Biodiversity Hot Spots

&
Biodiversity hotspots in India
Hotspots:

Earths Biologically Richest and Most Endangered

Terrestrial Eco regions

Norman Myers wrote about the concept in two articles in

The Environmentalist (1988), & 1990

These sites support nearly 60% of the world's plant, bird,

mammal, reptile, and amphibian species
Biodiversity Hot Spots features:
Locations around the world that is characterized
by exceptional levels of endemic species and
critical levels of habitat loss.

At least 1500 species of vascular plants are

endemic

The region must have lost at least 70 percent of

its original habitat
 Around the world, 35 areas quality as hotspots
Endemic species species that are only found in
that specific geographic area or a species that
confined to a certain region and is restricted to
particular areas
Biodiversity hotspots in India
Four hotspots in India
The Western Ghats
The Eastern Himalayas
Indo-Burma
Sundaland
The Western Ghats
The Western Ghats
About the region: The Western Ghats are a chain of hills
that run along the western edge of peninsular India. Their
proximity to the ocean and through orographic effect,
they receive high rainfall. These regions have moist
deciduous forest and rain forest. The region shows high
species diversity as well as high levels of endemism.
Nearly 77% of the amphibians and 62% of the reptile
species found here are found nowhere else.. Sri Lanka,
which lies to the south of India, is also a country rich in
species diversity. It has been connected with India
through several past glaciation events by a land bridge
almost 140kn wide
Biodiversity: There are over 6000 vascular plants belonging to
over 2500 genera in this hotspot, of which over 3000 are endemic.
Much of the world's spices such as black pepper and cardamom have
their origins in the Western Ghats.

The highest concentration of species in the Western Ghats is believed

to be the Agasthyamalai Hills in the extreme south.

The region also harbors over 450 bird species, about 140 mammalian
species, 260 reptiles and 175 amphibians. Over 60% of the reptiles and
amphibians are completely endemic to the hotspot. Remarkable as this
diversity is, it is severely threatened today.

The vegetation in this hotspot originally extended over 190,000 square

kms. Today, its been reduced to just 43,000 sq. km. In Sri Lanka, only
1.5% of the original forest cover still remains
The Lion tailed macaque is a flagship
species of the Western Ghats
The Himalayas
The Himalayas
About the region: The Himalaya Hotspot is home to the
worlds highest mountains, including Mt. Everest. The
mountains rise abruptly, resulting in a diversity of
ecosystems that range from alluvial grasslands and
subtropical broadleaf forests to alpine meadows above
the tree line. Vascular plants have even been recorded
at more than 6,000 meters. The hotspot is home to
important populations of numerous large birds and
mammals, including vultures, tigers, elephants, rhinos
and wild water buffalo.
Biodiversity: The Himalayan hotspot has nearly 163 globally threatened
species including the One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), the Wild
Asian Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis (Arnee)) and in all 45 mammals, 50 birds, 17
reptiles, 12 amphibians, 3 invertebrate and 36 plant species The Relict Dragonfly
(Epiophlebia laidlawi) is an endangered species found here with the only other
species in the genus being found in Japan. The region is also home to the
Himalayan Newt (Tylototriton verrucosus), the only salamander species found
within Indian limits.
There are an estimated 10,000 species of plants in the Himalayas, of which one-
third are endemic and found nowhere else in the world. Five families -
Tetracentraceae, Hamamelidaceae, Circaesteraceae, Butomaceae and
Stachyuraceae - are completely endemic to this region. Many plant species are
found even in the highest reaches of the Himalayan mountains. For example, a
plant species Ermania himalayensis was found at an altitude of 6300 metres in
northwestern Himalayas. A few threatened endemic bird species such as
the Himalayan Quail, Cheer pheasant, Western tragopan are found here, alongwith
some of Asia's largest and most endangered birds such as the Himalayan
vulture and White-bellied heron
The Indian Rhinoceros is one of the 45 species of globally
threatened mammals found in the Eastern Himalaya
Indo-Burma
About the region: The Indo-Burma region encompasses
several countries. It is spread out from
Eastern Bangladesh to Malaysia and includes North-Eastern
India south of Brahmaputra river, Myanmar, the southern
part of China's Yunnan province, Lao Peoples Democratic
Republic, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.

