Biodiversity Hotspot: To the point

There are certain characteristics of a biodiversity hotspot:

Biodiversity hotspot is said to that biogeographic region that have significant level of biodiversity that is threatened by human habitation.

Biodiversity Hotspots
biodiversity hotspots

 

Any region must meet to these strict criteria to said as biodiversity hotspot:

  • It must contain at least 0.5% or 1,500 species of vascular flora/plants as endemics.
  • It has to have lost at least 75% of its primary vegetation.

In the whole world, there are around 36 areas meet these criteria, these sites support nearly about 60% of the world’s flora and fauna species with high share of those species as endemics.

 

UPSC Prelims 2011 question:

Three of the following criteria have contributed to recognitionof western Ghats - Sri lanka and indo-burma regions as hotspots of biodiversity:

1. Species richness

2. Vegetation Density

3. Endemism

4. Ethno-botanical importance

5. Threat perception

6. Adaption of flora and fauna to warm and humid conditions

which three of the above are correct criteria in this cotext?

(a) 1, 2 and 6

(b) 2, 4 and 6

(c) 1, 3 and 5

(d) 3, 4 and 5 


Answer :- (c)