BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS

The Himalayan Region Case Study

Priyanka 8019
Ashakirana 8023
Tanya 8043
Aditi 8048
Janhvi 8063
 INTRODUCTION
“Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms
from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial,
marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the
ecological complexes of which they are part; this
includes diversity within species, between species
and of ecosystem”
- IUCN Definitions

 The term biodiversity is made up of two word ‘bio’

and ‘diversity’ where bio means living and diversity
means variety. Hence ,the variety or variability of
organisms and ecosystems is referred as
biodiversity. Author- S.S. KATEWA book-textbook of environmental
studies
HOTSPOTS are the richest and
the most threatened reservoirs of plant and
animal life on earth .they are areas of
exceptionally rich concentration of species
with high endemism and are extremely
vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances, 25
such hotspots have been identified all over
the world and cover up to 1.4% of the earth’s
land area. The hotspots have been identified
based on the following three criteria:
1. The number of species present.
2. The number of those species that exist
exclusively in the given ecosystem
3. The degree of threat they face.
HIMALAYAS
OVERVIEW OF THE AREA
Stretching in an arc over 3,000 kilometers of northern Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and the
northwestern and northeastern states of India, the Himalaya hotspot includes all of the world's
mountain peaks higher than 8,000 meters.

This immense mountain range, which covers nearly 750,000 km², has been divided into two
regions: the Eastern Himalaya, which covers parts of Nepal, Bhutan, the northeast Indian
states of West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh, southeast Tibet , and northern
Myanmar; the Western Himalaya, covering the Kumaon-Garhwal, northwest Kashmir, and
northern Pakistan. Mountains has been an effective dispersal barrier to many species.
 PROPERTIES
The Himalaya Hotspot is
home to the world's
highest mountains,
including Mt. Everest. The
mountains rise abruptly,
resulting in a diversity of
ecosystems that range
from alluvial grasslands
and subtropical broadleaf
forests to alpine meadows
above the tree line.
Vascular plants have even
been recorded at more
than 6,000 m. The hotspot
is home to important
populations of numerous
large birds and mammals,
including vultures, tigers,
elephants, rhinos and wild
COMPONENTS
ABIOTIC
• CLIMATE
• TOPOGRAPHY
• WATER
 CLIMATE
 Climate The Himalayan region mainly experiences two season winter and
summer. The average summer temperature in the southern foothills is
about 30 degree Celsius and the average winter temperature is18
degree Celsius.
 In the Middle Himalayan valleys the average summer temperature is
around 25 degree Celsius while the winters are really cold. The climatic
condition at region above 4880 m is below freezing point and it is
permanently covered with snow.
 During the winter the snowfall is really heavy while the summers are much
more mild and soothing. The Himalayan Alpine climate varies according
to the altitude.
 Himalayan range are unaware of the monsoon season as the average
annual rainfall is only a few centimeters as a result the humidity level is
very low in these regions.

www.himalaya2000.com
TOPOGRAPHY
 Physically, the Himalayas forms three parallel zones: the Great Himalayas, the
Middle Himalayas (also known as the Inner or Lesser Himalayas), and the Sub-
Himalayas.
 The Great Himalayas, the highest zone, have an average height exceeding
6100 m. The width of this zone, composed largely but not entirely of gneiss and
granite, is about 24 km .
 The Middle Himalayas range, which has a width of about 80 km, borders the
Great Himalayan range on the south. Most are between 1830 m and 3050 m.
The Middle Himalayas region is a complex mosaic of forest-covered ranges and
fertile valleys.
 The Sub-Himalayas, borders the plains of North India and Pakistan. The width of
the Sub-Himalayas is upto 48 km. A characteristic feature of the Sub-Himalayas
is the large number of long, flat-bottomed valleys known as duns, and are filled
with gravelly alluvium. Heights lower than 1500 m

http://autocww.colorado.edu
 WATER RESOURCES
The main Rivers covering this network are :
 Beas
 Sutlej
 Indus
 ganga
 Yamuna
 Brahmaputra
 Chenab

