3.2 Labels
Species characterizations such as critically endangered, key or keystone, passenger,
rivet, umbrella, protected, exotic, alien, invasive, neophyte, neozoon, subendemic,
endemic and hyperendemic are labels which primarily do not focus on biological
traits or ecosystem functions (Frankel et al. 1995; Hobohm 2000; Moro-Richter et al.
2020). These characterizations are used to highlight, for example, endangerment,
restrictedness or other aspects of biogeography, relationship to humankind, or nature
conservation management and politics. These normally have a positive or negative
connotation, and are used to increase or decrease the meaning of certain species in a
regional context.
People, governments and nature conservation NGOs are increasingly aware of
which species e.g. are endemic to their homeland, region or country. These labels are
also used as a symbol for local identity. Many lists on the internet show how the
meaning of endemics is pronounced by national authorities, for example, with the
effect that nature conservation policies and measures have to respect their occurrence
and distribution patterns.
Biodiversity Hotspots is a further label, not for species but for large regions where
the biodiversity is getting heated. Although the concept focuses on terrestrial regions
and vascular plants, the principle can be adopted to marine regions as well (Ramirez
et al. 2017).
3.3 Biodiversity Hotspot Strategy
The concept of Biodiversity Hotspots was introduced by Norman Myers (1988).
Accordingly, Biodiversity Hotspots are large regions that meet two criteria. They
harbour at least 1500 vascular plant species as endemics, and more than 70% of the
primary native vegetation is already destroyed. Currently, 36 regions in the world are
recognized as Biodiversity Hotspots (Noss et al. 2015; Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund 2019). However, especially the shape and borders of the Biodiversity
Hotspots is somewhat artificial.
Comparable to the No Species Loss Strategy, which focuses on critically endangered species, the concept of Biodiversity Hotspots focuses on large species- and
endemic-rich regions with destroyed and threatened vegetation. Both concepts
comprise multiple strategies, but primarily they increase the meaning and value of
natural entities. Biodiversity Hotspots label the large regions and emphasise the
necessity to protect the nature of these large regions. Possibly, this characterization—hot (!)—is strong enough to influence nature conservation politics with the
effect that further damage might be avoided at least in some parts of these regions.
166
C. Hobohm
Species characterizations such as critically endangered, key or keystone, passenger,
rivet, umbrella, protected, exotic, alien, invasive, neophyte, neozoon, subendemic,
endemic and hyperendemic are labels which primarily do not focus on biological
traits or ecosystem functions (Frankel et al. 1995; Hobohm 2000; Moro-Richter et al.
2020). These characterizations are used to highlight, for example, endangerment,
restrictedness or other aspects of biogeography, relationship to humankind, or nature
conservation management and politics. These normally have a positive or negative
connotation, and are used to increase or decrease the meaning of certain species in a
regional context.
People, governments and nature conservation NGOs are increasingly aware of
which species e.g. are endemic to their homeland, region or country. These labels are
also used as a symbol for local identity. Many lists on the internet show how the
meaning of endemics is pronounced by national authorities, for example, with the
effect that nature conservation policies and measures have to respect their occurrence
and distribution patterns.
Biodiversity Hotspots is a further label, not for species but for large regions where
the biodiversity is getting heated. Although the concept focuses on terrestrial regions
and vascular plants, the principle can be adopted to marine regions as well (Ramirez
et al. 2017).
3.3 Biodiversity Hotspot Strategy
The concept of Biodiversity Hotspots was introduced by Norman Myers (1988).
Accordingly, Biodiversity Hotspots are large regions that meet two criteria. They
harbour at least 1500 vascular plant species as endemics, and more than 70% of the
primary native vegetation is already destroyed. Currently, 36 regions in the world are
recognized as Biodiversity Hotspots (Noss et al. 2015; Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund 2019). However, especially the shape and borders of the Biodiversity
Hotspots is somewhat artificial.
Comparable to the No Species Loss Strategy, which focuses on critically endangered species, the concept of Biodiversity Hotspots focuses on large species- and
endemic-rich regions with destroyed and threatened vegetation. Both concepts
comprise multiple strategies, but primarily they increase the meaning and value of
natural entities. Biodiversity Hotspots label the large regions and emphasise the
necessity to protect the nature of these large regions. Possibly, this characterization—hot (!)—is strong enough to influence nature conservation politics with the
effect that further damage might be avoided at least in some parts of these regions.
166
C. Hobohm