BIODIVERSITY

The word biodiversity is a combination of two words: ―biological and diversity and refers to the variety of life
on the Earth which includes a large number of living things that exist in a certain area (in the air, on land or in
water). The area may be considered as small as heap or as big as whole planet. Hence, Biodiversity means “the
existence of a large number of different kinds of animals and plants which make a balanced
environment” is called as biodiversity. Biodiversity deals with a large variety of flora and fauna on this earth.
The sum of all the varied plant species, mammals, fungi, and microbiological organisms that dwell on Earth, as
well as the various habitats in which they live, is known as biodiversity. Biodiversity refers to the diversity of
all living organisms, encompassing the numerous plants, creatures, and microbes, as well as the genetic data and
ecosystems that they create.
Ex: a wide variety of plants and animals are found in a part of forest. The plant life range from a small herb to
a large tree and the animal life vary from a tiny insect to a large mammal in addition to micro-organisms (algae,
bacteria and fungi).
The term biological diversity was used first by wildlife scientist and conservationist Raymond F. Dasmann in
the 1968. The term's contracted form biodiversity may have been coined by W.G. Rosen in 1985.
Biodiversity is usually considered at three different levels/Typea:

1. Genetic diversity means the variation of genes within the species. Each species is made up of individuals
that have their own particular genetic composition. This means a species may have different populations, each
having different genetic compositions. To conserve genetic diversity, different populations of a species must be
conserved.Genes are the basic units of all life on Earth. They are responsible for both the similarities and the
differences between organisms.Not all groups of animals have the same degree of genetic diversity.
Ex: In human species, genetic variation between an Indian and African and genetic variations within a
population. (Ex: Within the Indian population) can be seen. In a population of flowering plants, some may have
genes that make them more resistant to certain diseases, while others may have genes that help them thrive in
different environmental conditions.In simple terms, genetic matter states whether the persons have blue or
brown eyes, brown or black hair and tall or short. Genetic diversity can be identified by using a variety of DNA
based and other techniques.

2. Species diversity means the richness of species in all ecosystems. Species diversity is the variety of species
within a habitat or a region. Some habitats, such as rainforests and coral reefs, have many species. Others, such
as salt flats or a polluted stream, have fewer.In Australia, more than 80% of plant and animal species are
endemic, which means that they only occur naturally in Australia.
Species are grouped together into families according to shared characteristics. In Australia, it is not just the
individual species that are endemic - whole families of animals and plants are endemic. Seven families of
mammals, four of birds and twelve of flowering plants are endemic to Australia. No other country has as many
endemic flowering plant families as Australia.
Invertebrates - animals without backbones - make up about 99% of all animal species, and most of these are
insects. Invertebrates include crabs, snails, worms, corals and seastars, as well as insects, such as beetles and
flies. Insects fill many vital roles in ecosystems as pollinators, recyclers of nutrients, scavengers and food for
others.
While we may mostly notice mammals, they actually make up less than 1% of all animal species.It is measured
on the basis of number of species in a region. So far 1.75 million species have been described worldwide.
Warmer areas tend to support more species than colder ones and wetter areas contain more species than drier
ones. Topography and climate of the areas support and control the species of a region.
Species diversity is the variety of species within a habitat or a region. Some habitats, such as rainforests and
coral reefs, have many species. Others, such as salt flats or a polluted stream, have fewer.
Ex-A forest might have a variety of species, including trees, insects, birds, and fungi. Each species plays a
unique role in the ecosystem.

3. Ecosystem diversity means the study of difference between ecosystem types. Ecosystem diversity is difficult
to measure since the boundaries of various sub ecosystems are overlap each other.
The diversity of habitats in a specific location is referred to as ecological diversity. An ecosystem is a
population of organisms that engage with their physical surroundings. A vast environment, such as a forest, or a
tiny ecosystem, such as a pond, are both examples of ecosystems. An area may well have multiple ecosystems
or only one. Oceans or deserts with large swaths of land would be examples of low ecological diversity
locations. In this respect, a mountainous location with lakes, woods, and grasslands might have more
biodiversity. When one environment is endangered by drought or disease, a region having many ecosystems
could be able to supply more resources to assist local species to thrive.
Ex: Ecosystem diversity on a global scale would be grassland ecosystem, river ecosystem, desert ecosystem,
fresh water aquatic ecosystem, marine water aquatic ecosystem etc. A region might have forests, grasslands,
and wetlands. Each of these ecosystems supports different species, contributing to overall biodiversity.
HOT SPOTS OF BIODIVERSITY
Areas which exhibit high species richness as well as high species endemism are termed as hot spots of
biodiversity. Species which are restricted only to particular areas are known as endemic. India shows a good
number of endemic species.
The term ‘biodiversity hotspot’ was coined by Norman Myers (1988) who recognized 10 tropical forests as
“hotspots” according to the level of plant endemism and high level of habitat loss. It, however, did not had any
quantitative criteria for designating a region ecological hotspot.

