Environmental Networking Platform for Children and Youth by SAMSUNG E&A
Stay connected with Eco-generation :
| Share 
| 
- Home >
- Our Actions >
- Ambassador report
4
Comments
Biodiversity Hotspots: California and Beyond |
|---|
|
In California our ecosystem is called a "floristic province," which means we have a zone of plant life that is distinctive and uniform to our region. This is also called a "phytochorion." Our region, the California Floristic Province, is known for our ancient redwoods, including the giant Sequoia and the Coast redwoods. The Sequoia is said to be the planet's largest living organism. Also, our region is home to the California Condor, which is North America's largest land bird, and which is close to extinction. Our region is also the largest breeding ground for birds found in the USA. Our region is also known as a "biodiversity hotspot" because it contains flora and fauna that are not found anywhere else in the world. In fact, almost 40% of the plant life in our region is unique, or "endemic," meaning it is not found elsewhere. If it is also found elsewhere, then it is referred to as "indigenous," but not endemic. Conservation International is a non-profit in the USA that has formally identified biodiversity hotspots, in order to focus on protecting them and their unique qualities. According to the organization, "Certain areas have large numbers of endemic species — those found nowhere else. Many of these are heavily threatened by habitat loss and other human activities. These areas are the biodiversity hotspots, 35 regions where success in conserving species can have an enormous impact in securing our global biodiversity. The forests and other remnant habitats in hotspots represent just 2.3% of Earth's land surface. But you'd be hard-pressed to find another 2.3% of the planet that's more important." To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must have at least 1500 plants that are endemic, meaning they don't grow elsewhere, and it also must be threatened, with 30% or less of its natural vegetation left at this point. In our region, wilderness destruction from farming and urbanization has led to loss of 75% of the original vegetation. However, that means we still have around 25% that we can work to protect.An international organization, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, or CEPF, is working around the world in various biodiversity hotspots. Below is a screenshot of their activities, and more can be found on their "CEFP Where We Work Page". Friends, why not check to see if you are in or near a biodiversity hotspot? Check out the map and the CEFP link above. I will end with some good news: the Center for Biological Diversity, another U.S. non-profit, announced that several native turtles are receiving international trade protection through the U.S. government, thanks to the Center's work to Save the Turtles. Saving the planet seems a huge task, but taking on parts of the problem seems like something we all can do. In conclusion, here is a list of some of the biodiversity vocabulary terms: floristic province phytochorion endemic indigenous biodiversity hotspot |
|
|
|
|
|
Previous : UAE's Biological Diversity...
4 Comments
Thanks for posting Dante! Mapping is a great idea to preserve and come up with plans to protect the areas. And good to hear that the turtles are now protected! People should know letting the animals be in the wild is the best thing they can offer. Thanks for sharing and have a good day!
Posted 31-05-2016 10:29
Dante, where I live is sadly not near the biodiversity hotspot. But I guess that map could be a great help when I travel abroad I may visit nearby hotspot places and enjoy the environment of diverse species. Thanks for sharing such interesting concept, and have a great day!
Posted 30-05-2016 01:26
It should be imperative that in our role as human beings, we sustain the amount of diversity to benefit the environment and not disrupt any ecosystems. Sadly, this is not the case, and more heritage sites and protected lands must be implemented. Thank you for the report!
Posted 25-05-2016 18:16
Identifying 'Biodiversity Hotspsots' is a great ex-situ way of biodiversity conservation. Thanks for an informative report.
Posted 25-05-2016 14:46