Year 11 Pre-Diploma Biology

BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS
We tried to define biodiversity write down here what you now understand by the word BIODIVERSITY. Biological diversity is the variety and variability among the organisms and ecology. t divides into community diversity! species diversity! and genetic diversity. "enetic diversity is about genetic differences in two populations of the same species. #pecies diversity is about the amount of different species in a fi$ed area. %omunity diversity is about different ecosystems and habitats.

&round the world are various biodiversity '()*#P)*#+. What do you understand by this term! 'hotspot, A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans.

-ist some of the more famous biodiversity hotspots! and beside each! very briefly say what ma.es it a hotspot or why it is determined or conserved as a hotspot. 1. MADAGASCAR & THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS Eight plant families, four bird families, and five primate families that live nowhere else on Earth. 2. GUINEAN FORESTS OF WEST AFRICA
The lowland forests of West Africa are home to more than a quarter of Africa's mammals, including more than 20 species of primates. ogging is endangering this ecosystem.

3. CAUCASUS
The deserts, savannas, arid woodlands, and forests that comprise the !aucasus hotspot contain a large number of endemic plant species.

4. HIMALAYA
The hotspot is home to important populations of numerous large birds and mammals, including vultures, tigers, elephants, rhinos and wild water buffalo.

5. JAPAN

About a quarter of the vertebrate species occurring in this hotspot are endemic, including the !ritically "ndangered #$inawa woodpec$er and the %apanese macaque, the famous &snow mon$eys' that are the most northerly(living non(human primates in the world.

6. MEDITERRANEAN BASIN
The flora of the )editerranean *asin is dramatic. +ts 22,,00 endemic vascular plant species are more than four times the number found in all the rest of "urope- the hotspot also supports many endemic reptile species.

7. CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
The !aribbean +slands support e.ceptionally diverse ecosystems, ranging from montane cloud forests to cactus scrublands, which have been devastated by deforestation and encroachment

. MADREAN PINE!OA" WOODLANDS

A quarter of all )e.ico's plant species are found here, many of them found nowhere else on "arth.

#. ATLANTIC FOREST
The Atlantic /orest of tropical 0outh America boasts 20,000 plant species, 10 percent of which are endemic. 2et, less than 30 percent of the forest remains.

1$. TROPICAL ANDES

#ne of the richest and most diverse regions on "arth, about ,4 of all vascular plant species are endemic to the Tropical Andes region.

/ow go to www.biodiversityhotspots.org. (ere you will find some useful definitions and some 0uite detailed descriptions of the world+s hotspots. #elect any one of the hotspots from the drop-down menu and ma.e a written summary1

WALLACEA
This hotspot is located in the Islands of Indonesia. The Flora and Fauna there is so varied that protected areas are needed to conserve it. Wallacea has bird endemism which is only in 2 hotspots in the Tropical Andes. It also has the komodo dragon which is the largest lizard in the world. ther important species present are flowers! "adar and #inca. Alfred 5ussel Wallace, An "nglish e.plorer,
discovered in the 36th century the importance of Wallacea7s /lora and /auna. Wallacea is conserved by the +ndonesian government.

$ohn sborne 2ebruary 3415