Question

Hotspots are the priority area for in situ conservation. The key criteria for determining a hotspot is/are:
A) Location in developed/undeveloped country
B) Vicinity to the sea
C) To habitat number of endemic species and degree of threat
D) All of these

Answer 1

Protection of biodiversity is very important for protecting the Earth. Humans directly or indirectly depend upon biodiversity. The conservation of biodiversity is also important to create a balanced ecosystem.

Complete Answer:
- The conservation of biodiversity means preservation and protection of the ecosystem. It involves the maintenance of deforestation and pollution; it also includes the preservation of natural resources and species to keep the ecosystem in balance.
- This conservation process also involves the conservation of the endangered species from a habitat, for these two criteria are adopted; in situ conservation and ex situ conservation. In situ conservation is the protection of endangered organisms either plants or animals in its natural habitat. This process is applied to the conservation of the agricultural biodiversity like those who use the unconventional farming process while the ex situ conservation involves the relocation of the endangered species from their habitat to some other protected areas for their preservation.
- Now, the in situ conservation includes the national parks, biosphere reserve, and wildlife sanctuaries. In India there are more than 600 protected areas that include 90 national parks, 15 biosphere reserves, and 500 wildlife sanctuaries.
- The national park is the areas where grazing and forestry is not allowed; this is strictly reserved for the betterment of the species, the boundaries are marked.
- The wildlife sanctuary is the area where the animals are conserved and harvesting processes are also carried out like plantation of commercially useful trees such as timber and sal.
- The biosphere reserves is the area where the human population also included in the part of the system, they are divided into core zone, which are legally protected and undisturbed, buffer zone; where educational and research activities are allowed, and the transition zone; where cropping, fishery, forestry, and recreation activities are allowed.
- Therefore, the hotspots of biodiversity are the areas where the high number of species is threatened or almost in extinct condition, in situ conservation systems the habitats of this hotspot area are selected and then protected.

Thus, the correct answer is ‘C’. To habitat number of endemic species and degree of threat.

Note: The ex situ conservation process includes the botanical gardens, aquarium, zoos, cryopreservation, DNA banks, etc. where the endangered species are provided with a suitable environment and preserved there germ cell for future use.