Final answer:
Hot spots refer to both geological areas with volcanic activity due to underlying mantle heat, such as Yellowstone, and to biodiversity hotspots, which are areas rich in species diversity needing conservation efforts. There are also medical hotspots that indicate areas with a high incidence of disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hot spots are areas within the Earth's mantle from where heat rises, creating a localized source of high thermal energy. This heat can cause melting of the mantle and crust, leading to the formation of volcanoes. Two well-known hotspots are the Yellowstone hotspot, currently under Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Montana, and the Anahim hotspot in central British Columbia, Canada. As tectonic plates move over these heat sources, they result in a chain of volcanic activity, exemplified by the historical eruption at the Yellowstone hotspot, which was one of the largest volcanic eruptions ever.
Beyond geological hotspots, there is also a conservation concept known as biodiversity hotspots. Identified by British environmentalist Norman Myers in 1988, these are areas rich in species diversity, particularly endemic species - species found nowhere else on Earth. They often face significant threats from human activity, making them conservation priorities. Examples of these ecosystems include various regions around the world that hold exceptional levels of biodiversity despite comprising of less than 2% of the Earth's land surface.
The term 'hotspot' is also used in medicine, referring to locations where there is a high incidence of disease, such as areas with increased rates of the plague tied to specific sites like grain storage, where infected rats and fleas may be found. These areas are important for understanding disease transmission and for targeting public health interventions.