Endemic species: Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives: Types of Endemism Habitat for Endemics Theories of endemism Endemism in India Endemic species of India Introduction The concept of endemism is central to the study of biogeography. The term ‘endemism’ was coined by A.P. de Candolle (1855) for the distribution of an organism (plant, animal or microorganism) in a limited geographical area. In Ecological terms, it states that a plant or an animal lives only in a particular location, such as a specific island, habitat ... What is an Endemic Species? Endemic species can be defined as “the ecological state of a species where a species is unique to a defined geographical location” . They are also most of the time indicator species of an ecosystem’s health. While birds are less likely to be endemic to a region based on their ability to disperse via flight, there are over 2,500 species that are considered endemic , meaning that the species is restricted to an area less than five million hectares (twelve million acres). Many endemic species live within biodiversity hot spots —that is, regions that are characterized by more than 1,500 species of endemic vascular plants and that have lost at least 70 percent of their original natural vegetation.