The Caucasus, Madagascar and Caribbean Islands: Biodiversity Hotspots

Biodiversity Hotspots The Caucasus The Caucasus hot spot, historically interpreted as the sphere of influence of land between the raw and Caspian seas, coers a total surface bea of 580,000 km. dictated at a biological crossroads, species from central and Northern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle easternmost and North Africa mingles here with autochthonic diseases ground nowhere else. One of the most biologically plentiful constituents on Earth, the Caucasus is among the planets 25 most several(a) and endanger hotspots. The Caucasus is hotshot of WWFs Global 200 ecoregions place as globosely outstanding for biodiversity.The Caucasus has withal been named a super herbivore hotspot by WWFs Large Herbivore Initiative. Eleven species of large herbivores, as sloshedly as quintet large carnivores, be strand over a relatively lesser area to be endemic disease. The 2002 IUCN Red List identifies 50 species of globally threaten zoologys and one instal in the Caucas us. Among the IUCN species, 18 acquire restricted ranges or are endemics. The Caucasus Mountains harbor a wealth of full(prenominal)er(prenominal)ly sought aft(prenominal) medical and decorative plants, as well as a bulky indigenousness of plant communities. picSpanning the borders of sise countries, the Caucasus hotspot is a globally significant center of heathenish diversity, where a multitude of ethnic groups, languages and religions immingle over a relatively bitty area. Close cooperation across borders will be required for conservation of alone(predicate) and menace ecosystems, while easeing to foster relaxation and understanding in an ethnically diverse region with a history of sepa array political and religious views. The Caucasus is a hotspot of plant and animal species diversity and indigenousness fundamental for the conservation of biodiversity on a global scale.High levels of landscape diversity in the Caucasus are largely the result of pinnacle variabi lity in the region. The unique geology and terrain, consisting of one-third major mountain chains disconnected by valleys and plains, permit a physical body of different microclimate, soil and vegetative conditions. climatic conditions are very diverse, with precipitation ranging from much than 4,000 mm per year in the southwesterly Caucasus to less than 200 mm a year in deserts in the eastern Caucasus. These wide ranges of climatic conditions are a key factor that makes this area such a biologically important area.The Caribbean islands pic The Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot is exceptionally important for global biodiversity conservation, due to high levels of species endemism and threat. The Caribbean is billet to approximately 11,000 plants species, of which 72% are endemic to the region. The vertebrates are also characterized by highly high levels of endemism 100% of 189 amphibious species, 95% of 520 reptile species, 74% of 69 mammal species and 26% of 564 spe cies birds are unique to the Caribbean Islands.In terms of endemism at the genus (biological categorisation of funding organisms) ranking level, it ranks third among the areas 34 Biodiversity Hotspots with 205 plants and 65 vertebrate genera endemic to the islands. Species restricted to the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot work 2. 6% of the worlds 300,000 plants species and 3. 5% of the worlds 27,298 vertebrate species). The high level of biological diversity in the Caribbean is due to several factors. During the early cretaceous (120 to 140 one billion million million years b. ), a chain of volcanic islands (called Proto-Antilles) began to emerge along the eastern edge of the Caribbean Plate in the Pacific Ocean. The plate drifted eastward avail as a stepping-stone route step in of terrestrial organisms between two antecedently separated regions. By the Eocene era (58 million years a. c), the core of the great Antilles achieved their birth positions. The Lesser Anti lles are the active remnants of an superannuated volcanic chain, and are younger than the Greater Antilles.Several islands have particularly rugged and mountainous landscapes separated by large stretches of sea, which resulted in the isolation of populations. The Caribbean has suffered from high levels of habitat divergence since the arrival of Europeans in the 1490s. This destruction has trim the hotspots original estimated 229,549km2 of essential vegetation to just 22,955km2(or just 10%). The loss of immanent habitat feature with opposite threat factors, such as introduced (alien invasive) species, has resulted in severe and widespread debasement of the Caribbeans unique biodiversity.Currently, 755 plants and vertebrate species are at risk of extinction, making the region one of the biodiversity hotspots holding the most globally threatened species. Madagascar pic Madagascar is an island off the border of Africa which is cognize to have some of the worlds most enkindle animals. It has a land area of 600,461 km?. About 80 percent of the species found in Madagascar live nowhere else on the planet. Madagascar is the forth largest island in the world and bust away from the mainland about 160 million years ago. Therefore, the hotspot is a living example of species evolution in isolation.Despite close proximity to Africa, the islands do not dispense any of the typical animal groups of near Africa, making Madagascar category to a vast variety of endemic species. The island contains 5% of animal and plant species on Earth, with 80% endemic to the island. Madagascar is thought to have 11,600 endemic species of plant, 57 threatened endemic birds and 51 threatened endemic mammals. 18,482km of the island is protected land. Western areas of the island consist of dry savannah with deserts found in central regions. The eastern view of Madagascar facing the Indian Ocean is tropical rain lumber with a high level of rainfall.The island is also host to several high mountain ecosystems. These biomes each support contrasting species, portraying the contrasting ecoregions in Madagascar. Madagascar and the meet islands have a total of octette plant families, four bird families, and phoebe bird primate families that live nowhere else on Earth. Madagascar has more than 50 lemur species which are ordinarily associated with the island and are the focal point for conservation. The carnivorous fossa is another example of an endemic species as well as vi Baobab species (huge trees with wide stumps).There are so many species endemic to Madagascar that some ecologists have called it the eighth continent. Many of these species, such as the fossa, are now considered to be an endangered species, with hardly about 2,500 climb on fossa individuals in existence. Tenrecs, a family of small omnivorous mammals, primarily find their home on Madagascar, with 30 species found only there, and just 3 on the African mainland. There are numerous other species endemic to Madagascar, including 14 unique rodents, 15 species of bat, various chameleons and geckos, over a 100 birds, and hundreds of beetles and other insects.Conservation efforts must proceed sharply to preserve this unique Madagascar fauna. Specific locations in Madagascar which are renowned for high biodiversity are situated on the eastern coast which is mainly tropical rainforest. These areas have year-round warmth and receive a chain reactor of rainfall. Interestingly, the soils in the rainforest are brusque because most of the biomes nutrients are locked up in the vegetation. In terms of flagship species in Madagascar, Baobabs are considered to be flagship trees for landscape conservation in western Madagascar, unique and individual features to the island landscape.Madagascar has septet of the worlds eight Baobab tree species, six of them endemic to the island. Another endemic flagship plant to the island is the travelers tree or palm, pollinated by the islands flagshi p vertebrate species, the lemurs. The tomato frog is a flagship amphibian of Madagascar, found only in a small corner of northeastern Madagascar. Threats to biodiversity Of the 10,000 plants native to Madagascar, 90% are found nowhere else in the world. Madagascars varied fauna and industrial plant are endangered by charitable activity, as a third of its native vegetation has disappeared since the 1970s, and only 18% remains intact.However, there are several matter parks which have been established to help protect many of the endemic species. spacious deforestation has taken place in parts of the country, reducing certain forest habitat and applying pressure to some endangered species. Madagascar has a population growth rate of approximately 3%, therefore, with a maturement population, more of the islands endemic species become at risk due to the increase in human activity and development.