Q.Define a biodiversity hotspot, stating the two criteria a region must satisfy for it to qualify as one.

Showing the 12 most recent of 15 on this concept.

1. CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 mark
   Q.What are biodiversity hotspots?

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Hotspots are the world's most species-rich, most endemic-rich, and most threatened regions, making them the highest-priority targets for conservation effort.

   Biodiversity hotspots are regions that harbour an exceptionally large number of species (high species richness), a very high proportion of endemic species (species found nowhere else in the world), and which are simultaneously experiencing significant loss of their natural habitat, putting these unique species at serious risk of extinction. Because they offer the greatest potential 'conservation return' for the area protected, hotspots are treated as priority regions for global conservation efforts (there are several recognised biodiversity hotspots in India, including the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas/Indo-Burma region).

   ✓Final answer

   Biodiversity hotspots are regions with unusually high species richness and endemism that are also under significant threat of habitat loss, making them priority zones for conservation.

2. CBSE 2025Set A1 mark
   Q.Answer in one word / sentence: How many Biodiversity Hot spots are there in the world?

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   The world was originally identified as having 34 biodiversity hotspots; this figure has since been updated to 36.

   A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of species (especially endemic species) that is under serious threat from habitat loss. The concept was introduced by Norman Myers, and the number of recognised hotspots has been revised over time as new regions met the criteria: originally 25 (1988), later expanded to 34 (a figure widely used in NCERT and Indian textbooks), and currently 36 as recognised by Conservation International. India has four of these hotspots — the Himalaya, the Indo-Burma region, the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka, and Sundaland.

   ✓Final answer

   34 (the count most commonly cited in the NCERT syllabus; now revised to 36 by Conservation International).

3. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
   Q.Name the two most biodiversity rich zones of India.

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   India's two richest biodiversity zones - recognised as global biodiversity hotspots - are the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas.

   Both regions have exceptionally high species richness and a large number of endemic species (found nowhere else), owing to their varied topography, high rainfall, and range of altitudes/climatic zones, which support a wide diversity of habitats. Because of their exceptional biological richness combined with the threat of habitat loss, both the Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas are counted among the world's recognised biodiversity hotspots (along with the wider Indo-Burma and Sundaland regions that India's northeast also borders).

   ✓Final answer

   Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas.

4. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
   Q.Which part of world is known for maximum biodiversity?

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Tropical regions, especially equatorial tropical rainforests, harbour the greatest biological diversity on Earth.

   Species diversity is not distributed uniformly across the globe — it generally increases from the poles towards the equator. Tropical regions (roughly between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn), which include tropical rainforests of South and Central America, Africa, and South/Southeast Asia, harbour far more species than temperate or polar regions of similar area. For example, the Amazon rainforest in South America alone is estimated to host more than 40,000 plant species, 3,000 fish, 1,300 birds, 427 mammal, 400+ amphibian, and 375 reptile species. Reasons proposed for this include the relatively stable and favourable tropical climate over long evolutionary time, more solar energy availability leading to higher productivity, and greater ecological niche specialisation.

   ✓Final answer

   The tropics — tropical rainforest regions near the equator (e.g., the Amazon) — show the maximum biodiversity in the world.

5. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
   Q.Which of the following is the pre-requisite for an area to be declared a Biodiversity Hotspot?

   (a) Large number of endemic species in the area

   (b) Large number of threatened species in the area

   (c) Large area of forested land

   (d) Both (A) and (B)

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   A Biodiversity Hotspot must show both high endemism and a high level of threat (habitat loss).

   A region is declared a Biodiversity Hotspot (Norman Myers' criteria) only if it satisfies both conditions together:

   1. It must contain a large number of endemic species (species found nowhere else) — specifically, at least 1500 endemic vascular plant species.
   2. It must have experienced significant loss of habitat / be under serious threat, having lost at least 70% of its original habitat.

   A large forested area alone, without endemism and threat, does not qualify — so both (A) and (B) together are the pre-requisites.

   ✓Final answer

   Both (A) and (B) — an area must have a large number of endemic species AND a large number of threatened species/habitat loss to be declared a Biodiversity Hotspot.

6. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
   Q.Presence of at least 1500 endemic species of vascular plants is one of the primary conditions for which of the following?

   (a) Botanical garden

   (b) Cryopreservation

   (c) Biodiversity hotspot

   (d) Biosphere reserve

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   At least 1500 endemic vascular plant species is one of Myers' defining criteria for a Biodiversity Hotspot.

   Among Norman Myers' criteria for designating a region as a Biodiversity Hotspot, one condition is that the area must contain at least 1500 species of vascular plants as endemics (found nowhere else on Earth), combined with significant habitat loss (≥70%). This specific numeric threshold is not a defining criterion for a botanical garden, cryopreservation facility, or biosphere reserve.

