endemism

1. Species Endemism and Hot
Spots • A species found naturally in only one geographic area is
termed endemic
• Isolated geographical areas, such as islands, lakes or
mountain ranges, often have many endemic species
– Notable hotspots of endemism are Madagascar, SE
Asia, the Caribbean, and SOUTH AFRICA!
• Unfortunately, many experiencing high rates of
habitat destruction

2. Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a
defined geographic location, such as an island, nation,
county or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms
that are indigenousto a place are not endemic to it if they
are also found elsewhere.
The extreme opposite of endemism is
cosmopolitan distribution.
Physical, climatic, and biological factors can contribute to
endemism. The orange-breasted sunbird is exclusively
found in the fynbosvegetation zone of southwestern
South Africa.
Political factors can play a part if a species is protected, or
actively hunted, in onejurisdiction but not another.

3. There are two subcategories of endemism –
paleoendemism and neoendemism.
Paleoendemism refers to a species that was formerly
widespread but is now restricted to a smaller area.
Neoendemism refers to a species that has recently arisen such
as a species that has diverged and become reproductively
isolated, or one that has formed following hybridization and is
now classified as a separate species.

4. Endemic types or species are especially likely to develop on
biologically isolated areas such as islands because of their
geographical isolation.
This includes remote island groups, such as Hawaii, the
Galápagos Islands, and Socotra, biologically isolated but not
island areas such as the highlands of Ethiopia, or large bodies of
water like Lake Baikal.

5. By protecting just 1.4% of the world’s land surface containing all the endemism
hotspots, 44% of the world’s vascular plants and 35% of its terrestrial vertebrates
could be preserved.
BUT, these hotspots also contain 20% of the world’s population, most of them rapidly
increasing, and are therefore areas of intense commercial exploitation and habitat
destruction.
=> Therefore, successful conservation cannot focus on wilderness areas alone!
Endemism hotspots contain
many species and many humans

6. By protecting just 1.4% of the world’s land surface containing all the endemism
hotspots, 44% of the world’s vascular plants and 35% of its terrestrial vertebrates
could be preserved.
BUT, these hotspots also contain 20% of the world’s population, most of them rapidly
increasing, and are therefore areas of intense commercial exploitation and habitat
destruction.
=> Therefore, successful conservation cannot focus on wilderness areas alone!
Endemism hotspots contain
many species and many humans