Pdf the western ghats is a mega biodiversity region, with varied flora, fauna and landscapes. It is sometimes called the great escarpment of india. Indoburma is one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots, due to the rate of resource exploitation and habitat loss. Spottings of pets, domesticated or caged animals and garden plants are not eligible for this mission. Western ghats has been in news because of gadgil committee report controversy. A unesco world heritage site and a biodiversity hotspot, the western ghats ecoregion is a storehouse of natural treasures found nowhere else in the world. The western ghats covers 6% of the land area of total indian land, the western ghats lies parallel to the western coast of the indian peninsula. Pdf freshwater biodiversity of western ghats researchgate. Microbial biodiversity of western ghats of india industrial research 617 vol. Dec 09, 2014 the western ghats is part of the western ghatssri lanka biodiversity hotspot. The western ghats region of india is centered on a range of mountains that runs along the west coast. The western ghats form one of the four watersheds of india, feeding the perennial rivers of india. State of biodiversity in maharashtra erach bharucha director bharati vidyapeeth institute of environment education and research, pune email. Western ghats and sri lanka hotspot, one of 34 global biodiversity hotspots for conservation.
Free and open access to indias biodiversity information. South along the western peninsular india for about 1600 kms. India birding tour western ghats endemics this india birding tour is for birders who would like to target the elusive endemics of the western ghats in south india. The western ghats is one amongst the 25 biodiversity. The western ghats again find a place in the news after the announcement of the. Biodiversity of india, biodiversity hotspots of india. Only about 5% of natural habitats remain in relatively pristine condition, with another 10 to 25% of the land in damaged, but ecologically functional, condition. The ghats is well known for its biodiversity, where we can find a variety of flora and fauna. Endemic indirana frogs of the western ghats biodiversity hotspot. Biodiversity of western ghats india please mention habitat and provide descriptions when filling in spotttings. Impact of rainforest fragmentation on small mammals and herpetofauna in the western ghats, south india pdf. Norman myers included the western ghats amongst the 25 biodiversity hotspots identified in the world the western ghats. Biodiversity in sri lanka and the western ghats science.
The western ghats is part of the western ghats sri lanka biodiversity hotspot. The western ghats is the home for about 50 million people belonging to the six states of the country. Important rivers include the godavari, tungabhadra, krishna, thamiraparani and kaveri. Like other biodiversity hotspots, the western ghats. The western ghats, western ghauts or the sahyadri constitute a mountain range along the western side of india. The western ghats, a unesco world heritage site, is a biodiversity hotspot that is home to more than 4,000 flowering plants, about 500 bird species, and over 300 species of mammals and amphibians. Global biodiversity hotspot extraordinarily rich in plant and animal species. This is a continuing series of articles on western ghats. The distribution and magnitude of the biodiversity that exists today is a product of over 3.
Checklist of birds endemic to the western ghats checklist. Western ghats biodiversity is a significant source of moisture for monsoon raghu murtugudde pune updated on may 04, 2018 published on may 04, 2018 a view of the western ghats at kakayam area. This is most authentic and revised list of land snails of the western ghats. Biodiversity in indias iconic western ghats is facing a threat from forest loss, encroachment and conversion, says a global environment agency in its report. Western ghats biodiversity is a significant source of moisture for monsoon the mountain range that runs along the west coast of peninsular india from tamil nadu through kerala, karnataka, and goa to maharashtra is known as the western ghats and is very well known for its majestic beauty. General introduction biodiversity of western ghats india is recognized as one of the worlds 12 megabiodiversity nations. Both the western ghats and sri lankas central highlands are particularly known for their amphibian diversity. The himalaya hotspot is home to the worlds highest mountains. Freshwater biodiversity assessments in the western ghats iucn. The western ghats in india is one of the worlds most heavily populated biodiversity hotspots, providing for and supporting 400 million people through water for drinking, transport, irrigation, and hydroelectric. Pdf biophysical quantification of biodiversity and. Western ghats of india is one of the richest hotspot of biological diversity in the world and harbour 38 eastand 27 westflowing rivers to drain the entire watershed region and other wetlands. The western ghats are internationally recognized as a region of immense global importance for the conservation of biological diversity, besides containing areas of high geological, cultural and aesthetic values. A unique repository of information on indias biodiversity the western ghats the portal aims to aggregate data through public participation and provide open and free access to biodiversity information.
The western ghats is a mountain range running parallel to peninsular indias western coast. Western ghats threats, conservation and controversy green. The western ghats in india is one of the worlds most heavily populated biodiversity hotspots, providing for and supporting 400 million people through water for drinking, transport, irrigation, and hydroelectric power, together with food and resources to sustain livelihoods. To qualify as a hotspot, a region must meet two criteria. A total of 28 plants in the brahma database are found in western ghats.
The entire western ghats is known for its biodiversity, richness and endemism of different species. Includes nicobar group of islands and indonesia, malaysia, singapore, brunei, philippines. The portal aims to aggregate data through public participation and provide open and free access to biodiversity. Endemic indirana frogs of the western ghats biodiversity. It is mostly covered with equatorial tropical evergreen forests. Western ghats and one of the 25 global hotspots of biodiversity and exhibits. Ty jour ti horalabiosa palaniensis, a new cyprinid fish from palani hills, western ghats, south india t2 the journal of the bombay natural history society. It is the source of water for the entire peninsular india, and also influences the monsoons. The western ghats are one of the worlds biodiversity hotspots with over 5,000 flowering plants, 9 mammals, 508 birds and 179 amphibian species. Nov 07, 20 this is a continuing series of articles on western ghats. This range runs north to south along the western edge of the deccan plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the arabian sea.