The Indo-Burma region is spread over 2 million sq. km of

tropical Asia. Since this hotspot is spread over such a large
area and across several major landforms, there is a wide
diversity of climate and habitat patterns in this region
Biodiversity: Much of this region is still a wilderness, but has
been deteriorating rapidly in the past few decades. In recent times,
six species of large mammals have been discovered here: Large-
antlered muntjac, Annamite muntjac, Grey-shanked douc, Annamite
striped rabbit, Leaf deer, and the Saola. This region is home to
several primate species such as monkeys , langurs and gibbons with
populations numbering only in the hundreds. Many of the species,
especially some freshwater turtle species, are endemic.

Almost 1,300 bird species exist in this region including the

threatened white-eared night-heron, the grey-crowned crocias, and
the orange-necked partridge. It is estimated that there are about
13,500 plant species in this hotspot, with over half of them
endemic. Ginger, for example, is native to this region.
The Saola, a bovine, is one of the world's rarest
mammals. It was discovered in Vietnam only in
1992
Sundaland is a region in South-East Asia that covers
the western part of the Indo-Malayan archipelago. It
includes Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and
Indonesia. India is represented by the Nicobar Islands.
The United Nations declared the islands a World Biosphere
Reserve in 2013.
The islands have a rich terrestrial and marine ecosystem
that includes mangroves, coral reefs and sea grass beds.
The marine biodiversity includes several species such as
whales, dolphis, dugong, turtles, crocodiles, fishes, prawns,
lobsters, corals and sea shells . The primary threat to this
biodiversity comes from over exploitation of marine
resources. In addition, the forests on the island also need
to be protected
Reasons for biodiversity loss in hotspots
There are four main reasons why species are being threatened in these biodiversity
hotspots

Habitat destruction: As recently as 30 years ago, most of the regions

in these biodiversity hotspots were inaccessible and remote. Now, due
to better infrastructure, contact of these areas with humans has
increased. Activities such as logging of wood, increased agriculture,
increased human habitation has led to destruction of forests and
pollution of rivers. These factors are causing species ranges to reduce
and habitats to become choppy. The government planned to establish
habitat corridors, but these plans have not yet materialized in most
areas. Activities such as mining, construction of large dams, highway
construction has also caused significant destruction of habitats.
Poaching: Large mammals such as the tiger, rhinoceros and
the elephant once faced the distinct possibility of complete
extinction due to rampant hunting and poaching. However, efforts by
conservationists since the 1970s has helped stabilize and grow these
populations. Still, the trade in tiger hide, elephant tusks, tiger teeth,
rhinoceros horn remains profitable and rampant.

Climate change: Although dire IPCC predictions of Himalayan glaciers

melting by 2035 have been retracted, there is no doubt that several
Himalayan glaciers are melting. In the Western Ghats, studies have
shown that the deciduous and the evergreen forests of Karnataka are
the most at risk. Climate change may significantly affect the
temperatures, rainfalls and water tables in the Western Ghats,
according to an assessment by the Government of India
Resource mismanagement: Increased tourism without
proper regulation has led to pollution and
environmental degradation. Prime example are
pilgrimage destinations like Rishikesh and hill stations
like Dehradoon. These spots, once nestled in the
pristine ranges of the Himalayas, are now dirty
commercial destinations. Places like Dehradoon are
even experiencing a construction boom so large that
illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are also flocking
there. Religious destinations in the Himalayas, where
devotees flock in millions now, are also hot
destinations for medicinal plant trade, which has
threatened plant life in the area
 HOPE SPOTS
The concept: Hope Spots are special places that are
critical to the health of the ocean. Some of these Hope
Spots are already formally protected, while others still
need defined protection.

India has two hope spots:

Lakshadweep Islands
Andaman Islands
About 12% of the land around the world is now under
some form of protection (as national parks, world
heritage sites, monuments, etc.), while less than 4% of
the ocean is protected in any way.

Mission Blue is committed to changing this. Networks

of marine protected areas maintain healthy
biodiversity, provide a carbon sink, generate life-giving
oxygen, preserve critical habitat and allow low-impact
activities like ecotourism to thrive.