18825_Chapter 4 Biodiversity

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BIODIVERSITY

Chapter - 4

2009Jupiterim

agesCorporation


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Biodiversity

The variety or variability of organisms and ecosystem is referred to

as biodiversity.

The existence of million of plants, animals, and micro-organisms,

their genetic backgrounds, and the complex ecosystems to which

they belong show the immense biodiversity present in the

biosphere.


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Types of Biodiversity

Genetic diversity - Diversity of genes within a species, i.e., genetic

variability among the populations and the individuals of the same

species.(200000 varities of rice in India)

Species diversity- Diversity due to variation of species. Each play adifferent role. Horses and Donkeys, Lions and Tigers. Diversity

among species in an ecosystem. Biodiversity hotspots are

excellent examples of species diversity.

Ecosystem diversity- Diversity of habitats including the different

life forms within them. Also variety of ecosystem found within a

biogeographical or political boundary.


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Value of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is important to humanbeings for the following reasons:

Survival: Human beings would perish in

the absence of biological diversity. In the

forest belt of Ghana, most of the men arehunters where survival depends on the

availability of animals like rabbits, snails

etc. Source of income.

Health and healing: A large number of communities depends on traditional

medicines for primarily health care, most of Which are derived form plants

and animals. It is suggested that India should Include these medicinal plants

under Indian medicinal central council Act, 1970


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Food security: All our food requirement are met by the

biological world. Cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, milk,meat, honey, ginger, turmeric, grapes, tea, coffee.

Productive value: Biodiversity has productive value. E.g.different kind of medicine form plants, wood for fuel, number

of dyes and dyes based products are also obtained form plants.

Economic Value: People who go to costa Rica to see scarletmacaws in the wild spend huge sum of money. It is estimated

every macaw in the bird reserve earn an average USD 15,000

per year (wild life sanctuaries, Zoo)


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Ethical value: Each species is unique and has the right to

exist, we dont have the to eliminate them.

Aesthetic pleasure: Biodiversity adds to the aesthetic

value of the planet. sound of singing bird, sight od

leaping deer, smell of wet earth after first shower of rain

Ecological services: A single tree provide not only its

product, but also habitat for innumerable livings things.

In addition it also plays its vital role in conserving soiland water and help in to clean air. As per a study

published in 1997 in the science journal Nature , the

value of these ecosystem services is estimated to lie

between $ 16 trillion and $ 56 trillion a year


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Hotspots of Biodiversity

Hotspots are the richest and the most threatened reservoirs of plantand animal life on earth. Areas which have great concentration of

living creatures i.e. biologically rich.

In the 1999 analysis, Nature, 25 biodiversity

hotspots were identified

Norman Meyers in

1988 in order to Designate priority areas for in-situ conservation.


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Hotspots of India

Western Ghats NorthEast Himalaya

Hotspots are classified on the basis of three criteria :

The number of species present

The number of those species that exist exclusively in the givenecosystem

The degree of threat they face

Twenty-five such hotspots have been indentified all over theworld and cover about 1.4% of the earth land area


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25 Biodiversity Hotspots

Original proposal in green, and added regions in blue.


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Endangered Species

The species which are at the verge of extinction are known as

endangered species. For exampleAsiatic elephant

Great Indian Rhino

The following eight categories of species, called the Red List

Categories, have been recognized by the world conservationUnion

Extinct (dinosaurs)

Extinct in the wild (Hawaiian crow )

Critically endangered

Endangered (Siberian tiger)

Vulnerable (different types of panda, shark)

Lower risk

Data risk

Data Deficient

Not evaluated

The species which are threatened with extinction are included in vulnerable,

endangered or critically endangered
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaurhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_crowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_crowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur


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Endangered Species

of India


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The species which are confined to a particular region are

known as endemic species.

These species remain limited in their distribution

because of certain geographical barriers, such as sea, valley,

mountain, etc.

Endemic Species

Edge Species

The term EDGE refers to species of animals that are evolutionary

Distinct and Globally Endangered. The EDGE species areconsidered to be unique since they are extremely distinct in their

looks, lifestyle an behavior. These species are on the verge of

extinction and once extinct, there will be no species like them on the

planet. E.g. Elephant and pandas


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Threats to Biodiversity:

Unplanned development and habitat destruction:

Cutting trees, filling wetlands, ploughing, burningforests for urbanization, building dams, industrial

plants, human settlement and roads in forest.

Poaching: Illegal hunting and killing of tigers

elephants (for skins, tusk, claws), birds (pets) and

snakes (poison), medicinal plants for

pharmaceuticals (no collection regulation).

Threatened animals are killed in Myanmar and

served in restaurants of China.

Environmental pollution: Over use of pesticidesdecreased the fish eating birds. Lead poisoning

causes death of ducks, swans, cranes. Industrial

effluents destroying coral reefs.

