Implications of location specific data and their usefulness in conservation planning: an example from Indian Himalayan Region (IHR)

Abstract

The present study evaluated the usefulness of collection of location speciWc data for assessing patterns of species diversity and endemism based on a dataset for the 10 temperate Xowering plant families from the Indian Himalaya Region. Analysis was based on 818 grid cells (15 £ 15Ј) representing throughout the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). Based on the existing information on diverse aspects of the selected plant families four indices, i.e., species richness, weighted endemism, 1-4 cell endemism and corrected weighted endemism were developed and mapped for selected plant families. Analysis revealed that endemism is signiWcantly (P < 0.001) correlated with species richness (1-4 cell endemic index: r = 0.85; weighted endemism; r = 0.58). On the basis of four diVerent indices, potential areas have been identiWed for conservation. Data of each indices have been overlaid to each other for identiWcation and prioritization of endemic rich areas in the Indian Himalayan Region.

A “lost biodiversity” approach to revealing major anthropogenic threats to regional freshwater ecosystems

“…C). In the case study, we used a weighted endemic index (Crisp et al, 2001;Mahar et al, 2009) and its departure from the species pool for analysis, because "Weighted endemic index" (hereinafter abbreviated as "WE") can be an objective and simple index considering both richness and rarity. To obtain WE, the weight of each species was calculated as the inverse of its occurrence frequency in the dataset.…”

Floristic composition, life history traits and phytogeographic distribution of forest vegetation in the Western Himalaya

“…This mountain ecosystem has been recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot due to its significant biodiversity and huge endemism (Myers et al, 2000). The Kashmir Himalaya, part of Indian Himalayan Region, has been considered as a promising floristic region with high endemism (Mahar et al, 2009). Nonetheless, many remote areas of this biodiversity-rich region have not received much attention as far as floristic and ecological investigations are concerned, which is especially the case of remote mountains region in Kashmir Himalayas.…”