In our country, we have three main biodiversity hotspots - Western Ghats, Eastern Himalayas and Indo-Burma Hotspot (Figure). On what basis these biodiversity rich areas are declared as Biodiversity Hotspots?
What are the present threats to these hotspots?
What are the present threats to these hotspots?
as a biodiversity hotspot a region must meet two strict criteria: it must contain at least 0,5% or 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics, and it has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation.
ReplyDeletewith the increasing population and migration of people to places with the support of improved transport and advanced technologies making every place inhabitable for humans but uninhabitable for the wild animals.deforestation for agricultural lands and urbanisation has triggered the loss of many valuable plant and unidentified animal species.habitat fragmentation has given way to easy entry to invaders further threatening the endangered species which have been set on the path of extinction by human actions.
lack of education and awareness of the rich biodiversity in our nation is also a major cause.people need to understand the importance of each and every species that we are losing every minute at the rate of three species.we are thus losing the precious genetic information which might be of great importance to mankind.
there is a need of dedicated taxonomists identifying the various species and conservationists preparing an action plan to save each of them.
The Earth is undergoing profound changes to its climate. There is now little doubt that this results from human activities, mainly the burning of fossil fuels. Climatic changes have occurred throughout Earth’s history. However, these recent changes are different because they are taking place faster and are unlikely to be reversed by natural processes.
ReplyDeletethe climate change is effecting the biodiversity worldwide.having a great impact on various species.It may alter their distribution, abundance, behaviour, phenology (the timing of events such as migration or breeding), morphology (size and shape) and genetic composition.
Climate change may also affect species directly, for example through changes in temperature and rainfall. There may be increased pressure from competitors, predators, parasites, diseases and disturbances (such as fires or storms). Climate change will often act in combination with major threats such as habitat loss and alien invasive species, making their impacts considerably worse.