Mediterranean Climate Ecosystem and Southwest Australia as Biodiversity Hotspot - Literature review Example

Hakea is one of the most populous plant species in these ecosystems (Viedma, Moreno & Rieiro, 2006). The literature review will discuss the characteristics of the Mediterranean-climate ecosystem and Southwest Australia as a biodiversity hotspot. Mediterranean Climate Ecosystem and Southwest Australia as Biodiversity HotspotMediterranean climate ecosystems are characterized by wet and cool winters, dry and hot summers as well as vegetation such as woody shrubs, evergreen, and sclerophyllous shrubs (Syphard et al., 2009). These ecosystems have the highest biodiversity in the world.

Five key regions characterize this climate ecosystem: the Mediterranean basin, Southwestern Australia, South African Cape Region, California-Baja region, and central Chile (Viedma, Moreno & Rieiro, 2006). These ecosystems occupy less than 5 percent of unglaciated land and contain more than twenty percent of global flora (Syphard et al., 2009). These Mediterranean climate-ecosystems are a worldwide conservation concern because of anthropogenic pressure and rapid climate change. Different studies reported the ecosystem of the Mediterranean climate and the biodiversity hotspot in South West Australia.

On the Mediterranean climate, Underwood et al. (2009) posited that the changes in population density have had a significant impact on biodiversity in the following regions: South Africa, California-Baja, Mediterranean basin, and Australia. Their research showed that the richness of species in Mediterranean climate ecosystems is threatened by global population density and urbanization. To reduce this threat, the authors propose that governments should analyze human-environmental relationships and the synergic impact of these interactions (such as invasiveness).

In contrast, another study posited that the most significant threats to the Mediterranean climate ecosystem are changes in hydrology and water balance, an increase in temperatures, extreme temperature, reduction of the habitat and pests.