Daily News Analysis

Humboldt’s Enigma

stylish_lining

Explorers and naturalists have been curious why some areas are more biodiverse than others.

What is Humboldt’s enigma?

  • It is a term used to describe the puzzle of why some mountain regions, especially in the tropics, have exceptionally high biodiversity, contrary to the expected decrease in diversity away from the equator.
  • It is named after Alexander von Humboldt, a 19th-century naturalist who explored the relationship between climate, geography, and species distribution.
  • Humboldt’s enigma challenges the conventional wisdom that the most biodiverse areas are the lowland tropical forests.
  • Tropical diversity- They have more energy, resources and ecological niches leading to higher biodiversity.
  • The diversity decreases away from the tropics, but mountains have been an important exception which is the essence of Humboldt’s enigma
  • Mountain diversity- Mountains play a key role in generating and maintaining diversity.
  • The factors that drive biodiversity on mountains such as climate, geology and evolutionary processes.

What drives the biodiversity in mountain?

  • Mountains can act as cradle or museum of species, depending on their history and stability.
  • Geological process- Uplifts result in new habitats where new species arise, so the habitats are cradles.
    • Northern Andes in South America have diverse biomes and habitats supported by rich variety of species across elevation.
  • Climatic conditions- Species on some climatologically stable mountains persist there for long time, so these spots are museums that accumulate many such species over time.
    • Shola Sky Island in India- Sholicola and the Montecincla ancient bird species have survived in isolated peaks of Western Ghats
  • Geological heterogeneity- A key factor in biodiversity formation as different types of rocks and soils influence plant diversity and adaptation.
  • Mountains with more geological diversity tend to have more biodiversity.
    • Eastern Himalayas have groups of birds which evolved elsewhere and dispersed to the Himalaya, resulting in higher diversity there.

What lies ahead?

  • There is a need for more fine scale data on species distribution and evolution especially in under studies regions like the Eastern Ghats India to know about the rich biodiversity.
  • National programmes such as National Mission on Himalayan Studies, the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem, and the National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Wellbeing should be strengthened, bolstered by the will to support basic research on diversity

Steps taken to study biodiversity in India

National Mission on Himalayan Studies

  • Launch year- 2015-16
  • Aim- To provide much needed focus on the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).
  • Goal- To improve quality of life and maintain ecosystem health of the region to ensure long- term ecological security to the country.

National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem

  • Launch year- 2010
  • It is one of the 8 missions outlined in the National Climate Change Action Plan (NAPCC) of India.
  • Aim- To facilitate the development of long term policy measures for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan ecosystem, including Himalayan glaciers.

National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Wellbeing

  • Launch year- 2018
  • Approval- By Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory council (PM-STIAC)
  • Aim- To bring biodiversity and conservation to the forefront of Indian science, policy, and society’s attention.

Understanding the Auditing of Local Bodies

Why is it in the News? The International Centre for Audit of Local Governance (iCAL) was recently inaugurated in Rajkot, Gujarat. This marks a significant step towards setting global standards for
Share It

Bavikonda Monastery: A Historical and Cultural Gem

Current Status Maintenance Issues: Due to recent budget constraints, maintenance and repairs at Bavikonda Monastery have been less than optimal. Tourism Circuit: Bavikonda is part of the '
Share It

CITES Report on Rosewood: “CITES Rosewoods: The Global Picture”

The recently released CITES report titled “CITES Rosewoods: The Global Picture” provides a comprehensive analysis of rosewood species listed under the Convention on International Trade in
Share It

Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)

Recent Developments  India recently took part in the 86th session of the Executive Committee (CCEXEC) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) held in Rome. India’s Support: Sp
Share It

Naturally Existing DNA Editing Tool: Bridge Recombinase Mechanism (BRM)

The Bridge Recombinase Mechanism (BRM) is a newly discovered naturally occurring DNA editing tool. It utilizes mobile genetic elements, commonly known as "jumping genes," to perform DNA mani
Share It

The Delhi Urban Land and Immovable Property Records Bill, 2024

The Delhi Urban Land and Immovable Property Records Bill, 2024, aims to create a unified system for managing urban land and immovable property records in Delhi. This system will be overseen by the Del
Share It

Gig Economy and Recent Developments in Karnataka

Why in the News? The Karnataka government recently published the draft Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, which aims to address the welfare and rights of gig w
Share It

India-Japan Joint Carbon Crediting Mechanism

India and Japan are set to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to establish a Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) under the framework of Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. This mechanism will facilita
Share It

Green Revolution in maize

Context: India has seen significant success with the green revolution in maize production. This success has been primarily driven by the private sector. Over the past 20 years, maize production in Ind
Share It

Captain Supreetha C.T. – First Woman Officer from Corps of Army Air Defence at Siachen Glacier

Name: Captain Supreetha C.T. Hometown: Mysuru, Karnataka Achievement: Captain Supreetha C.T. has become the first woman officer from the Corps of Army Air Defence to be operationally deployed a
Share It

Newsletter Subscription


ACQ IAS
ACQ IAS