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Difficulty: Very hardBiodiversity Concepts, Hotspots and Endemism

Consider the following statements regarding Biodiversity Hotspots and Endemism in India:

1. To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot under Norman Myers' criteria, a region must contain at least 1,500 species of endemic vascular plants and must have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation.
2. The Western Ghats region hosts endemic fauna such as the Lion-tailed Macaque (*Macaca silenus*) and the Nilgiri Tahr (*Nilgiritragus hylocrius*).
3. Geographically, the Andaman group of islands falls within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, whereas the Nicobar group of islands is included under the Sundaland biodiversity hotspot.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A
    1 and 2 only
  2. B
    2 and 3 only
  3. C
    1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3Answer

Answer

All three statements (1, 2, and 3) are correct.
The correct answer includes all three statements because Norman Myers' quantitative criteria mandate 1,500 endemic vascular plant species and at least 70% loss of primary vegetation, the Western Ghats harbors endemic species like the Lion-tailed Macaque and Nilgiri Tahr, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are split biogeographically between the Indo-Burma and Sundaland hotspots respectively.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate Statement 1 regarding hotspot qualification criteria.
Statement 1 is correct. According to Conservation International and Norman Myers, a region must meet two strict quantitative threshold criteria: (a) it must contain at least 1,500 species of endemic vascular plants (>0.5% of the world total), and (b) it must have lost at least 70% of its primary native vegetation (retaining 30% or less of its original natural habitat).
Quantitative thresholds ensure standardized global hotspot identification.
2
Evaluate Statement 2 regarding endemic species of the Western Ghats.
Statement 2 is correct. The Western Ghats is an endemic-rich biodiversity hotspot featuring habitat-restricted flagship species such as the Lion-tailed Macaque (*Macaca silenus*) and the Nilgiri Tahr (*Nilgiritragus hylocrius*).
High levels of endemism define the conservation priority of this biome.
3
Evaluate Statement 3 regarding regional delineation of Indian hotspots.
Statement 3 is correct. India features four recognized biodiversity hotspot regions. Biogeographically, the Andaman island chain forms part of the Indo-Burma hotspot, while the Nicobar island chain is part of the Sundaland hotspot.
Island archipelagos in eastern India span distinct biogeographical realm transitions.

Key Concept

Biodiversity Hotspot Criteria, Endemic Species, and Regional Delineation of Indian Hotspots
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Topics

Biodiversity Concepts, Hotspots and Endemism

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