ECO-02 at a Glance: Numbers That Win Marks
Species-Area Equation
log S = log C + Z log A
Equivalent: S = C × $A^Z$
Z = 0.1–0.2 → continental regions (gentle slope)
Z = 0.6–1.2 → oceanic islands (steep slope)
Biodiversity Statistics
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Globally described species | ~1.5 million |
| Estimated total species on Earth | 5–50 million (~8.7 million most cited) |
| India's plant species | ~45,000 |
| India's animal species | ~100,000 |
| India's share of described species | ~8% |
| India's land area share | ~2.4% |
Conservation Numbers
| Category | India Count |
|---|---|
| Biosphere reserves | 18 |
| National parks | 106 |
| Wildlife sanctuaries | ~566 |
| Biodiversity hotspots | 4 |
| Ramsar sites | 75+ |
Hotspot Qualification Thresholds
- Minimum endemic vascular plant species: ≥1,500 (= ≥0.5% of world total)
- Minimum habitat destroyed: ≥70% of original
- Both criteria must be met simultaneously
Key Temperatures and Values
- Cryopreservation temperature: −196 °C (liquid nitrogen)
- Ecosystem services value: ~$33 trillion/year (Costanza 1997)
- Tropical forest reduction: 14% → 6% of Earth's land
India-Specific Timelines
- Jim Corbett NP established: 1936
- CBD signed: 1992, Rio de Janeiro
- Ramsar Convention: 1971
- Project Tiger launched: 1973
- Nilgiri BR (India's first): 1986
- Chilika Lake (India's first Ramsar): 1981
- Global hotspots originally identified by Myers: 25 (now 36)
IUCN Categories for Indian Species
- Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion: Endangered (EN)
- One-horned rhinoceros, snow leopard: Vulnerable (VU)