BIODiversity HOTSPOTS REIMAGINED

Biodiversity is essential for healthy ecosystems, stable climates, and human well-being. It makes ecosystems resilient to disturbances, helps grow our food, cleans water and air, and even leads to medical discoveries. When we protect biodiversity, we are also protecting the systems that support our lives.

Though biodiversity hotspots cover just 2.3% of the land, they are home to over 150,000 species of plants (half of the world’s vascular plants) and 13,000 species of animals (almost 42% of all terrestrial vertebrates) found nowhere else. More than 2 billion people live in these areas and depend on them for food, water, and work. Focusing limited conservation funds and resources in these regions paves a powerful path forward for conservation.

Every infographic in this exhibit was inspired by museum specimens from each biodiversity hotspot. They were created through a collaboration between UTEP science students and graphic design students from Nabil Gonzalez’s class, along with help from faculty and staff. Science students helped choose the content and plan initial layouts, while the design students tuned those ideas into the eye-catching graphics you see here. Each designer chose their own style, showing that the story of biodiversity can be told in many different ways. As you explore, take a moment to see how the colors, shapes, and figures help tell the story of each hotspot.

Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands:
A mountainous region stretching from the southwestern United States deep into Mexico, known for its mix of temperate and tropical species.

Eatern Afromontane:
A chain of cool, moist mountain forests running from Saudi Arabia to Mozambique, home to unique species adapted to high elevations and isolated habitats.

Southwest Australia:
Ancient landscapes of nutrient-poor soils, granite outcrops, and stable, low-relief landscapes with a Mediterranean climate, known for thousands of unique plant species.

Gaige’s Tropical Night Lizard
Lepidophyma gaigeae

This species is named after Helen Beulah Thompson Gaige, the herpetology curator of the Museum of Zoology at University of Michigan.

• Their head has large smooth plates made of osteoderms. Osteoderms are bony deposits forming scales.
• Commonly known as “dental armor”, they are used for self defense and are helpful in temperature regulation.
• Found in restricted rocky areas of the Sierra Madre Occidental located in Eastern Mexico.
• Unlike other night lizards, Gaige’s night lizard is diurnal. They are active during the day and inactive at night.
• The flat body of this species helps the species squeeze into limestone rock crevices or pine-oak woodland.
• They are insectivores meaning they eat only insects such as roaches, spiders, stick bugs, etc.
• While many lizards lay eggs, Gaige’s night lizards are viviparous.

Poster Specs:

• Uses real-world images and factual layout.
• Focuses on scientific accuracy and comprehensive detail.
• Presents content like a research brief

Gaige’s Tropical Night Lizard
Lepidophyma gaigeae

VU (Vulnerable)

• Found in restricted rocky areas of the Sierra Madre Occidental, located in eastern Mexico.
• This species is named after Helen Beulah Thompson Gaige, former herpetology curator of the Museum of Zoology at University of Michigan.
• Their head has large smooth plates made of osteoderms...
• Unlike other night lizards, Gaige’s night lizard is diurnal...
• The flat body of this species helps it squeeze into limestone rock crevices.
• They are insectivores and mostly eat insects and arthropods...
• While many lizards lay eggs, Gaige’s night lizards are viviparous.
  
  Poster Specs:
• Uses illustration and design to enhance storytelling.
• Focuses on audience engagement and visual clarity.
• Shapes information into an engaging visual journey.

Scientist Template: Elena Britton
Graphic Designer: Shelby Rodriguez