Two years later, he added eight more hotspots, which increased the number of hotspots in the world increased to
18.
The Conservation International (CI) associated with Myers and made the first systematic update of the hotspots.
CI then introduced the following two strict quantitative criteria, for a region to qualify as a hotspot:
Criteria to be satisfied for a biodiversity hotspot
A region must satisfy two strict requirements in order to be considered a biodiversity hotspot:
1. Include at least 1,500 vascular plant species that are unique to the planet (known as “endemic” species).
2. Have lost the majority of their native vegetation by at least 70%. In other words, it must be threatened.

The word “hotspot” describes regions with a high priority for conservation because of their abundant
biodiversity, high endemism, and significant vulnerability. Hotspots for biodiversity are places with a high
concentration of indigenous species.
In the case of marine hotspots, fish, snails, lobsters, and coral reefs are all taken into account.
Most hotspots are found in tropical and subtropical areas, where high temperatures and humidity are typical all
year round.With an elevation above sea level and ocean depth, animal diversity and ecosystem diversity change.
Biodiversity Hotspots in India
Out of the 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world, 4 are in India which includes the Himalayas, the Western
Ghats, the Indo-Burma region and the Sundaland.
1. The Himalayas
 Overall, the Himalayas comprises North-East India, Bhutan, Central and Eastern parts of Nepal.
 These Himalayan Mountains are the highest in the world and hosts some of the highest peaks of the
world including Mount Everest and K2.
 It also includes some of the major rivers of the world like Indus and Ganga.
 Himalayas hosts almost 163 endangered species including one-horned rhinoceros, wild Asian water
buffalo and as many as 45 mammals, 50 birds, 12 amphibians, 17 reptiles, 3 invertebrates and 36 plant
species.
Threats to Himalayan Biodiversity:
 Promoting both outside immigration and internal migration and leading to an exponential increase in
the human population in some of the locations with the greatest biodiversity.
 Due to widespread legal and illegal logging, especially on steep slopes, as well as the substantial
removal of forests and meadows for farming, there has been serious erosion.
 During the summer, the area is frequently burned to make way for livestock, which provides an extra
hazard to the forest because fires can occasionally go out of control.
 Rapid deforestation and habitat fragmentation were the results of the conversion of forests and
grasslands for agriculture and settlements, mainly in Nepal and the Indian states of Sikkim, West Bengal
(Darjeeling), and Assam.
 Additionally, certain forest ecosystems have been severely harmed by anthropogenic activities such as
domestic cattle overgrazing, overharvesting plants for traditional medicine, collecting fuel wood, and
extraction of non-timber forest products.
 Unplanned and poorly managed tourism operations aggravate environmental damage.
 In the Himalayas, illegal poaching is a significant problem; tigers and rhinoceroses are targeted for their
body parts for use in traditional remedies, while snow leopards and red pandas are targeted for their
stunning pelts.
2. The Western Ghats
 These hills are found along the western edge of peninsular India.
 As the region is mountainous and oceanic, it receives a good amount of rainfall.
 Around 77% of the amphibians and 62% of the reptiles are endemic.
 Moreover, the region is also home to around 450 species of birds, 140 mammals, 260 reptiles and 175
amphibians.
Threats to the Western Ghats
 The forests of the Western Ghats have been heavily fragmented and selectively cut across their whole
range.
 For monoculture plantations (The same crop species is continuously grown year after year on the same
piece of land. This process is also known as continuous monoculture or "monocropping) of tea, coffee,
rubber, oil palm, teak and eucalyptus, as well as to make room for reservoirs, highways, and railways,
forests have been removed.
 The majority of the remaining forest cover is made up of disturbed secondary growth or wood
plantations.
 Intense hunting pressure, fuelwood extraction, and the harvesting of non-timber forest products are
placed on the few surviving forest sections.
 The conflict between humans and wildlife has increased as a result of population growth in protected
zones and other woods. In an effort to stop more harm, wild animals are routinely killed or hurt, and
farmers are typically under-compensated.
3. Indo-Burma region
 This region consists of various countries including North-Eastern India (to the south of the Brahmaputra
River), Myanmar, and China’s Yunnan provinces, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Vietnam,
Cambodia, and Thailand.
 Almost 13,500 plant species can be spotted in the region, half of which are endemic and cannot be found
in any other place in the world.
 Although this region is quite rich in its biodiversity, the situation has been worsening over the past few
decades.
Threats to Indo-Burma
 Indo-Burma is one of the top five most endangered biodiversity hotspots, according to Conservation
International, due to the rate of resource extraction and habitat loss.

 The greatest threats to this hotspot’s biodiversity are logging, over-exploitation of natural resources,
industrial agriculture, trade and consumption of wildlife, the building of massive infrastructures
including dams, highways, and ports, and climate change.
 In Indo-Burma, commercial timber exploitation ranks second among the causes of deforestation.
