Biodiversity Hot Spots
Background Information
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region that is both a significant reservoir of biodiversity and is threatened with destruction. These biodiversity hotspots were identified by Conservation International
(CI), and identify biologically rich areas around the world that are the focus of Conservation
International’s conservation activities. According to CI, the remaining natural habitat in these biodiversity hotspots amounts to just 2.3 percent of the land surface of the planet, yet supports nearly
75 percent of the world’s plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species. An estimated 50 percent of all vascular plants and 42 percent of terrestrial vertebrates exist only in these hotspots.
Your Assignment
Use Google docs to create a document including the following information about your assigned hot spot:

Use this format for the title of your document: APES 3 Biodiversity Hotspot Smith Sally

The name of your hotspot and a picture of the area

A world map or regional map showing the location of the hot spot

The type of biome found there

Describe at least one native plant species and one native animal species and provide a picture of both

Describe the socio-economic conditions

Describe the anthropogenic and/or natural reasons why species biodiversity is decreasing in that region and include a picture that represents this reason (Is it one of the HIPPCO reasons?).

Discuss what is being done to protect this hot spot

Include additional interesting information about the area

Include a bibliography to cite the websites used to gather your information and images

These websites may be helpful: http://www.cepf.net/resources/hotspots/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Biodiversity_hotspots_%28collection%29 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
- Information about socioeconomic conditions for each country http://www.enviroliteracy.org/category.php/3.html
http://www.arkive.org/
Africa:
1. Madagascar & Indian Ocean islands
2. Cape Floristic region
3. Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa
4. Guinea Forests of West Africa
5. Succulent Karoo
6. Eastern Afromontane
7. Horn of Africa
8. Mapuraland-Pondoland-Albany
Europe and Central Asia:
9. Mediterranean Basin
10. Caucasus
11. Mountains of Central Asia
Asia Pacific:
18. Philippines
19. Sundaland
20. Indo-Burma
21. Polynesia/Micronesia
22. New Caledonia
23. New Zealand
24. Wallacea
25. Southwest Australia
26. Mountains of South-West China
27. East Melanesian Islands
28. Himalaya
29. Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
12. Irano-Anatolian
South America:
13. Atlantic Forest Region
14. Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena
15. Brazilian Cerrado
16. Tropical Andes
17. Chilean Winter rainfall-Valdivian Forests
North and Central America:
30. Mesoamerica
31. California Floristic Province
32. Caribbean Islands
33. Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands