question_answer

What is meant by the term 'hotspots' in biodiversity? List two criteria used for determining a 'hot spot'. Name two hot spots of India.

Answer:

A hot spot is an area having endangered endemic species with very high levels of species richness.

Criteria used for determining a hot spot:

(i) Number of endemic species, i.e., species which are not found anywhere else.

(ii) Degree of threat which is measured in terms of habitat loss.

Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas are two hot spots in India.