 The loss of habitat has had an effect on other landforms, including wetlands and freshwater floodplain
swamps.
 Large geographical region of mangroves have been contained within aquacultural ponds, and many
rivers have been dammed and altered.
4. Sundaland
 This region lies in South-East Asia and includes Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and Malaysia.
 Nicobar region represents India in this hotspot.
 UNESCO declared this region as the world biosphere reserve in 2013.
 These islands have a rich terrestrial as well as marine ecosystem including mangroves, seagrass beds,
and coral reefs.
Threats to Biodiversity in Sundaland
 The stunning flora and wildlife of the Sundaland Hotspot are being rapidly destroyed by industrial
forestry on these islands
 Only in this area are orangutans located, and their population is rapidly declining.
 Like many other tropical regions, the forests are being destroyed for business.
 The production of pulp, oil palm, and rubber are three of the most harmful factors endangering
biodiversity in the Sundaland Hotspot.

Biogeographic regions of India: According to wild life Institute of India, the country has 10 distinct
biogeographic zones or regions. They are:
Biogeographic classification of India is the division of India according to biogeographic characteristics.
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species, organisms, and ecosystems in geographic space and
through geological time.
Trans-Himalayan Region
 It accounts for 5.6% of the total geographical area and includes the high altitude, cold and arid mountain
areas of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, North Sikkim.
 This zone is a suitable habitat for the world's largest populations of wild sheep and goats, as well as other
rare fauna such as the Snow Leopard.
 This zone has cold, dry desert is an extremely vulnerable ecosystem.
Himalayan Zone
 It accounts for 6.4% of the total geographical area and contains some of the highest peaks in the world.
 The Himalayan zone makes India one of the richest areas in terms of habitats and species.
 Location: East, northwest, west, and central Himalayas
 1. Trans – Himalayan Zone
2. Himalayan Zone
3. Desert Zone
4. Semi – arid Zone
5. Western Ghats
6. Deccan Zone
7. Gangetic plain Zone
8. NE Indian Zone (North East)
9. Coastal Zone
10. Islands around the country.

Indian Desert Zone

 The extremely arid region west of the Aravalli hill range, which includes both Gujarat's salty desert and
Rajasthan's sand desert.
 The Indian desert forms India's northern boundary, encompassing primarily the western and northwestern
regions of Rajasthan, as well as a portion of the Kachchh region of Gujarat in the southwest.
Arid Zone
 The semi-arid region, which accounts for 16.6% of the total geographical area, is a transition
zone between the desert and the dense forests of the Western Ghats.
 Peninsular India has two large semi-arid regions. This semi-arid region also has several artificial and natural
lakes, as well as marshy lands.
 This zone includes the Punjab plains, Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir's fringes (Border), Himachal
Pradesh's western edges, eastern Rajasthan, eastern Gujarat, and northwest Madhya Pradesh.
Western Ghats
 The Western Ghats accounts for 4% of the total geographical area.
 The Western Ghats run along the west coast of peninsular India from the Tapti river in the north to
Kanyakumari in the south, passing through the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
and Kerala.
 The Western Ghats zone is one of the world's 25 biodiversity 'hotspots' and one of India's major tropical
evergreen forested regions, with enormous plant diversity.
Deccan Plateau
 The Deccan Plateau is India's largest biogeographic region, accounting for 42% of the total geographical
area.
 It is a semi-arid region located in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats.
Gangetic Plain
 The Gangetic plain accounts for about 10.8 percent of the total geographical area. The Gangetic plain is
topographically homogeneous for hundreds of kilometers.
 The Gangetic divide, the Upper Gangetic plain, the Middle Gangetic plain, and the Lower Gangetic plain
are all part of this zone.
 This zone, which stretches from eastern Rajasthan through Uttar Pradesh to Bihar and West Bengal, is
mostly agricultural and has a dense human population.
North East Region
 The North East Region accounts for 5.2 percent of the total geographical area.
 This region is a transition zone between the Indian and Indo-Chinese bio-geographical regions, as well as a
meeting point for the Himalayan mountains and peninsular India.
 The North-East is thus a biogeographical 'gateway' for much of India's fauna and flora, as well as a
biodiversity hotspot (Eastern Himalaya).
Islands
 This zone, which accounts for 0.3% of India's total geographical area, is one of the three tropical moist
evergreen forest zones.
 The islands are home to unique flora and fauna. These islands are high endemism hotspots, with some of
India's finest evergreen forests and a diverse range of corals.
The islands are divided into two major groups: the Lakshadweep Islands and the Andaman Islands.
Coastal Region
 The coastal region accounts for 2.5 percent of total geographical area, and its sandy beaches, mangroves,
mud flats, coral reefs, and marine angiosperm pastures make it India's wealth and health zone.
 The coastline from Gujarat to the Sunderbans.
