Explanation: The definition of a biodiversity hotspot incorporates two critical criteria: high species endemism and significant habitat loss. Therefore, species richness alone is insufficient for classification.

Explanation: Norman Myers first introduced the concept of biodiversity hotspots in publications during the late 1980s and early 1990s, not the 2000s.

Explanation: A critical criterion for designating a region as a biodiversity hotspot is the significant loss of its original habitat, specifically requiring at least 70% of its primary vegetation to be gone.

Explanation: The established criterion for a biodiversity hotspot requires a minimum of 1,500 endemic vascular plant species, not 500.

Explanation: Yes, the National Geographic Society has prepared a world map and associated data detailing biodiversity hotspots, including information on endangered fauna within these regions.

Explanation: Vascular plants are defined by the presence of specialized transport tissues (xylem and phloem) for water and nutrient distribution, not by their absence.

Explanation: Endemism is a crucial criterion for defining biodiversity hotspots; high levels of endemism, particularly among vascular plants, are as important, if not more so, than sheer species richness.

Explanation: The National Geographic Society prepared the map and data; Conservation International serves as a conduit for making this information accessible, indicating a role in dissemination rather than primary creation.

Explanation: The designation of a biodiversity hotspot requires a region to possess a minimum of 1,500 endemic vascular plant species (representing >0.5% of the world's total) and to have lost at least 70% of its original primary vegetation.

Explanation: Norman Myers is credited with introducing the concept of biodiversity hotspots through his publications in the journal *The Environmentalist* in 1988 and 1990.

Explanation: Endemism refers to the ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island or a specific region. High endemism is a key characteristic of biodiversity hotspots.

Explanation: Conservation International serves as a conduit for the biodiversity hotspot map and data prepared by the National Geographic Society, making this valuable information accessible to the public.

Explanation: Primary vegetation refers to the native, undisturbed plant communities that originally covered a region. The loss of at least 70% of this primary vegetation is a key criterion for hotspot designation.

Explanation: A biodiversity hotspot is defined as a biogeographic region characterized by exceptional levels of biodiversity, particularly endemic species, that is simultaneously facing significant threats from human activities and habitat loss.

Explanation: Biodiversity hotspots cover a significantly smaller portion of the Earth's land surface, approximately 2.4%, despite harboring a disproportionately large share of global biodiversity.

Explanation: Yes, the 36 recognized biodiversity hotspots are exceptionally rich, containing nearly 60% of the world's plant and major vertebrate species.

Explanation: The majority of the world's biodiversity is concentrated in tropical regions, and consequently, most biodiversity hotspots are located within these tropical zones, not temperate ones.

Explanation: Yes, the 'Distribution by region' section systematically categorizes biodiversity hotspots across major continental areas, including Africa, Asia, and South America, among others.

Explanation: Despite their immense biodiversity, the 36 recognized biodiversity hotspots collectively occupy only about 2.4% of the Earth's total land surface.

Explanation: The 36 biodiversity hotspots are critical reservoirs of global biodiversity, housing nearly 60% of the world's plant and major vertebrate species.

Explanation: The overwhelming majority of global biodiversity is concentrated within tropical regions, which is why the majority of identified biodiversity hotspots are situated in these geographical areas.

Explanation: Contrary to losing less than half, the current 36 biodiversity hotspots have experienced substantial habitat degradation, losing approximately 85% of their original land area.

Explanation: Yes, Haiti and Jamaica are specifically mentioned as Caribbean islands experiencing severe pressures on their endemic species populations, largely attributable to rapid deforestation.

Explanation: The Philippines and Sundaland are explicitly identified as regions facing high risk of species loss due to current deforestation rates, not as regions not at risk.

Explanation: The data indicates that only a small percentage of the land area within biodiversity hotspots is currently protected, highlighting a significant gap in conservation coverage.

Explanation: The image caption explicitly states that biodiversity hotspots are "heavily threatened by habitat loss and degradation," directly contradicting the notion of them being stable and not under threat.

Explanation: The extensive habitat loss and degradation within biodiversity hotspots means they have lost approximately 85% of their original land area.

