Pragnya IAS · Chapter 10 of 15 · Living landscapes
World biodiversity hotspots map study
Connect endemic plants, habitat loss and world regions while separating hotspots from protected areas.
STUDY NOTE 1
The definition has two thresholds
A biodiversity hotspot must contain at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species and have lost at least 70% of its original natural vegetation. High diversity alone is not sufficient under this framework.
STUDY NOTE 2
Use the current inventory
Conservation International’s framework recognises 36 hotspots. Older educational maps may omit later additions or use imprecise names; New Caledonia is distinct from the East Melanesian Islands hotspot.
STUDY NOTE 3
India connects to four
Parts of India fall within Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, and Sundaland (the Nicobar Islands). These are biogeographic regions, not state boundaries or a list of national parks.
STUDY NOTE 4
Conservation is spatial
Fragmentation, connectivity and local pressures matter. Representative markers locate regions but do not supply official hotspot polygons. A region outside this framework can still have very high conservation value; Amazonia should not simply be relabelled a hotspot.
Map reading activity
Locate Madagascar, Tropical Andes, Western Ghats and New Caledonia. Explain both hotspot criteria and distinguish the Nicobar connection from the entire Indian mainland.
What does this world biodiversity hotspots lesson explain?
A biodiversity hotspot must contain at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species and have lost at least 70% of its original natural vegetation. High diversity alone is not sufficient under this framework.
UPSC map practice & Geography Optional connection
For UPSC GS I and Geography Optional physical geography revision, connect the spatial pattern with the process in the study notes. Draw a small labelled sketch, explain the mechanism and distinguish conceptual models from observed datasets. These are Pragnya-authored exercises, not official UPSC previous-year questions.
References & original artwork
This lesson covers chapter 10 of the supplied reference curriculum. Pragnya IAS notes, activities and questions are independently authored; source PDF pages, branding, personal watermarks and unverified PYQs are not republished. Earth image: NASA Blue Marble, distributed via WebGL Earth; resized and compressed for this lesson. World coastlines: Natural Earth public-domain 1:110m land, simplified. These are educational concept views, not legal boundaries, forecasts or navigation maps.