2.2.1 VALUES OF BIODIVERSITY
1. Consumptive Value: Biodiversity is an essential requirement for the maintenance of global food supply. The
main sources of human food include animals, fish and plant produces. A large number of plants are consumed
by human beings as food. A few animal species are consumed by people which is obtained from cattle, pigs,
sheep, goats, buffaloes, chickens, ducks species.
(i) Fish: Many fresh water fish can be grown in ponds. Israel and China already get about half of their fish from
aqua culture.
(ii) Drugs & medicines: About 75% of the world‘s population depends upon plants or plant extracts for
medicines. The drug Penicillin used as an antibiotic is derived from a fungus called Penicillium. Likewise,
Tetracycline from bacteria which is used to cure malaria is obtained from the bark of cinchona tree.
(iii) Fuel: The fossil fuels like coal, petroleum products and natural gas are the products of biodiversity.
2. Productive Value: Some of the organisms are commercially usable where the product is marketed and sold.
The animal products like tusks of elephants; musk from deer, silk from silkworm, wool from sheep or goats; fur
of many animals etc all of which are traded in the market. → Calabar bean(plant) was tradionally used as a
poison in West Africa. →Daisy plants were first used as a lice remedy in the Middle East and this led to the
discovery of Pyrethrum. Mosquito coils made from Pyrethrum are sold in the market.
→ The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis produces toxic proteins that kill certain insects.
→ The neem tree has been using in birth control such as parts of neem tree that cause abortion.
3. Social Value: These are the values associated with the social life, religion and spiritual aspects of the people.
Many of the plants are considered to be sacred in our country like Tulsi, Mango leaves, Banana leaves. The
leaves, fruits, flowers of some of the plants are used in worship. Many animals like cow, snake, bull, peacock
also have significant place in spiritual and thus hold special importance. Thus, biodiversity has distinct social
value, attached with different societies.
4. Ethical Value: The ethical value means that human beings may or may not use a certain species but knowing
the very fact that this species exists in nature gives pleasure.
Ex: a peculiar species of Pigeon, grey / white bird with short legs is no more on this earth. Similarly, Dodo
species is also no more. Human beings are not deriving anything direct from Kangaroo, giraffe but strongly feel
that these species should exist in nature.
5. Aesthetic Value: Every one of us would like to visit vast stretches of lands to enjoy the visible life. People
from farther areas, spend a lot of time and money to visit wild life areas where they can enjoy the aesthetic
value of biodiversity and this type of tourism is known as eco tourism. Eco-tourism is estimated to generate 12
billion dollars of revenue annually that roughly gives the aesthetic value of biodiversity.
India as a mega diversity Nation:
India contains a great wealth of biodiversity in the forests, wet lands and marine areas. Hence biodiversity can
be observed at all levels i.e. locally, nationally and globally. India, as a subcontinent representing a major part
of South Asia is rich in flora and fauna and hence it is one of the world‘s ―MEGADIVERSITY NATIONS. It
is estimated that over 75000 species of animals and over 45000 species of plants are found in India. The
identified biodiversity in India and world is:
Group No of Species in India No of Species in World
Mammals 350 4629
Birds 1224 9702
Reptiles 408 6550
Amphibians 197 4522
Fishes 2546 21730
Flowering plants 15000 250000
BIODIVERSITY AT GLOBAL, NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL
The enormous diversity of life forms in the biosphere has evolved essentially through the process of trial and
error during course of organic evolution. The changes in character of living organism which confer some
advantage to the species are retained. The changes in climatic conditions are reflected in the distribution of
living organism and the pattern of biodiversity on our planet. The number of species present per unit area
decreases as we move from mild tropics to the tundra's. The Indian region with total area of 329 million
hectares is very rich in biodiversity. It is estimated that about 4500 species of plants occur in this country. The
sum total remarkable diversity that has made India a "gene bank" for a number of food crops, forest trees,
medical and aromatic plants and domesticated animal.
Forests are important bioreserves; most of the 1700 million hectares of tropical forests are located in poor
countries.
2.2.5 THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
Extinction or elimination of a species is a natural process of evolution. In the geologic period the earth has
experienced mass extinctions. During evolution, species have died out and have been replaced by others.
However, the rate of loss of species in geologic past has been a slow process, keeping in view the vast span of
time going back to 444 million years. The process of extinction has become particularly fast in the recent years
of civilization. Edward O. Wilson prefers the
acronym HIPPO, standing for habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, human overpopulation, and over-
harvesting.
Following are the major causes and issues related to threats to biodiversity:
1. Habitat destruction: Habitat destruction has played a key role in extinctions, especially related to tropical
forest destruction. Factors contributing to habitat loss are: overpopulation, deforestation, pollution (air pollution,
water pollution, soil contamination) and global warming or climate change.
Habitat size and numbers of species are systematically related. Physically larger species and those living at
lower latitudes or in forests or oceans are more sensitive to reduction in habitat area. Habitat loss is the major
cause of species extinction. Habitat loss may be qualitative and quantitative losses: Qualitative losses involve a
change in the structure, function or composition of the habitat.
