• Besides this great richness of plants, a high proportion of
Mediterranean animals are unique to the region: 2 out of 3
amphibian species are endemic, as well as half of the crabs
and crayfish, 48% of the reptiles, a quarter of mammals, 14%
of dragon flies, 6% of sharks and rays and 3% of the birds.

24. Endangered species
Monk seal Bald ibis
pangolin
tunaloggerhead sea turtle
Mountain goats

25. Horn of Africa

26. Horn of Africa
 The Horn of Africa denotes the region containing the
countries of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.
 The Horn of Africa is almost equidistant from the equator and
the Tropic of Cancer.
 About 220 mammals are found in the Horn of Africa. Among
threatened species of the region include the Somali wild ass,
the desert warthog, the hamadryads baboon, the Somali
pygmy gerbil.
 The Grevy's zebra is the unique wild equid of the region.
Somali wild ass
desert warthog
Grevy's zebra

27. • Some important bird species of the Horn are
the black boubou, the golden-winged
grosbeak.

28. Madagascar and Indian ocean islands

29. Madagascar and Indian ocean islands
• The Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands biodiversity
hotspot includes the island of Madagascar and several
neighbouring island groups.
• Madagascar is famous for reptiles such as chameleons
and more than 50 different kinds of lemurs—unique
primates found only on the islands in this hotspot.
• Experts estimate that Madagascar has lost as much as
80 percent of its original forest cover due to
agricultural expansion, timber exploitation,
uncontrolled livestock grazing, wood collection for fuel
and charcoal production, hunting, mining, wildlife
collection and introduction of non-native wildlife
species.

30. Endangered species
Aldabra Giant Tortoises
Chameleon

31. Forests of Australia

32. • Australia has approximately 123 million hectares of
native forest, which represents about 16% of
Australia's land area.
• The majority of Australia's trees are hardwoods,
typically eucalypts, rather than softwoods like pine.
Forest types
1. Rainforests
2. Melaleuca forests
3. Eucalypt forests
4.Casuarina forests
5.Callitris forests
6. Acacia forests
7. Mangrove forests
2 4
7 65

33. Endangered species
Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus)
Koala
Southern Cassowary

34. Caucasus

35. • It is home to the Caucasus Mountains, which
contain Europe's highest mountain, Mount
Elbrus, 5,642 metres (18,510 ft).
• derives the name of the Caucasus from
the kroy-khasis (“ice-shining, white with
snow”).
• It harbors some 6400 species of higher plants,
1600 of which are endemic to the region.
• Its wildlife includes Persian leopards, brown
bears, wolves, bison, marals, golden
eagles and hooded crows.

36. Endangered species
Persian leopards
brown bears
golden eagles bison

37. Mesoamerica

38. • Mesoamerica was a region and cultural
area in the Americas, extending approximately
from central Mexico to Belize.
• Domestication of
cacao, maize, beans, tomato, squash and chilli,
as well as the turkey and dog.
• Almost all ecosystems are present in
Mesoamerica; the more well known are
the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the
second largest in the world.

39. Endangered species
Whale Shark Hawksbill Turtle
Leatherback TurtleGreen Turtle
Olive Ridley Turtle