FAQ About Biodiversity Hotspots

Biodiversity hotspots are defined based on a set of specific criteria that are used to identify regions with exceptionally high levels of biodiversity and significant threats to that biodiversity. The concept of biodiversity hotspots was introduced by British ecologist Norman Myers in 1988, and he proposed the following criteria for identifying biodiversity hotspots:

• Species Richness: A biodiversity hotspot must have a high number of plant species, with at least 1,500 species of vascular plants (plants with specialized conducting tissues) as endemics. Endemic species are those that are found only in that specific region and nowhere else in the world.
• Threatened Habitat: The hotspot must have lost at least 70% of its original habitat due to human activities, primarily habitat destruction and land use changes. This habitat loss places many species at risk of extinction.