Ex: If a paper industry discharging chemicals into a waterway system and polluting / poisoning the water, thus
there has been a qualitative loss. Quantitative losses are measured by looking at a previously mapped area and
determining how much of the habitat area no longer present.
2. Poaching: Illegal trade of wildlife products by killing prohibited endangered animals i.e. poaching is another
threat to wildlife. Despite international ban on trade in products from endangered species, smuggling of wildlife
items like furs, horns, tusks, live specimens and herbal products worth millions of dollars per year continues,
the developing nations in Asia, Latin America and Africa are the richest source of biodiversity and have
enormous wealth of wildlife. The rich countries in Europe and North America and some affluent countries in
Asia like Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong are the major importers of the wildlife products or wildlife itself. The
trading of such wild life products is highly profit making for the poachers who just hunt these prohibited wild
lives and smuggle it to other countries mediated through mafia. The worst part is that for every live animal that
actually gets into the market about 50 additional animals are caught and killed If you are fond of rare plants,
fish or birds, please make sure that you are not going to the endangered species or wild-caught species. Doing
so will help in checking further decline of these species. Also do not purchase fur coat, purse or bag, or items
made of crocodile skin or python skin. You will certainly help in preserving biodiversity by doing so.
3. Man-Wildlife Conflicts: We have discussed about the need to preserve and protect wildlife. However,
sometimes we come across conflicting situations when wildlife starts causing immense damage and danger to
man and under such conditions it becomes very difficult for the forest department to pacify the affected villages
and gain local support for wildlife conservation. Instances of man animal conflicts keep on coming to lime light
from several states in our country.
In Sambalpur, Orissa 195 humans were killed in the last 5 years by elephants. In retaliation(revenge) the
villagers killed 95 elephants in the border region.The man-elephant conflict in this region has arisen because of
massive damage done by the elephants to the farmer’s cotton and sugarcane crops. The unhappy villagers
electrocute(to kill or injure by electric shock) the elephants and sometimes hide explosives in the sugarcane
fields, which explode as the elephants intrude into their fields. In fact, more killings are done by locals than by
poachers.
Causes of Man-animal conflicts:
Dwindling habitats of tigers, elephants, rhinos and bears due to shrinking forests cover are compelled to move
outside the forests and attack the field or sometimes even humans. Human encroachment into the forest areas
has rendered all forest living animals to trespass (to enter someone`s land or property without permission) the
borders of human civilizations. This is because the conflicts between man and the wildlife have increased since
it is an issue of survival of both.
3.1 Invasive Non-Native Species: Species that are non-native to a particular area can sometimes spread very
quickly, for example the zebra mussel and Japanese knotweed have spread rapidly in Ireland in the past two
decades. As a result, these species can destabilize an ecosystem by altering habitats affecting food webs.
3.2 Pollution/Litter: As you will remember from the Litter and Waste theme, pollution is always caused by
humans. Pollution can have a huge impact, altering the balance within ecosystems, and is the cause of death for
millions of animals and plants around the world every year.
3.3 Land Use Change/Increased Infrastructure Development: This is the alteration of natural areas by
humans, for example, the clearing of huge areas of rainforest in South America for farming. In Ireland, upland
open habitats, such as rough grassland, scrub and heath, have been changed by agriculture and afforestation.
3.4 Intensive Farming Practices: Extensive use and concentrations of chemical and/or biological pesticides are
typical practices in modern-day intensive farming. Often large areas of land are planted with a single crop
(monocultures) which greatly reduces the level of biodiversity in that area.
3.5 Climate Change: It is now widely accepted that the current global rate of change in climate is as a result of
human activity. As global air or sea temperature changes, even by just 1 or 2 degrees, the habitats in which
species live will also change and may even become uninhabitable to some species.
2.2.6 ENDANGERED AND ENDEMIC SPECIES
Endangered species A species whose numbers are reduced to the point. That means endangered species are in
immediate danger of extinction.
The International Union Conservation of Nature (IUCN ) classified the species of plants and animals as:
(a) Endangered species
(b) Threatened species: Species ( including animals, plants, fungi etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in
the near future)
(c) Rare species: Among the important endangered animal species, Indian wild ass; the Kashmir stag (deer), the
Golden Langur etc. are considered highly endangered. There are also endangered bird species like Siberian
crane; the great Indian Bustard; the florican etc.
The IUCN published the data on endangered species of both plants and animals of India. The data symbolizes
the working signal for those species which are endangered and if not protected are likely to become extinct in
near future. A species is said to be extinct when it is not seen in the wild for 50 years at a stretch e.g. Dodo,
Passenger Pigeon.
A species is said to be endangered when its number has been reduced to a critical level or whose habitat, have
been drastically reduced and if such species is not protected and conserved, it is in immediate danger of
extinction.
