BIO-DIVERSITY HOTSPOTS

Introduction

Biodiversity in India: India is one of the world’s most biologically and culturally diverse countries. It is ranked ninth in the world in terms of higher plant species richness. India has become an important center for many domesticated species, endangered species and varieties of vegetation and plants, flora and fauna.

What is a biodiversity hotspot:

A biodiversity hotspot is a region with significant levels of biodiversity that is threatened by humans, which was introduced by Norman Myers as a concept in 1990 and analyzed as “Hotspots: Earth’s Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions in 2000.

WHAT MAKES A REGION A BIO-DIVERSITY HOTSPOT

According to Conservation International, to be recognized as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must meet two strict criteria. They are:

The number of endemic species: The region must comprise at least 0.5% or 1500 endemic vascular plant species. It has been found that these vascular plants are critical for the ecosystem’s sustainability since they allow the circulation of photosynthesis products, water, and minerals.

Degree of threat: The region must have lost at least 70% or more of its original habitat.

BIO-DIVERSITY HOTSPOTS IN INDIA

The 4 biodiversity hotspots in India are:

1. The Himalayas

2. The Western Ghats

3. Indo – Burma region

4. Sundaland

THE HIMALAYAS:

The Himalayas is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. It contains some of the highest peaks of the world including Mount Everest and K2 and includes some of the major rivers of the world like Indus and Ganga. This mountain range covers nearly 750,000 SQ.M

Himalayas hosts almost 163 endangered species including one-horned rhinoceros, wild Asian water buffalo and as many as 45 mammals, 50 birds, 12 amphibians, 17 reptiles, 3 invertebrates and 10,000 plant species, of which 3160 are endemic. The most characteristic features of the Himalayas are:

Great height.

Complex geologic structure.

Snowcapped peaks.

Large valley glaciers.

Deep river gorges.

Rich vegetatiomn

Endangered Species In Himalayas

1) SNOW LEOPARD

The snow leopard, also known as the ounce, is in the genus Panthera native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. Based on analysis of DNA sequence sampled across the living Felidae, the snow leopard forms a sister group with the tiger.

2)RED PANDA

The red panda, also known as the lesser panda, is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzzle and a ringed tail.

Endemic Species Of Himalayas

Of the estimated 10,000 species of plants in the Himalaya Hotspot, about 3,160 are endemic. The largest family of flowering plants in the hotspot is the Orchidaceous, with 750 species. A zone of permanent ice and rock begins at about 5,5006,000 meters. Some of the species are listed below.

-Black-crested tit

-Black-headed jay

-Brooks's leaf-warbler

-Cheer pheasant

-Himalayan black-lored tit

-Himalayan bluetail

-Himalayan Monal

2)THE WESTERN GHATS

The Western Ghats are present along the western edge of peninsular India and covers most of the deciduous forests and rainforests. As per UNESCO, it is home to at least 325 globally threatened flora, fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species. It starts near south of the Tapti River and runs approximately 1,600 km through the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu ending at Marunthuvazh Malai near the southern tip of India.

Geographical Extent: The Western Ghats extend from the Satpura Range in the north, go south past Goa, through Karnataka and into Kerala and Tamil Nadu end at Kanyakumari embracing Indian ocean, Mountain Ranges, Rivers, Climate and Vegetation, Wildlife, Protected Areas

The Western Ghats or the Sahyadri range of mountains is home to hill stations, biodiversity hotspots, waterfalls, rivers, plantation towns, monuments, temples, and everything else in between. This Ghats touch states including Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Goa.

Endangered Species In The Western Ghats

1)LION-TAILED MACAQUES

Lion-tailed macaques are covered in black fur and have a striking gray or silver mane that surrounds their face which can be found in both sexes.

2) ASIAN ELEPHANT

The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living species of the genus Elephas and is distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia

3) GAUR

The gaur also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Endemic Species Of The Western Ghats

The Western Ghats is also known for a high diversity of bat species, with nearly 50 species and one endemic genus, represented by the Critically Endangered (CR). Some of them are,

-Crimson backed Sunbird

-Nigiri Marten

-Grey Horn Bill

-Cochin Cane Turtle

-Common Green Forest Lizard.

3)INDO-BURMA REGION

The Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, which covers Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and parts of southern China, is one of the most biologically rich − and highly threatened − places on the globe. Indo-Burma 2,373,000 square kilometers (916,000 sq mi) of tropical Asia, east of the Ganges-Brahmaputra lowlands. Formerly including the Himalaya chain and foothills in Nepal, Bhutan, and India, Indo-Burma has now been more narrowly known as the Indo-Chinese subregion.

Indo-Burma was one of the first places where humans developed agriculture and has a history of using fire to clear land for agriculture and other needs. The need for agricultural products has increased in recent years, with the expansion of both human populations and markets.

ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THE INDO-BURMA REGION

1) ELD’S DEER

Eld's deer (Recurves Elidi or Panolia Elidi), also known as the thamin or brow-antlered deer, is an endangered species of deer endemic to South Asia.

2) FISHING CAT

The fishing cat is nocturnal and apart from fish also preys on frogs, crustaceans, snakes, birds, and scavenges on carcasses of larger animals.