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Biodiversity Hotspots for Conservation Priorities

TitleBiodiversity Hotspots for Conservation Priorities
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2000
AuthorsMyers, N., R. A. Mittermeier, C. G. Mittermeier, G. A. B. da Fonseca, and J. Kent
JournalNature
Volume403
Issue6772
Pagination853-858
Date PublishedFEB 24 2000
ISBN Number0028-0836
KeywordsAREAS, BIRDS, DIVERSITY, EXTINCTION, FOREST, RICHNESS
Abstract

Consenrationists are far from able to assist all species under threat, if only for lack of funding. This places a premium on priorities: how can we support the most species at the least cost? One way is to identify 'biodiversity hotspots' where exceptional concentrations of endemic species are undergoing exceptional loss of habitat. 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. This opens the way for a 'silver bullet' strategy on the part of conservation planners, focusing on these hotspots in proportion to their share of the world's species at risk.

Reference number

467

Short TitleBiodiversity Hotspots for Conservation Priorities
Citation Key467