The biodiversity hotspot of the western ghats, india. Cepfs investment in the hotspot focused on the western ghats. Western ghats biodiversity is a significant source of moisture for monsoon raghu murtugudde pune updated on may 04, 2018 published on may 04, 2018 a view of the western ghats. A chain of mountains running parallel to indias western coast, approximately 3050 km inland, the ghats traverse the states of. We read with interest the report local endemism within the western ghatssri lanka biodiversity hotspot by f. The importance of the western ghats in terms of its biodiversity can be seen from the known inventory of its plant and animal. Western ghats threats, conservation and controversy. Western ghats also known as sahyadri benevolent mountains is a mountain range that runs parallel to the western coast of the indian peninsula, located entirely in india. What makes the western ghats a hotspot of biological. Western ghats biodiversity faces threat, says report. Systematic revision of land snails of the western ghats.
The western ghats is one amongst the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world. General introduction biodiversity of western ghats india is recognized as one of the worlds 12 mega biodiversity nations. Western ghats assessment report pdf pecies summariesiii s pecies maps and point localitiesiv s. Indias western ghats face biodiversity loss scidev. Freshwater biodiversity assessments in the western ghats. Unique biodiversity of western ghats are protected and conserved through the establishment of biosphere reserves, national parks and several wildlife. Although the area accounts for less than 6 percent of the national land area, it contains more than 30 percent of all plant, fish, herpetofauna, bird and mammal species found in the country. The biodiversity heritage library works collaboratively to make biodiversity literature openly available to the world as part of a global biodiversity community. The wg also contain more than 30 percent of indias plant, fish, bird and mammal species. Gadgil committee report on western ghats pdf madhav gadgil, submitted to the ministry of environment and forests, report of the western ghats ecology expert panel, part i. A total of 22 plants in the brahma database are found in eastern ghats. Huge diversity of natural, seminatural and agroecosystems. A unique repository of information on indias biodiversity.
India is endowed with a variety of natural resources. Only about 5% of natural habitats remain in relatively pristine condition, with another. The remaining natural ecosystems of this mountain range are subject to a number of threats that vary widely in the nature and intensity of their impacts on biodiversity. A landscape approach to biodiversity conservation of sacred. The status and distribution of freshwater biodiversity in the western. All along the west coast the western ghats are sprawling. Biophysical quantification of biodiversity and ecosystems services of forest ecosystems in the western ghats. It has four major forest types and 23 floristic types as well as the unique high altitude grasslands. It has rich and unique assemblage of flora and fauna mi ttermeier et al.
It is a unesco world heritage site and is one of the eight hottest hotspots of biological diversity in the world. This is the first part of the series the entire range of hills from tapi to kanyakumari with a length of around 1500km and approx. The western ghats the western ghats one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots of the world is a chain of mountain ranges stretching north. The north western ghats montane rain forests are one of two montane rain forest ecoregions the other is the south western ghats montane rain forests along the western ghats mountain range, renowned for its large number of species, particularly endemics. The range covers 60,000km 2 and forms the catchment area for a complex of river systems that drain almost 40% of india. Details horalabiosa palaniensis, a new cyprinid fish. The western ghats 40 the western ghats the western ghats also known as the sahayadaris, is one of the worlds ten hottest biodiversity hotspots. The western ghats, also known as the sahyadri hills, are well known for their rich and unique assemblage of flora and fauna. Spottings of pets, domesticated or caged animals and garden plants. The western ghats, owing to its richness in biodiversity, nurtures more the 5,000 species of plants, 1,700 of which are endemic. At least 325 globally threatened species occur here. A landscape approach to biodiversity conservation of sacred groves in the western ghats of india. State of biodiversity in maharashtra western ghatsapn project. Po and others published freshwater biodiversity of western ghats find, read and cite all the research.
The area is one of the worlds ten hottest biodiversity hotspots and has over 7,402 species of flowering plants. We are experiencing delays with our pdf generator or select pages to download feature. The western ghats, also known as sahyadri benevolent mountains, are a mountain range that covers an area of 140,000 square kilometres 54,000 sq mi in a stretch of 1,600 kilometres 990 mi parallel to the western coast of the indian peninsula, traversing the states of kerala, tamil nadu, karnataka, goa, maharashtra and gujarat. Spread over ten days, this tour takes you through rural india into the hills that make up the high bio diversity zone called the western ghats. With less than 6 percent of the land area of india, contains more than 30 percent of all plant, fish.
Hottest hotspots of biodiversity, species richness and endemism the western ghats. Eastern himalayas, which was originally part of the indoburma biodiversity. The western ghats are the mountain groups running parallel to the western coast of the indian peninsula. The western ghats covers 6% of the land area of total indian land, the western ghats lies parallel to the western. The western ghats is a mega biodiversity region, with varied flora, fauna and landscapes. Details horalabiosa palaniensis, a new cyprinid fish from. Western ghats biodiversity is a significant source of. Tourism in forest areas of western ghatsjanuary 2011. Jan 12, 2015 consequently, western ghats constitutes not only one of the hotspots of biodiversity in the world, but also one among worlds eight hottest hotspots. The western ghats is biologically rich and biogeographically unique the western ghats is covering an area of 180,000 square kilometres.
Biodiversity of the western ghats complex of karnataka. The western ghats, also known as sahyadri benevolent mountains, are a mountain range. State of biodiversity in maharashtra western ghats. Apr 25, 2017 the western ghats is a mountain range running parallel to peninsular indias western coast. India has a rich pteridophytic flora with about species of which around 320 species find their abode in the western ghats biodiversity. Entire tract of hills from the tapi to kanyakumari is called western ghats.
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