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Difficulty: MediumBiodiversity Concepts, Hotspots and Endemism

Which of the following statements accurately describes the quantitative criteria for designating a global biodiversity hotspot and the biogeographical alignment of Indian territories within these hotspots?

  1. To qualify as a hotspot, a region must harbor at least 1,500 endemic species of vascular plants and have lost at least 70% of its primary native vegetation, with the Nicobar group of islands forming part of the Sundaland hotspot.Answer
  2. B
    To qualify as a hotspot, a region must harbor at least 2,500 endemic vertebrate species and have lost at least 50% of its primary native vegetation, with the Nicobar group of islands forming part of the Indo-Burma hotspot.
  3. C
    To qualify as a hotspot, a region must harbor at least 1,500 endemic species of vascular plants, with both the Andaman and Nicobar island groups being classified exclusively under the Western Ghats hotspot.
  4. D
    To qualify as a hotspot, a region is evaluated solely on total species richness without any threshold for habitat loss, with the Nicobar group of islands belonging to the Eastern Himalayas hotspot.

Answer

The correct option states that a hotspot must contain at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species, have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation, and includes the Nicobar Islands within the Sundaland hotspot.
The correct answer accurately states both quantitative criteria established by Norman Myers and Conservation International (minimum 1,500 endemic vascular plant species and maximum 30% remaining primary vegetation / 70% lost) and correctly identifies the Nicobar Islands as part of the Sundaland biodiversity hotspot.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify Norman Myers' criteria for global biodiversity hotspots.
A region must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics (>0.5% of the global total) and must have lost at least 70% of its original primary vegetation.
These dual criteria ensure that hotspots reflect both high threat and high irreplaceable biological value.
2
Determine the biogeographical coverage of Indian hotspots.
India overlaps with four global biodiversity hotspots: Western Ghats (and Sri Lanka), Himalayas, Indo-Burma (includes Andaman Islands), and Sundaland (includes Nicobar Islands).
Distinguishing the specific island groups is essential as Andaman belongs to Indo-Burma whereas Nicobar belongs to Sundaland.
3
Evaluate the statements against these established benchmarks.
The statement specifying 1,500 endemic vascular plants, 70% primary vegetation loss, and Nicobar's inclusion under Sundaland is completely correct.
All numeric parameters and regional geographical assignments match the official conservation guidelines.

Key Concept

Biodiversity Hotspot Criteria & Regional Alignment in India
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Topics

Biodiversity Concepts, Hotspots and Endemism

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