If a significant portion of the plant life is eradicated, lessening the gene pool, the remaining plant life will likely become weakened, vulnerable to disease and eventually die as well. Simply put, if the variety in this web of life loses a player, the biome cannot simply be recreated. The processes that have created their interactions may be millions of years old and planting what appears to be a similar plant or adding in another species of frog will not restore the balance nature has taken millions of years to perfect.
Each species is interdependent upon the services of the other. We need the genetic diversity of different plants in order to keep the plant kingdom healthy. We are learning that felling a forest of trees and replanting it with a monoculture of trees does not regenerate the soil life or support a community capable of resisting stresses like disease. Plants provide food, fruit and seeds for pollination and continued life, medicines and fiber for clothing and shelter.
We need intact ecosystems to absorb excess carbon to keep the temperatures suitable for human life, in fact suitable for much of the life that currently exists. We need intact ecosystems to provide fresh air. We need intact ecosystems to filter water and release it to the air where it can fall back down and replenish our water supplies.
And we need the healthy soil of intact ecosystems to grow our food. We are rapidly losing keystone species. The earth is warming, and we are losing species that help regulate it from further warming.
This is just a snapshot of the web of life. These webs are disappearing. In short, we are fast approaching a point where there will not be enough diversity of life to maintain the processes necessary for humans to exist. The mountain range extends from Venezuela, through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia and the norther tropical portion within Argentina and Chile.
About one-sixth of all plant species in the world live in this region [4]. It is also home to the largest variety of amphibian, bird and mammal species and is second only to the Mesoamerica Hotspot in reptile diversity. The Tropical Andes covers a range of diverse landscapes including snow-capped mountains, tropical rainforests, cloud forests, lush canyons with magnificent waterfalls cascading into deep ravines, grassland valleys and woodland forests. Too, the Andes are the source of the mighty Amazon and Orinoco rivers which provide water for much of South America.
But the region is now only 25 percent of its original size and shrinking fast, facing serious threats from urban sprawl, mining, pollution, commercial fisheries, logging and agriculture [5].
Approximately 9, species of vascular plants grow in the hotspot, including 1, species unique to the area. The hotspot is also home to mammal species, nearly a quarter of the mammals native to continental Africa.
It is home to bird species, reptile species and amphibian species. North and Central America. Aquatic Biomes of the World. South America. Europe and Central Asia. Above Biodiversity Hotspot regions are blessed with a variety of exceptional plant species and habitat, but facing endemism and serious habitat loss. Hence, it is our duty to protect and conserve the endemic species and their habitat. We can conserve biodiversity in two ways- first is in-situ and second is ex-situ. In-situ conservation involves in the maintenance of bio-diversity rich area in its natural form, whereas in ex-situ conservation, the endangered species are kept in a specially protected area which is separated from its natural habitat region.
Are you worried or stressed? It is difficult to know the actual number of living organisms on Earth, or what percentage of these organisms are already known to us. In some cases, there is quite a lot of debate. For example, the estimated number of animals varies from 2 to 11 million species. And while the average estimate of known plant species is somewhere around ,, the predicted number of plants, including yet unknown species, is around , species [ 1 ].
In any case, scientists agree that, despite the great number of species that have already been discovered, it is likely that there is an even larger number of species yet to be discovered. When we are trying to protect the biodiversity on our planet, knowing how many species are out there is as important as knowing how and where they are distributed around the globe, so that we can decide which areas of the planet are priorities for conservation , especially if we cannot protect every area.
With the enormous number of species that exists on Earth, it is remarkable that the distribution of these species is so highly concentrated in specific areas.
Species richness , the total number of species found in an area, is not evenly distributed around the globe: two-thirds of all known species occur in tropical areas , especially in tropical forests [ 2 ], even though the causes of such uneven distribution are still a matter of debate.
In order to prioritize the areas that should be protected, scientists look for areas that are home to a large number of species, especially those species that are under threat of extinction or that are currently being destroyed at a fast pace. These areas that are particularly important for biodiversity conservation are called biodiversity hotspots.
Two things are crucial when determining that a place is a biodiversity hotspot: i the number of different species there; and ii whether species in that area are endangered or currently being destroyed.
Figure 1 shows the location of 36 biodiversity hotspots, according to the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. Scientists have observed that, even though biodiversity hotspots make up only approximately 1. Species that found only in a certain geographical area are known as endemic species , and biodiversity hotspots are full of them! For example, the Banana Tree Frog can only be found in Ethiopia, and you will only find lemurs in Madagascar [ 5 ].
Tropical forests are typically biodiversity hotspots and are usually filled with endemic species. Figure 2 shows some examples of biodiversity hotspots and some of their endemic animals and plants. Single Donation Monthly Donation. Blog USA. Protecting the nature we all rely on for food, fresh water and livelihoods. Americas Asia-Pacific Africa. Stay in touch. Thank you. Make a one time donation Make a monthly donation. Why are biodiversity hotspots important?
There are places on Earth that are both biologically rich — and deeply threatened. For our own sake, we must work to protect them. Species are the building blocks of Earth's life-support systems.
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