Hot spot

• Title

  Hot spot

• Definition

  A concept first developed by Norman Myers in which priority for conservation is based on the idea that it will be too costly to protect all species throughout the world; thus, Myers suggested that areas with high degrees of endemism and which are under going rapid lost of habitat should be given priority for protection. As many as 44% of all species of vascular plants and 35% of all species in four vertebrate groups are confined to 25 hotspots comprising only 1.4% of the land surface of the Earth. The idea of this strategy is to put maximum effort into protecting these areas. See Myers, N. et al. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403: 853-858.

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