Explanation: The Mediterranean Basin is not listed among the regions identified as being at high risk of species loss due to current deforestation rates; regions like the Philippines, Tropical Andes, and Sundaland are.

Explanation: Despite their ecological importance, only a small fraction of the land area within biodiversity hotspots is currently under formal protection, indicating a significant conservation challenge.

Explanation: The primary driver of threat to biodiversity hotspots is habitat loss and degradation, largely resulting from human activities such as deforestation and land-use change.

Explanation: Haiti is specifically cited as a Caribbean island experiencing severe pressures on its endemic species populations, primarily due to extensive deforestation.

Explanation: The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) primarily provides funding and technical assistance to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for conservation efforts, not directly to governments.

Explanation: Yes, the WWF's 'Global 200 Ecoregions' system is designed to identify and prioritize ecoregions for conservation based on criteria including species richness, endemism, and ecological uniqueness.

Explanation: Birdlife International primarily identifies conservation areas based on the presence of endemic bird species, specifically through its 'Endemic Bird Areas' (EBAs) initiative.

Explanation: The Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) focuses its conservation efforts on protecting the world's most critically endangered endemic species, those facing imminent extinction, rather than those only slightly threatened.

Explanation: India's Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) is primarily focused on managing and planning compensatory afforestation to mitigate forest destruction, not on identifying new biodiversity hotspots.

Explanation: OCBILs (Old, Climatically-Buffered, Infertile Landscapes) are significant as potential refugia due to their historically stable environments and potential for future speciation, not for high human population density or rapid speciation.

Explanation: OCBILs are considered potential refugia precisely because they have historically experienced *stable* environmental conditions, which allowed unique species lineages to persist and evolve, rather than instability.

Explanation: The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) focuses its efforts on protecting the Earth's richest biodiversity regions, including biodiversity hotspots, not regions with low biodiversity.

Explanation: The primary goal of the WWF's 'Global 200 Ecoregions' is to identify and prioritize regions for conservation efforts based on their ecological significance and biodiversity value.

Explanation: The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is a global program specifically designed to provide funding and technical support to non-governmental organizations working on conservation in biodiversity hotspots and other critical ecosystems.

Explanation: The Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) is dedicated to safeguarding the planet's most imperiled endemic species by concentrating conservation efforts on specific, critical sites essential for their survival.

Explanation: OCBILs, or Old, Climatically-Buffered, Infertile Landscapes, are significant because their historically stable conditions make them potential refugia for unique species lineages and offer potential for future speciation.

Explanation: The Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) in India is established to manage and plan compensatory afforestation initiatives aimed at mitigating the impact of forest destruction.

Explanation: Birdlife International is the organization responsible for identifying 'Endemic Bird Areas' (EBAs) as sites of conservation significance, based on the presence of unique bird species.

Explanation: OCBILs are considered potential refugia because their historically stable climatic conditions have provided sanctuary for unique species lineages, allowing them to persist and evolve over long geological timescales.

Explanation: Criticisms of the biodiversity hotspot approach include its *lack* of adequate consideration for phylogenetic diversity and conservation costs, not its focus on them.

Explanation: Yes, the "See also" section of the source material lists 'Megadiverse countries' and 'Protected area' among other related concepts pertinent to biodiversity hotspots.

Explanation: Conservation biology is defined as the study of threats to biological diversity, encompassing the science of preserving species and ecosystems, rather than solely focusing on distribution patterns.

Explanation: Megadiverse countries are defined by possessing extremely high biological diversity or a large number of endemic species, the opposite of low biodiversity.

Explanation: Kareiva & Marvier (2003) criticized the biodiversity hotspot approach, specifically noting its lack of consideration for conservation costs and phylogenetic diversity.

Explanation: A notable criticism of the biodiversity hotspots approach is that it does not adequately incorporate phylogenetic diversity into its prioritization framework, alongside concerns about conservation costs.

Explanation: The 'See also' section lists 'Conservation biology' as a related concept, indicating its relevance to the study and practice of protecting biodiversity hotspots and other ecological areas.