Endangered species of India
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) publishes the Red Data Book which includes the
list of endangered species of plants and animals. The red data symbolizes the warning signal for those species
which are endangered and if not protected are likely to become extinct in near future
The animals that are listed under the critically endangered category are as under:
1) Malabar Large Spotted Civet
2) Namdapha Flying Squirrel
3) Salim Ali's Fruit Bat
4) Sumatran Rhinoceros
Endangered Species are as under:
1) Asiatic Lion
2) Asiatic Black Bear
3) Desert Cat
4) Great Indian Rhinoceros
5) Indian Elephant (or) Asian Elephant
Threatened Species are as under:
1) Indian Wild Ass
2) Leopard
Endemic species of India
The endemic species are those taxa whose distribution is confined to a restricted area due to their specific
ecological niches and edaphic gradients. Therefore, the habitats of endemic species are far more vulnerable than
other species. Endemic species once lost, it is a loss of biodiversity of these species forever.
In India there are about 5725 endemic taxa of angiosperms (33.5% of Indian flora) which are located in 25 hot
spots. The major hotspots in India which contain largest number of endemic plant species are the Southern
Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas with 1286 and 1808 endemic species respectively. There are about 1272
species of endemic angiosperms out of 3800 species occurring in Kerala (33.5% of Kerala flora) which
represent 22.6% of Indian endemics.
Seventy percent of the 1272 species of endemics have the major areas of distribution in Kerala with spill over in
adjacent regions. On the basis of the study of the distributional range, about 102 endemic species occur
exclusively in Kerala.
A large number out of a total of 81,000 of animals in our country is endemic. The Western Ghats are
particularly rich in amphibians (frogs, toads etc) and reptiles (lizards, crocodiles etc) about 62% amphibians and
50% lizards are endemic to Western Ghats
CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY
In order to maintain and conserve biodiversity, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, government of India
has already taken several steps to manage wildlife, the objectives of which are:
1. Maintenance of a number of species in protected areas such as National Parks, Sanctuaries.
2. To improve the biosphere reserves
3. Implement strict restrictions of export of rare plants and animals
4. Educate the public on these through the government agencies and NGO’s.
A) In-situ conservation:
In-situ conservation of biodiversity is the conservation of species within their natural habitat. In this method, the
natural ecosystem is maintained and protected.
The in-situ conservation has several advantages. Following are the important advantages of in-situ conservation:
1. It is a cost-effective and convenient method of conserving biodiversity.
2. A large number of living organisms can be conserved simultaneously.
3. Since the organisms are in a natural ecosystem, they can evolve better and can easily adjust to different
environmental conditions.
The preservation of species in its natural ecosystem is called in-situ conservation. As a consequence, protected
areas are being identified and maintained for natural conservation of species by individual countries. For the
conservation and management of endangered species several projects have been established. These are:
 In-situ conservation is the on-site conservation of genetic resources in natural populations of plant or
animal species.
 In India, ecologically unique and biodiversity-rich regions are legally protected as biosphere reserves,
national parks, sanctuaries, reserved forests, protected forests and nature reserves.
 India now has 18 biosphere reserves, 104 national parks and 500 wildlife sanctuaries.
 Plantation, cultivation, grazing, felling trees, hunting and poaching are prohibited in biosphere reserves,
national parks and sanctuaries.
Protected Area Network in India
 National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), chaired by the Prime Minister of India provides for policy
framework for wildlife conservation in the country.
 The National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016) was adopted in 2002, emphasizing the people’s
participation and their support for wildlife conservation.
Tiger Projects: Corbett National Park which is 300 km from New Delhi is the oldest National Park of India
having 1318.54 sq km. It was one of the nine Tiger Reserves created at the launch of the Project Tiger in 1973.
Gir Lion Projects: The Gir Forest of Gujarat where lions are found. This has an area of 1412 sq kms and
declared as a National Park.
Elephant Projects: The objective was to ensure long-term survival of population of elephants (not come into
operations). Project Elephant (PE), a centrally sponsored scheme, was launche in February 1992 to provide
financial and technical support to major elephant bearing States in
the country for protection of elephants and their habitats. The Project is being implemented in 13 States/UTs,
viz. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa,
Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. There are about 7000 protected areas in the world
which include a variety of National parks, Sanctuaries etc which vary in size (between 100 to 500 sq km),
purpose (protection of one or
more species and their habitats). In India, there are 39 National Parks and 492 wildlife sanctuaries.
National Parks: These are protected areas exclusively for wild life. Human activities like hunting, Firewood
collection, timber harvesting etc.are restricted in these areas to that wild plants and animals could grow in a
protected environment
The following measures should be adopted for the conservation of biodiversity:
1. Over grazing in the forest and areas of vegetation should be controlled because it may destroy the useful rare
plants.
2. The habitat of plants and animals should be conserved.
3. The natural condition of ecosystem should be studied and researched in time and again, then specific
programs for conservation should be conducted.
