Prelims 2011 · archive
MediumThree of the following criteria have contributed to the recognition of Western Ghats-Sri Lanka and Indo- Burma regions as hotspots of biodiversity:
- 1.Species richness
- 2.Vegetation density
- 3.Endemism
- 4.Ethno-botanical importance
- 5.Threat perception
- 6.Adaptation of flora and fauna to warm and humid conditions
Which three of the above are correct criteria in this context?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) 1, 3 and 5
The answer is (c): species richness, endemism and threat perception. A biodiversity hotspot is a species-rich region with many endemic species that is also under serious threat of habitat loss. Vegetation density, ethno-botanical value and adaptation to warm, humid conditions play no part in the recognition.
- ✓ 1. Hotspots are exceptionally rich concentrations of species. The Western Ghats-Sri Lanka and Indo-Burma hotspots are recognised for their high species diversity.
- ✗ 2. How dense the vegetation is does not decide hotspot status. The tests are how many endemic plant species the area has and how much of its native vegetation it has lost.
- ✓ 3. Endemism is the first formal test. A hotspot must hold at least 1,500 species of vascular plants found nowhere else on Earth.
- ✗ 4. The use of plants by people, or their ethno-botanical importance, is not a hotspot criterion.
- ✓ 5. Threat is the second formal test. The region must have lost at least 70 per cent of its original native vegetation.
- ✗ 6. Hotspots occur in many climates, including the Himalaya and the Mediterranean Basin. Adaptation to warm, humid conditions is not a criterion.
Remember · Hotspot = exceptional endemism (at least 1,500 endemic vascular plants) plus exceptional threat (at least 70% of native vegetation lost), in a species-rich region. Vegetation density, ethnobotany and climate adaptation are irrelevant.
Sources
- Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund – Biodiversity Hotspots Defined ↗ · reference work “To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, an area must meet two strict criteria: Contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants found nowhere else on Earth”
- India's Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (MoEFCC) ↗ “India ranks among the top ten species-rich nations and shows high endemism. India has four global biodiversity hot spots (Eastern Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, and Sundaland).”
- Myers et al., Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities, Nature 403 (2000) ↗ · reference work “identify ‘biodiversity hotspots’ where exceptional concentrations of endemic species are undergoing exceptional loss of habitat.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2011, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·