The mega is a concept created by the environmental organization Conservation International (CI) to call attention to the focus areas of the globe greater biological wealth and provide the means to protect it. It is estimated that up to 70% of the planet's biodiversity and 45% of world population, which represents the greater cultural diversity, are in 17 countries, an area that occupies 10% the world's total.
Center monitoring of environmental conservation, an agency of the United Nations Programme for Environment (UNEP) has identified 17 mega-diverse countries. The American continent contains the largest number of diverse countries, seven in total (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, United States, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela), followed by Asia, with five (China, Philippines, Indonesia, India and Malaysia), three in Africa (Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa) and two in Oceania (Australia and Papua New Guinea).
All these countries have unique characteristics that enable a large number of species, many of them are in the tropics, where conditions are greater biodiversity, landscapes offer a variety of environments, soils and climates, the separation of islands and continents allows the development of endemic floras and faunas , unique to that place, its large size favors a greater ability to host more species, their evolutionary history has developed through the contact of several regions where species are mixed with different origins and domestication of plants and animals indigenous peoples to throughout history has led to a great natural wealth.
The podium of the diverse countries
Brazil the largest number of species of primates, amphibians, butterflies and plants and therefore the most mega-diverse in the world. It is estimated that between 15% and 20% of the world's biodiversity is located in the country carioca. Scientists are aware of 56,215 species of vascular plants, 1,712 birds, 779 amphibians, 630 reptiles and 578 mammals. Its forests cover 42% of the country and comprise more than one third of the world's tropical forests. The Amazon River basin, where these forests are located, is the largest in the world.
Behind Brazil, a diverse group of countries holds a large number of species of all types, although some authors point to Colombia as the second mega-diverse country in the world, with 10% of all species on Earth. The number of known vascular plants amounts to 48,000 (20% of world total), the bird to 1,815, the amphibian 634, and 520 of reptiles and mammals, at 456. In Colombia, seven times smaller than Brazil, joined as varied as moorland ecosystems, Andean hillsides, tropical forests, wetlands, plains and deserts. 56% of its surface is covered by natural forests.
The vastness of China and its various habitats provide a home to many species, 32,200 varieties of vascular plants, 1,221 birds, 502 mammals, 387 334 reptiles and amphibians. Has more than 4,400 species of vertebrates, more than 10% of the world.
The Asian continent is in Indonesia to one of the greatest exponents of diverse countries. On its surface, covered by 60% by forest, found 29,375 species of vascular plants, 1,604 birds, 667 mammals, 511 reptiles and 300 amphibians. Flagship species such as elephant, tiger, orangutan, rhinoceros or leopard live in this country but are in danger of extinction.
Mexico is another large diverse countries in the world. Its territory is home to 23,424 species of vascular plants, 1,107 birds, 804 of reptiles, 535 mammals and 361 amphibians. Defender
megadiversity
habitat destruction, climate change, invasive species, deforestation, overexploitation of natural resources, illegal hunting and trafficking of species, urban growth, infrastructure development without adequate environmental impact assessment and pollution are some of the threats that endanger the rich biodiversity of these countries. Likewise, most biodiversity hotspots (hotspots), areas where there are a lot of species but with an endangered habitat, are located in these countries.
To try to address these threats and conserve its rich biological variety, was established in 2002 in Mexico Group LMMC. It is currently composed of Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, South Africa and Venezuela.
makers of these countries signed the Declaration of Cancun, a consultation and cooperation agreement to promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Some of his targets are unprecedented in the area of \u200b\u200bnature conservation. Among them, Establishing the decision to negotiate access arrangements and trade of natural resources in a manner similar to that of oil-exporting countries. Moreover, it reveals the need to promote an international system that protects the equitable distribution of benefits from biological diversity, or to combat misappropriation of genetic resources.
How to locate the mega
Quantification of mega is estimated by various indicators, as explained by the Peruvian expert and associate professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona Nikita Shardin. The methods are varied: you can choose one hectare of natural forest random detect the number of species and compare them to another country. It is also possible by sampling in a particular area to discuss how many species there. The number of crop varieties is another interesting indicator: in the Andes farmers have been working with over 200 different types of potatoes.
Source: http://www.consumer.es/web/es/medio_ambiente/naturaleza/2010/08/26/195265.php
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