4. Human activities should be done without destroying natural environment.
5. Illegal hunting and smuggling of animals and plants should be strictly avoided.
6. Effective laws and rules should be adopted for the conservation of rare animals and plants.
7. Industries are established from the raw materials. During the process of collecting raw materials, care should
be taken not to destroy useful plants and habitats of animals.
8. Public awareness should be created about the importance of rare animals and plants, causes of rareness and
measures for their preservation.
 National parks are areas reserved for wildlife where they can freely use the habitats and natural
resources.
 The difference between a Sanctuary and a National Park mainly lies in the vesting of rights of people
living inside.
 Unlike a Sanctuary, where certain rights can be allowed, in a National Park, no rights are allowed.
 No grazing of any livestock shall also be permitted inside a National Park while in a Sanctuary, the
Chief Wildlife Warden may regulate, control or prohibit it.
For eg. Kanha National Park (M.P.), and Bandipur National Park(Karnataka)
Wildlife Sanctuaries
These are the regions where only wild animals are found. Human activities such as timber harvesting,
cultivation, collection of woods and other forest products are allowed here as long as they do not interfere with
the conservation project. Also, tourists visit these places for recreation.
 Wildlife Sanctuaries or wildlife refuges are home to various endangered species.
 They are safe from hunting, predation or competition.
 They are safeguarded from extinction in their natural habitat.
 Certain rights of people living inside the Sanctuary could be permitted.
 Grazing, firewood collection by tribals is allowed but strictly regulated.
 Settlements not allowed (few exceptions: tribal settlements do exist constant; efforts are made to
relocate them).
 A Sanctuary can be promoted to a National Park.
 There are more than 500 wildlife sanctuaries in India.
Biosphere Reserves
Biosphere reserves are multi-purpose protected areas where the wildlife, traditional lifestyle of the inhabitants
and domesticated plants and animals are protected. Tourist and research activities are permitted here.
 Large areas of protected land for conservation of wildlife, plant and animal resources and traditional life
of the tribals living in the area.
 May have one or more national parks or wildlife sanctuaries in it.
Core area
 The core areas are freed of all human activities.
 It has the legal status of a national park or wildlife sanctuary.
 Collection of minor forest produce, grazing, and other human disturbances are not allowed.
 In core or natural zone human activity is not allowed.
Buffer zone
 Used for scientific research, monitoring, training and education.
Transition area
 Ecologically sustainable human settlements and economic activities (tourism) are permitted.
 With the cooperation of reserve management and local people, several human activities like settlements,
cropping, recreation, and forestry are carried out without disturbing the environment.

Biosphere Reserves in India

Name State Type Key fauna
Tamil Nadu,
1. Nilgiri Biosphere
Kerala and Western Ghats Nilgiri tahr, lion-tailed macaque
Reserve
Karnataka
2. Nanda Devi National Western
Uttarakhand Snow Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear
Park & Biosphere Reserve Himalayas
3. Gulf of Mannar Tamil Nadu Coasts Dugong or sea cow
Meghalaya (Part
4. Nokrek East Himalayas Red panda
of Garo Hills)
5. Sundarbans West Bengal Gangetic Delta Royal Bengal tiger
Assam (Terai
6. Manas East Himalayas Golden langur, red panda
region)
Deccan
7. Simlipal Odisha Gaur, royal Bengal tiger, elephant
Peninsula
Arunachal Eastern
8. Dihang-Dibang
Pradesh Himalaya
9. Pachmarhi Biosphere
Madhya Pradesh Semi-Arid Giant squirrel, flying squirrel
Reserve
10. Achanakmar-Madhya Pradesh,Maikala Hills Four-horned antelope, Indian wild dog, Sarus
Amarkantak Biosphere
Chhattisgarh crane, White-rumped vulture
Reserve
11. Great Rann of Kutch Gujarat Desert Indian wild ass
Western
12. Cold Desert Himachal Pradesh Snow leopard
Himalayas
13. Khangchendzonga Sikkim East Himalayas Snow leopard, red panda
14. AgasthyamalaiKerala, Tamil
Western Ghats Nilgiri Tahr, elephants
Biosphere Reserve Nadu
15. Great NicobarAndaman and
Islands Saltwater crocodile
Biosphere Reserve Nicobar Islands
16. Dibru-Saikhowa Assam East Himalayas Golden langur
17. Seshachalam Hills Andhra Pradesh Eastern Ghats
Catchment Area
18. Panna Madhya Pradesh Tiger, chital, chinkara, sambhar and sloth bear
of the Ken River
Tiger Reserves
 Same as sanctuaries. But they are monitored by NTCA under Project Tiger.
 The various tiger reserves were created in the country based on ‘core-buffer’ strategy.
Reserved & Protected Forests
 As of present, reserved forests and protected forests differ in one important way:
 Rights to all activities like hunting, grazing, etc. in reserved forests are banned unless specific orders are
issued otherwise.
 In protected areas, rights to activities like hunting and grazing are sometimes given to communities
living on the fringes of the forest, who sustain their livelihood from forest resources or products.