Biodiversity is receiving

constant threat due to the

increasing interference ofhuman activities

Such as


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Global climate change: Temperature hike in several region. Species unable to

survive in warmer climate will become extinct. Characteristics of habitat may

change. Coastal biodiversity will be effected due to rise in sea level.

Invasion by introduced species: Invasion of non-native species have become

a major threat to biodiversity.Lantana camara, a Brazilian plant species was

introduces as an ornamental plant in India is rapidly spreading in Indian

forest at the expense of local flora.

Nature of legal systems: Legal acts should be enforced keeping in mind the

ecological and economical realities that affect the life of local people.

Protection of wild life in India is disreputably negligent.

Mining: Deforestation, soil erosion threatens biodiversity. Pollution of waterbodies with dangerous chemicals.


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Exploitation of water resources: Water scarcity due to overexploitation of

water and water pollution harms aquatic diversity and threatens thesurvival of aquatic species.

Eutrophication: Excessive nutrient enrichment of water bodies stimulates

the growth of algae and decreases the oxygen level of water leading to

death of fish and other aquatic organism.

Waste disposal: Dumping of radioactive wastes on land and water kills

plants and animal species leading to their extinction.


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Conservation of Biodiversity

I n situ

Conservation (Natural or Original place)

National parks (Kanha, Nandadevi): No human activity

Wildlife sanctuaries (Kaziranga National Park): Conservation by manipulative

management. No human activity are allowed except public servants.

Biosphere reserves (Nilgiri, Sundarvan): Natural areas used for scientific study.

Both natural and human influenced ecosystems. It is set up for conservation of

natural resources, ecological research, and habitat preservation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaziranga_National_Parkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaziranga_National_Park


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Ex situConservation

Gene banks: Storing of seeds, pollen grains in frozen condition

that reduces their loss of germination condition. Maize andbarley seeds can survive thousands of years in such condition.

Botanical gardens: Conservation of rare and endangered species

Aquaria: Conservation of threatened or endangered fresh-water species.

Tissue culture technique: Conservation of plants through asexual propagation.

Rapid multiplication of plants.

DNA technology: Whole DNA of

a plant or animal cell or a part of itto be conserved. Through the use of

recombinant DNA, genes that are

important can be isolated and

used in other species


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The Western Himalayas: Central Kumaon to northwest Kashmir. Some portions of

Uttaranchal. Three different regions Temperate, subtropical

and alpine. Receives average rainfall. Main vegetation is

Far, deodar (temperate), mango, sheesham (subtropical),birch, pine (alpine) etc.

The Eastern Himalayas: Sikkim and highlands of

assam.Warmer and receives higher rainfall. Also

called wetland of Himalayas. Classified into

Temperate, subtropical and alpine. Far, deodar,sheesham, birch, Pine, oak etc.

Western Deserts: Haryana, Punjab and some portions

of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Annual rainfall less than

70 cm. Xerophytic plants grow due to high temperature

and low rainfall. Main plants Babool, Kikar, Khejri,amla, rohida.

Gangetic Plains: Includes ganga valley. Parts of Uttar

Pradesh, Bihar and Bengal. Highly fertile region.

Favourable condition for plant growth like Temp.,

Rainfall, alluvial soil. Mango, Teak, Sal, mulberry, figs.

Biogeographical Classification of India


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Central India: MP, Orissa and Northern Gujarat. Situated between the plains of Ganga and

southern plateau. Receives heavy rainfall. Sal, sagwaan, bidi, mahua, amaltas, mango are

main trees.

Western Coast: Known as Malabar coast. Extends

from sourthern Gugarat to Kanyakumari. Rain fall

is too much. Main trees are Mehogini, cinchona,

Rubber, coconut, banana.

Deccan Plateau: Comprises of entire peninsular India

Except western ghats. Mainly AP, Tamil Nadu and

Karnataka. This region is dry and rocky.

NorthEast India: Valleys of Brahmaputra. Receives

heaviest rainfall and have densed evergreen forests.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Comprises of

several small and large Ilands situated near the

equater. Wide range of forests, and vegetation

ranges from costal vegetation to evergreen forests.


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India --- A Megadiversity Nation.

These are countries which have wide variety of plants and animals. There are 17

megadiversity countries that are situated mostly in the tropics.

Geographical diversity

Climatic diversity

Biodiversity: India has 167 species of cereals, millets,Fruits, condiments, vegetables, pulses, fibre,

crops and oilseeds, 114 breeds of domesticated animals.

Habitat diversity: All types of habitat of the world.

Mountains, Hills, plateaus, plains, desert etc. andvariety of floras and fauna. Lakes, Rivers, ponds, streams etc.

Cultural diversity : Several developed civilizations. Enriched by migration,


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Biodiversity at Global L evel

On the Basis of Vegetation

Arctic Zone

Northern Temperate Zone

South Temperate Zone

Tropical Zone

On the Basis of Fauna

Oriental Region

Australian Region

Neotropical Region

Nearctic Region

Paleartic Region


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18825_Chapter 4 Biodiversity

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