Biodiversity hotspots are defined as?

• A. A large desert region
• B. An urban area with many parks
• C. An area with low biodiversity
• D. A small area with exceptionally high species richness

Answer: (D)

Biodiversity hotspots are small areas that harbor an exceptionally high number of species for their size, often with many species unique to that place (endemic). This combination—very high species richness in a compact area, usually with many endemics—makes them critical targets for conservation, because protecting a hotspot safeguards a large portion of global unique biodiversity in a relatively small space. The idea is not about wide deserts, urban parks, or areas with low biodiversity, but about compact regions where the richness and endemism are extraordinarily high (and, in the traditional definition, where much of the original habitat has been lost, signaling urgent conservation needs).