www.himalaya2000.com
BIOTIC
• PRODUCERS
• CONSUMERS
• DECOMPOSERS
PRODUCERS
 Of the estimated 10,000 species of plants in the Himalaya Hotspot, about
3,160 are endemic, as are 71 genera. The largest family of flowering plants
in the hotspot is the Orchidaceae, with 750 species.
 A zone of permanent ice and rock begins at about 5,500-6,000 meters. In
spite of these harsh conditions, there are records of vascular plants
occurring. Cushion plants have been recorded at more than 6,100 meters,
while a high-altitude scree plant in the mustard family, Ermania
himalayensis, was found at 6,300 meters.
 Orchids, lichen, and ferns amidst a dominant canopy of oak and maple.
Forests dominated by conifers such as pine, hemlock, spruce and fir are
found above the broadleaf forests

https://globalforestatlas.yale.edu, https://www.worldwildlife.org
CONSUMERS
 The Eastern Himalayas harbor an amazing diversity of life. There are 163
globally threatened species found in the Himalayas, including Asia’s three
largest herbivores – Asian elephant, greater one-horned rhinoceros and
wild water buffalo, Himalayan thar, Himalayan blue sheep – and its largest
carnivore, the tiger and snow leopards.
 The region is home to:
• 10,000 types of plants
• 300 mammals
• 977 birds
• 176 reptiles
• 105 amphibians
• 269 freshwater fish

https://www.worldwildlife.org
DECOMPOSERS
 Earthworm and moss
ADVANTAGES
 The indigenous plants have medicinal values that are widely used
commercially for ayurvedic medicines.

 The forests provide food and other raw materials for the local population
such as fruits, timber, fodder, etc.

 The biodiversity maintains biogeochemical cycles such as the nutrient

cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, energy flow, etc.

 Rivers flowing at high Pressure from the mountains provide with perfect
spots to construct dams for generation of hydro-electricity.

Benny Joseph, Environmental Studies

THREATS
 HABITAT LOSS The conversion of forests for agriculture and exploitation of
resources like timber, fodder and fuelwood threaten the biodiversity in this region.
Charcoal production in low elevation areas and intensive grazing at higher
elevations also threatens forests
 CLIMATE CHANGE Climate change is impacting people and threatening wildlife
in the Eastern Himalayas. Many glaciers are melting and forming lakes prone to
bursting and downstream flooding. Traditional water springs have dried up,
limiting the water supply. Farmers’ crops suffer from changing patterns of rainfall,
which threatens the food security of the local people. We are loosing fresh water.
 ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE:- The international trade in wild plants and animals is
enormous. Live animals are taken for the pet trade, or their parts exported
for luxury products. Plants are also taken from the wild for their horticultural or
medicinal value.
 SPECIES EXTINCTION: Extinction is a natural process. Recent findings however
indicate that the current rate of species extinction is at least a hundred to a
thousand times higher than the natural rate.
Dams in the area
 THE Himalayas are virtually under bombardment—of dams. These projects
would have serious ecological and social impacts and would spell disaster
for the biodiversity of the region. All this for the much-sought-after
hydroelectricity.
 88 per cent of the project sites fall in zones rich in plant, bird, fish and
butterfly species.
 Major dams in the area
Tehri Dam – Uttarakhand
Bhakra Nangal Dam – Himachal Pradesh

https://www.downtoearth.org.in
Unplanned Urbanisation
 One of the key drivers for the loss of global biodiversity is building
development. There is insufficient attention paid to integrating biodiversity
policies with strategies for urbanism. Infrastructure development, mass
housing and social programs generally pay scant regard to connections
between biodiversity and human well-being
 Over populated cities due to tourism such Haridwar, Dehradun, Shimla are
also contributing to the loss in Himalayan biodiversity.
HOW TO SOLVE IT
 Undisturbed land should not be used in setting up of industries or any
projects that cause large scale deforestation.
 In view of population growth, high yielding agricultural systems should be
used in the agricultural lands we already have to prevent further
exploitation of protected land.
 Measures should be taken to avoid environmental pollution around this
area. Such as avoiding setting up industries and prohibiting slash and burn
technique.
 Mining should be restricted to certain areas , as causes deforestation, air
pollution and soil erosion.
 Lands for grazing should be restricted.
Action points for creating biodiversity
as part of architecture:
 Establish ecological baseline and strengthen this.

 Create habitat opportunities as part of the development process.

 Seek to link habitats on the sites.

 Try reusing construction materials/ Native materials as much as possible

www.thenbs.com
Conclusion

 In conclusion Biodiversity Hotspots are an integral part of our lifestyle.

Promoting and developing solution of the sustainable management of this
biodiversity is essential to prevent further loss of ecosystem and their
services.