A Universal 'Onion' Pattern in Biodiversity: A New Lens for Conservation
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Environment & Ecology (Biodiversity, Species Richness, Endemism, Biogeography, Biodiversity Hotspots, Conservation), Geography.
Mains:
GS Paper 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation; Biodiversity; Impact of Climate Change.
GS Paper 1: Salient features of world’s physical geography; Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).
Key Highlights from the News
Main Finding: A new study found that biodiversity is organized according to a universal law across major biogeographical regions worldwide.
The "Onion" Pattern:
According to this pattern, the core hotspots of each region have unique and dense biodiversity. This decreases as one moves outwards.
Core: High species richness, high endemism, and fewer species from other regions.
Transition Zones: Lower species richness, more "generalist" species found in many regions.
Main Drivers: Environmental filters such as temperature and rainfall are the primary reasons for this arrangement.
Importance in Conservation:
This model can help identify where conservation efforts will be most effective (primarily in core hotspots).
It also helps understand the impact of climate change.
Relevance in India: This study provides a new perspective for conserving and understanding biodiversity in vulnerable ecosystems like the Indian Himalayas.
COMMENTS