Biodiversity

Biodiversity

• Biodiversity = bio + diversity

• Bio means living
• Diversity means variety
• The variety or variability of organisms and ecosystems
is referred to as biodiversity.
• The existence of millions of plants, animals, and
micro-organisms, their genetic background, and the
complex ecosystem to which they belong show the
immense biodiversity present in the biosphere.
Biodiversity
 India and biodiversity

• Domesticated biodiversity: We have in our country

42 breeds of sheep, 30 of cattle, 20 of goats, 18 of
chicken and 15 of buffaloes.
• Fruit: 1000 varieties of mango
• Spices: 500 varieties of pepper
• Cereals/millets: 5000 varieties of sorghum
• Pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables have added great
genetic diversity of India.
 Types of biodiversity

• Biodiversity of a region can be divided into three

categories:
• Genetic diversity
• Species diversity
• Ecosystem diversity
 Genetic diversity

• Each species, from bacteria to higher plants and

animals, stores an immense amount of genetic
information.
• The variations among genes of the same species is
termed as genetic diversity.
• Example: different varieties of crops, fruits, etc.
 Varieties of Rice in India

• As per estimation of (late) Dr. R. H. Richharia, one of the

leading experts on rice, India was home to 400,000 varieties
of rice during the Vedic period.

• Even today, 200,000 varieties of rice exist here.

• If a person can eat a new rice variety everyday of the year, he

can go on for over 500 years without reusing a variety.

• This is an example of genetic diversity within one species.

Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity
 Species Diversity

• Diversity which arises due to variations among species

present in specific areas is called as ‘species diversity’.

• Examples: Different animal, plant and microbial species.

Horses and donkeys are distinct species, as are lions and
tigers.
 Ecosystem Diversity

• Ecosystem diversity refers to the diversity of habitats including

the different life forms within them.

• The term also refers to the variety of ecosystems found within

a biogeographical or political boundary.
 Value of biodiversity
Food security
and Survival

Health and
Ecological
Healing
Services

Productive Value Ethical and Aesthetic Value

 Food security and Survival

• All our food requirements are met by biological world.

• Cereals, pulses, and other food crops, vegetables, fruits, milk,
meat, honey, etc., are the outcome of biodiversity.
• Many plants species such as asafoetida (hing), ginger (adrak),
mint (pudina), turmeric (haldi) etc. are used as speces all over
the world.
• Human being would perish in the absence of biological
diversity.
• In the forest belt of Ghana, most of the men are hunters
whose survival depends on the availability of animals such as
antelopes, rabbits, snails, etc.
• This activity provides them with a source of income and
enables them to meet their household expanses.
 Health and Healing

• A large number of communities depend on

traditional medicines for primary health care.
• Most of which are derived from plants and animals.
• A large percentage of the world’s population is now
utilizing medicines derived from plants.
 Productive Value

• There are many products which are used by human

• Cinchona plants: medicine
• Wood: fuel
• Plants and trees: production of charcoal, dyes and
dye based products
 Ethical value

• Each species is unique and has right to exist, while

human do not have right to eliminate any.
• The scientific and ethical principles guide
development activities.
• The biodiversity on Earth can be retained only if
humans put in sincere efforts for the same.
• It is extremely important to realize the extent to
which biodiversity can be utilized.
 Aesthetic Value

• Each species and ecosystem adds to the

richness and beauty of life on earth.
• Ecotourism, bird watching, wildlife, pet
keeping, gardening, etc. are the examples of
aesthetic rewards.
• Ecological Services:
• It is impossible for a species to exist independently
of others.
• Destroying one species can lead to further
extinctions or changes.
• A tree provides various products, is a habitat for
innumerable living things, is having vital role for
conserving soil, water and helping to keep air clean.
 Economic value

• Millions visit the Himalaya to witness the

Valley of Flowers in bloom.
• Costa Rica…..
 Hotspots of biodiversity

• The areas which are biologically rich and are hence

under a great dander of being destroyed by human
intervention are known as biodiversity hotspots.
• Hotspots are richest and most threatened reservoirs of
plant and animal life on Earth.
• These have been identified based on three criteria:–
 The number of species present.
 The number of those species found exclusively in an
ecosystem.
 The degree of threat they face.
 Hotspots of biodiversity

• 25 hotspots were indentified on our planet.

• 2 of the 25 hotspots are located in India:
• The Western Ghats
• The hilly regions of North-East Himalaya up to
Myanmar in the East.