   ✓Final answer

   Biodiversity hotspot — defined partly by having ≥1500 endemic vascular plant species.

7. CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
   Q.Example of a hotspot is -

   (a) North Indian Plains

   (b) South Indian Plains

   (c) Tundra region

   (d) Himalayas

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   The Himalaya is one of the biodiversity hotspots in and around India, characterised by very high species richness and endemism under threat.

   A biodiversity hotspot is a region with exceptionally high levels of species richness and a high degree of endemism that is under serious threat of habitat loss. India has several recognised hotspots including the Himalaya, the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka, Indo-Burma, and Sundaland. The North Indian Plains, South Indian Plains and Tundra region are not classified as biodiversity hotspots.

   ✓Final answer

   (d) Himalayas.

8. CBSE 2023Set CG1 mark
   Q.Define the biodiversity hotspot.

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   A biodiversity hotspot is a region of high species richness and endemism that is under serious threat, and is therefore a priority for conservation.

   Definition: A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region that contains an unusually high concentration of endemic species (species found nowhere else) and is at the same time experiencing a high rate of habitat loss/degradation. The concept was proposed by Norman Myers.

   Criteria (as commonly stated): the area must have (i) a large number of endemic plant species and (ii) have lost a large proportion of its original natural vegetation. Protecting these few hotspots can save a disproportionately large share of global biodiversity.

   Indian examples: the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, the Himalaya, and the Indo-Burma region.

   ✓Final answer

   A biodiversity hotspot is a region with very high species richness and endemism that is under severe threat of habitat destruction, making it a top conservation priority (e.g. the Western Ghats, the Himalaya).

9. CBSE 2023Set A1 mark
   Q.Write the name of one 'Hotspot' of India.

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   A biodiversity hotspot is a region of very high species richness and endemism that is also under severe threat; the Western Ghats is one of India's hotspots.

   A biodiversity hotspot must satisfy two criteria: (1) it should have a large number of endemic species (found nowhere else), and (2) it must have lost a substantial proportion (usually >70%) of its original habitat due to human activity. India has parts of three of the world's biodiversity hotspots: the Western Ghats, the Eastern Himalaya, and the Indo-Burma region. Any one of these is an acceptable answer.

   ✓Final answer

   Western Ghats (Eastern Himalaya or Indo-Burma are also correct).

10. CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 mark
    Q.Write the names of two biodiversity hotspots of India.

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    India has parts of four globally recognised biodiversity hotspots; the Western Ghats and the (Eastern) Himalaya are the two most commonly cited.

    Biodiversity hotspots are regions with exceptionally high species richness and endemism that are also under severe threat from habitat loss. India shares territory in four of the world's biodiversity hotspots: the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka hotspot, the Himalaya hotspot, the Indo-Burma hotspot (covering North-East India), and the Sundaland hotspot (Nicobar Islands). Any two of these — most commonly cited as the Western Ghats and the Himalaya — are correct examples of India's biodiversity hotspots.

    ✓Final answer

    Western Ghats and the Himalaya (Eastern Himalaya) — two of India's four recognised biodiversity hotspots.

11. CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
    Q.Which one of the following is one of the primary conditions for biodiversity hotspot?

    (a) Presence of at least 1500 endemic spp. of vascular plants

    (b) presence of different types of animals

    (c) both

    (a) and

    (b) are correct

    (d) both

    (a) and

    (b) are incorrect

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    A biodiversity hotspot is defined by two primary conditions: it must contain at least 1500 endemic species of vascular plants, and it must have lost at least 70% of its original habitat.

    The concept of a biodiversity hotspot was introduced by Norman Myers to identify regions of the world that are both extremely rich in species (many found nowhere else) and under severe threat. To qualify as a hotspot, a region must satisfy:

    1. High endemism: it must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics (species found nowhere else on Earth).
    2. High threat level: it must have already lost at least 70% of its original (primary) vegetation/habitat.

    These criteria prioritise limited conservation resources on regions that are both irreplaceable (high unique biodiversity) and in imminent danger of further loss. India has several recognised hotspots, including the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka and the Himalaya.

    ✓Final answer

    (a) Presence of at least 1500 endemic spp. of vascular plants.

12. CBSE 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
    Q.Hot spots are the examples of

    (a) in-situ conservation

    (b) ex-situ conservation

    (c) wildlife protection

    (d) water conservation

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    Hotspots protect biodiversity within its natural habitat, which is the defining feature of in-situ conservation.

    In-situ ('on-site') conservation protects species within their natural habitats/ecosystems, for example through biosphere reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biodiversity hotspots — regions with very high levels of species richness and endemism that are simultaneously facing high rates of habitat loss. Because hotspots conserve organisms where they naturally occur (not in artificial, off-site facilities such as zoos or seed banks, which would be ex-situ conservation), they are a form of in-situ conservation.

    ✓Final answer

    (a) in-situ conservation