Welcome back. In this session, we'll discuss about types of biodiversity. There are three different types of biodiversity. Species diversity, genetic diversity, and ecological diversity. Species diversity refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular area.
It is biodiversity at the most basic level. It includes all the species ranging from plants to different microorganisms. No two individuals of the same species are exactly similar. For example, humans show a lot of diversity among themselves.
Then we have genetic diversity. It refers to the variations among the genetic resources of the organisms. Every individual of a particular species differs from each other in their genetic constitution. That is why every human looks different from each other. Similarly, there are different varieties in the same species of plants.
For example, rice, wheat, maize, barley, etc. And the last one is ecological diversity. An ecosystem is a collection of living and non-living organisms and their interaction with each other. Ecological biodiversity refers to the variations in the plant and animal species living together and connected by food chains and food webs. It is the diversity observed among the different ecosystems in a region.
Diversity in different ecosystems like deserts, rainforests, mangroves, etc. which include ecological diversity. Now, let us move on to discuss the other aspects of biodiversity. Let us begin with biodiversity hotspot. What is a biodiversity hotspot? Biodiversity hotspots are geographical areas that exhibit a notable abundance of diverse species including numerous species that are unique to that specific location and a substantial number of species.
that are at risk of extinction. The notion of biodiversity hotspots was initially introduced in the late 1980s and has since served as a valuable means of identifying regions that require heightened conservation efforts. Now, what is the criterion for a region to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot?
For that, according to Conservation International, A region must meet two main important criteria. First, it must have at least 1500 vascular plants as endemic, which is to say it must have a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else on the planet. A hotspot is irreplaceable.
Second, it must have 30 percent or less of its original natural vegetation and must be threatened as well. There are 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world. These areas which constitutes only two percent of earth's land surface are home to over half of the world's plant species that can only be found in these regions.
Additionally these hotspots support almost 43 percent of the birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibian species that are unique to these areas. Does India have any of the biodiversity hotspots? Yes, of course.
India as a treasure land possesses four biodiversity hotspots. They are Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot, Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot and Western Ghats. The Himalayan biodiversity hotspot includes the entire Himalayan region and few areas that fall under Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Myanmar.
The Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot includes the entire north eastern India except Assam and Andaman group of islands and Myanmar. Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Southern China. The Sundaland biodiversity hotspots includes the Nicobar group of islands and Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Philippines.
And the last one, the Western Ghats and Sri Lankan biodiversity hotspot includes entire Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. Here you can see the list of biodiversity hotspots in the world. Now let us discuss about threatened species.
What are threatened species? Threatened species are the species which are on the verge of extinction in the near or far future. These species are recorded by IUCN in a red data book. The IUCN has classified species into seven categories.
First, extinct, where all the individuals have died. Second, extinct in wild, species that survive only in cultivation or in captivity. Third, critically endangered, species which are extremely at high risk of extinction in the wild. Fourth, endangered. Species which are in high risk of extinction.
Fifth, vulnerable species. Species which are endangered and can face a high risk of extinction in the future. Sixth, near threatened species.
And the last one is least concerned species. That's it for this session. Thank you for listening.