 The first reserve forest in India was Satpura National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
 Typically, reserved forests are often upgraded to the status of wildlife sanctuaries, which in turn may
be upgraded to the status of national parks, with each category receiving a higher degree of protection
and government funding.
In terms of protection, National Parks > Wildlife Sanctuary > Reserved forests > Protected forests
Eco-Sensitive Zones
 The National Wildlife Action Plan (2002–2016) of MoEFCC stipulated that state governments should
declare land falling within 10 km of the boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries as eco-
fragile zones or ESZs under the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986.
 The purpose of the ESZ was to provide more protection to the parks by acting as a shock absorber or
transition zone.
 Eco-Sensitive Zones would minimise forest depletion and man-animal conflict.
 The protected areas are based on the core and buffer model of management.
 The core area has the legal status of being a national park.
 The buffer area, however, does not have legal status of being a national park and could be a reserved
forest, wildlife sanctuary or tiger reserve.
Conservation Reserves
 Conservation Reserves can be declared by the State Governments in any area owned by the
Government, particularly the areas adjacent to National Parks and Sanctuaries and those areas which
link one Protected Area with another.
 Such a declaration should be made after having consultations with the local communities.
  The rights of people living inside a Conservation Reserve are not affected.
Community Reserves
 Community Reserves can be declared by the State Government in any private or community land, not
comprised within a National Park, Sanctuary or a Conservation Reserve, where an individual or a
community has volunteered to conserve wildlife and its habitat.
 As in the case of a Conservation Reserve, the rights of people living inside a Community Reserve
are not affected.
Sacred Groves
 India has a history of religious/cultural traditions that emphasised the protection of nature.
 In many cultures, tracts of forest were set aside, and all the trees and wildlife within were venerated and
given total protection.
 Such sacred groves are found in Khasi and Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, Aravalli Hills of Rajasthan,
Western Ghat regions of Karnataka and Maharashtra and the Sarguja, Chanda and Bastar areas of
Madhya Pradesh.
 In Meghalaya, the sacred groves are the last refuges for a large number of rare and threatened plants.
Ex-Situ Conservation: Ex-situ conservation is the preservation of components of biological diversity outside
their natural habitats. This involves conservation of genetic resources, as well as wild and cultivated or species,
and draws on a diverse body of techniques and facilities. Such strategies include establishment of botanical
gardens, zoos, conservation strands and gene, pollen seed, seedling, tissue culture and DNA banks.
 In this approach, threatened animals and plants are taken out from their natural habitat and placed in
special setting where they can be protected and given special care.
 Zoological parks, botanical gardens, wildlife safari parks and seed banks serve this purpose.
 There are many animals that have become extinct in the wild but continue to be maintained in zoological
parks.
 In recent years ex-situ conservation has advanced beyond keeping threatened species.
 Now gametes of threatened species can be preserved in viable and fertile condition for long periods
using cryopreservation techniques.
 Eggs can be fertilized in vitro, and plants can be propagated using tissue culture methods.
 Seeds of different genetic strains of commercially important plants can be kept for long periods in seed
banks.
 The national gene bank at National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Delhi is primarily
responsible for conservation of unique accessions on long-term basis, as base collections for posterity,
predominantly in the form of seeds.
Gene bank: Genetic variability also is preserved by gene bank under normal growing conditions. These are
cold storages where germ plam are kept under controlled temperature and humidity for storage; this is an
important way of preserving the genetic resources.
Cryopreservation: This is the newest application of technology for preservation of biotic parts. This type of
conservation is done to store living cell or tissue at very low temperature (-196°C) in liquid nitrogen for a long
period of time. The metabolic activities of the organisms are suspended under low temperature, which are later
used for research purposes.
Advantages of ex-situ preservation:
1. It is useful for declining population of species.
2. Endangered animals on the verge of extinction are successfully breeded.
3. Threatened species are breeded in captivity and then released in the natural habitats.
4. Ex-situ centres offer the possibilities of observing wild animals, which is otherwise not possible.
5. It is extremely useful for conducting research and scientific work on different species.
Botanical gardens: Botanical garden refers to the scientifically planned collection of living trees, shrubs, herbs,
climbers and other plants from various parts of the globe.
Purpose of botanical gardens
 To study the taxonomy as well as growth of plants.
  To study the introduction and acclimatization process of exotic plants.
 It helps in conserving rare and threatened species.
Zoo
 Zoo is an establishment, whether stationary or mobile, where captive animals are kept for exhibition to
the public and includes a circus and rescue centres but does not include an establishment of a licensed
dealer in captive animals.
 The initial purpose of zoos was entertainment, over the decades, zoos have got transformed into centres
for wildlife conservation and environmental education.
 Apart from saving individual animals, zoos have a role to play in species conservation too (through
captive breeding).
 Zoos provide an opportunity to open up a whole new world, and this could be used in sensitizing visitors
regarding the value and need for conservation of wildlife.