Question

Which one is not observed in biodiversity hotspots?
(a) Less interspecific competition
(b) Species richness
(c) Endemism
(d) Accelerated species loss

Answer 1

Hint: The human inhabitation and their related occupation stirred the requirement of a biodiversity hotspot to cater to the need for conserving the exclusive flora and fauna of that particular place.

Complete answer:
Hotspots are the areas where an extremely rich endemic species lives under a constant threat. Endemism refers to an ecological condition wherein the species of any plant are animals confined to a particular place and are not found anywhere else. The concept of biodiversity hotspots was given by a British ecologist and writer Norman Myers in 1988. According to him, the hotspots are the areas with the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plants and animals living on earth. The threat of species loss is due to a high degree of interspecific competition and also loss of habitat.
Four ecological factors primarily determine hotspots. These are the species diversity in a particular area, the degree of endemism or exclusivity, the degree of threat to habitat due to its degradation and fragmentation, and lastly the extent of exploitation of species in that area. Norman Myers studied these factors and decided two key criteria to designate priority areas for in situ conservation. One, the region must contain at least 1500 species of vascular plants as endemic that accounts for more than 0.5% of the world’s total, and second, the region must have lost 70% of its original habitat.
So, the correct answer is ‘Less interspecific competition.’

Note:
- There are 36 hotspots in the world, of which two are found in India alone and extend into the neighboring countries. These are Western Ghats/ Sri Lanka and Eastern Himalayas/ Indo- Burma region.
- Eastern Himalayas is also known as the cradle of speciation.
- There were 25 hotspots in 1996. In 2005, the number increased to 34. The 35th hotspot i.e East Australian forests were added in 2011. The North American Coastal Plain has been recognized as the latest 36th hotspot of the Earth.