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Chapter - 4

BIODIVERSITY

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.

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 a

different 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.

Value of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is important to human
beings 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 are
hunters 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

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 scarlet
macaws 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)

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 soil
and 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

Hotspots of Biodiversity
Hotspots are the richest and the most threatened reservoirs of plant
and 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.

Hotspots are classified on the basis of three criteria :

The number of species present
The number of those species that exist exclusively in the given
ecosystem
The degree of threat they face

Twenty-five such hotspots have been indentified all over the

world and cover about 1.4% of the earth land area
Hotspots of India
Western Ghats
NorthEast Himalaya

25 Biodiversity Hotspots

Original proposal in green, and added regions in blue.

Endangered Species
The species which are at the verge of extinction are known as
endangered species. For example
Asiatic elephant
Great Indian Rhino
The following eight categories of species, called the Red List
Categories, have been recognized by the world conservation
Union
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

Endangered Species
of India

Endemic Species
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.

Edge Species
The term EDGE refers to species of animals that are evolutionary
Distinct and Globally Endangered. The EDGE species are
considered 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

Threats to Biodiversity:
Unplanned development and habitat destruction:
Cutting trees, filling wetlands, ploughing, burning
forests for urbanization, building dams, industrial
plants, human settlement and roads in forest.

Biodiversity is receiving
constant threat due to the
increasing interference of
human activities
Such as

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 pesticides
decreased the fish eating birds. Lead poisoning
causes death of ducks, swans, cranes. Industrial
effluents destroying coral reefs.

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 water
bodies with dangerous chemicals.

Exploitation of water resources: Water scarcity due to overexploitation of

water and water pollution harms aquatic diversity and threatens the
survival 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.

Conservation of Biodiversity
In 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.

Ex situ Conservation
Gene banks: Storing of seeds, pollen grains in frozen condition
that reduces their loss of germination condition. Maize and
barley 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 it
to be conserved. Through the use of
recombinant DNA, genes that are
important can be isolated and
used in other species

Biogeographical Classification of India

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.

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.
North East 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.

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. and
variety of floras and fauna. Lakes, Rivers, ponds, streams etc.
Cultural diversity : Several developed civilizations. Enriched by migration,

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