1. Describe the location of the hotspot and type of ecosystems found there and description of at least one endemic plant species and one animal species found there.
The mountains of Central Asia landscape consists of major desert basins and many mountains that reach over 6500km. There are many different animals that call this area home including falcons and eagles, snow leopards, sheep, small rodents, and lizards. There are also many different types of grasses, wild onions, and fruit and nut trees that grow there.
2. Explain how this hotspot meets the criteria of a biodiversity hotspot. See http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/hotspotsscience/Pages/hotspots_defined.aspx or another site.
This area is considered a hotspot because it used to have many different trees including walnut, almond, pear, plum, and cherry. Over the last fifty years this area has lost ninety percent of its habitat.
3. Give a general description of the region’s socio-economic conditions
This region’s economic status is poor. The countries that make up this hotspot are southern Kazakhstan, most of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, eastern Uzbekistan, western China, northeastern Afghanistan, and a small part of Turkmenistan. A large on its economic stability was the war with Afghanistan.
4. State the human induced and/or natural reasons why species biodiversity has decreased in that region.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union poaching has become common. Snow leopards are killed for their coats and falcons are exported. People have overgrazed the land with livestock. Natural resources are almost depleated for human use.
5. What is being done to protect this particular area?
Only seven percent of the hotspot is under protection right now. Programs have been set up to replant trees. Wildlife refuges have been established to protect animals and their habitat.
6. Is it important to be concerned with species extinction? State two reasons why or why not.
Yes because if one species goes extinct it will change the whole ecosystem of the area. If a predator goes extinct, there will be an overpopulation of its prey. Then the preys’ numbers won’t be in check and could destroy vegetation.
7. Name one endangered or threatened species in your region. See the US Fish and Wildlife Web site http://www.fws.gov/.
Jaguars (Panthera onca) live in Texas, in the Cerro Colorado Mountains in Arizona, the southern part of California, and New Mexico.
8. Do you think you as an individual should be concerned with the loss of biodiversity in biodiversity hotspots located far away from where you live? Explain your reasoning.
I think that people should be concerned with the world as a whole. All of the animals and plants play an important function in the earth’s ecosystem. If an animal or a plant goes extinct, many other things suffer.
