Prepared By:

Dr. Vikas Rena

Faculty, AEC: Environmental Science-
Theory Into Practice II
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 Biodiversity
Bio = Life
Diversity = Variety and Variability
 It means the Variety and Variability in the life form is known as
Biodiversity.

 The term biodiversity coined by Walter G. Rosen in 1985. The term

'Biodiversity', coined by Walter G. Rosen in the year 1985 (Wilson, 1988)
is a relatively new compound word of the longer version 'Biological
Diversity', which was introduced by Lovejoy (1980) to express the number
of species present in the community.

 According to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD-1992)

biodiversity has been defined as the variability among living organisms
from all sources including inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic
ecosystems and the ecological complexes
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 exists in
 Biodiversity encompasses all life forms, ecosystems, and ecological processes,
and acknowledges the hierarchy at genetic, species and ecosystem levels
(UNEP).
 So, in simples words “the variability between genes, species and
ecosystems” is known as biodiversity.
 Or the totality of genes, species and ecosystem of a region is known
biodiversity.

 Levels of Biodiversity:
The biological diversity include three hierarchial levels:
 Genetic diversity
 Species diversity
 Ecosystem diversity

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 Basic source of Biodiversity

Genetic diversity
o When the genes within the same species show different versions due to varied
combinations, it is known as Genetic Diversity.
o Genetic diversity refers as the variation of genes within the same species.
o Genes are the basic units of hereditary information transmitted from one
generation to other. The population of a species of plant or animal can not be
genetically similar, that’s why it is the basic source of biodiversity.
o Generally no two organisms of a species are genetically identical.
Eg. Variety of rice, tomato, rose species and various breeds of dog species etc.
o Likewise, there are many wild or cultivated varieties of rice (Oryza sativa)
which show variation in their colour, size, shape, aroma and nutrient content of
the grain. Eg: Rose (Rosa)

o Sp. Note: With the help of Biotechnology, the genes of species can be
manipulated and which in turn produces many desirable and new varieties of
species.

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Shanon Wiener index measures the diversity of species in a community,
considering both the number of different species (richness) and how Simpson index This index measures the probability that
evenly the individuals are distributed among those species (evenness). two individuals randomly selected from a sample
belong to the same species.
Eg: If a forest has 10 bird species, and each species has about the same

Species Diversity
number of birds, the index will be high (high diversity).

o This is the variability found between different species of a community.

The number of species of plants and animals present in an region or
community constitute its species diversity.
o The easiest way to quantify the species diversity is to count the number of
species in the particular area i.e. species richness.
o There are two important indices to understand species richness and their
abundance in a community : - Estimates given by Wilson in 1992 put the total no. of living species between
10 million to 50 mn.

1. Shannon-Wiener Index - But we explored only 1.5 million and 3L fossils and described. It is quite likely
that a large fraction of these species may become extinct even Before they
2. Simpson Index discovered and enlisted

Eg: For example, monkeys, dragonflies, and meadow beauties are all different
species in the same community.

Monkey Golden ©VR

Skimmer Meadow Beauty
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 Give example of comparison between aquatic ecosystem and desert ecosystem,
how their biotic abiotic components differ

Ecosystem Diversity
o This is the diversity of ecological complexity showing variation in physical
character, ecological niches, trophic structure, food web and nutrient cycling
Means the place where an organism
etc. lives And what role it plays in that
ecosystem
Stages at which energy exchange
takes place

o Diversity in the species at ecosystem level known as ecosystem diversity.

o Every ecosystem on the earth have their own and distinctive species-
community which is based on the variation in their physical environment
including temperature, precipitation and altitude.
o This diversity has evolved over millions of years of evolution and we can not
even replace one ecosystem by another.
o If in any case, this diversity is destroyed, it would disrupt the ecological
balance. Because, ecosystem diversity has evolved with respect to prevailing
environmental conditions with self-sustained and self regulatory ecological
balance.
o This distinction in the ecosystem can be due to the landscape like forest,
grasslands, deserts and mountain as well as aquatic ecosystem like river, lakes
and seas.
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 Ecosystem level biodiversity

Genetic
biodiversity Species
biodiversity

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 Biogeographic Classification of India
 Biogeography = Phytogeography + Zoogeography

 Biogeography deals with region wise distribution of plants and animals.

 On the basis of variation in geography, climate, pattern of vegetation

and various communities of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians,
insects and other invertebrates, India is classified into 10 major
biogeographic zones.

 Each of these regions comprises of variety of ecosystems such as forest,

lakes, grasslands, rivers, wetlands, mountains and hills, which is
characterized by specific plant and animal species.
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2
2

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 1. Trans-Himalayan Region
• Total area: 5.6% (186200 Sq. Km.).
• Lie at very high altitude (4500-6000 mts.)
with cold and arid mountain.
• Areas of Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, North
Sikkim, Lahaul and Spiti areas of Himachal
Pradesh. dry grassy plains
• Sparse alpine steppe vegetation with a lot of
endemic species. Native & exclusive species
• Plants: Pine, Deodar etc.
• Habitat of Wild Sheep, Goat, Yak. Tibetan
ass and other rare animal including Snow
Leopard and migratory Black necked
Crane.

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 2. Himalayan Zone
• Total area: 6.4%
• Away from trans-Himalayan zone it
includes, North-west Himalayas, West
Himalayas, Central Himalayas and
East Himalayas
• It include some of the highest peak in
the world.
• Alpine and sub-alpine type of forest
having grassy meadow and mixed
deciduous forest. Eg. Pine, Cork Tree,
Sal, Dhaak, Castor etc.
• Characterize with many types of
orchids, Rhododendrons
• Various endangered species such as
Bharal, Ibex, Himalayan Tahr, Musk
Deer are found in this area.
• Other species are Wild bear, Sambar,
Leopard and Sikkim stag ©VR
 3. Desert
• Total area: 6.6%
• It includes Thar and Kutch desert
• Tropical thorn forest comprises with
thorny plants such as Babul
(Accacia nilotica), Khejri
(Prosopis cineraria), Ber (Zizyphus
mauritiana) and Date Palm etc.
• Various endangered species of
mammals such as Wolf, Caracal,
Desert Cat, Black buck and bird
like Houbara, Bustard, Great
Indian Bustard, Flamingo .

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Desert Cat, Caracal
 4. Semi-Arid region
• Total area: 16.6%
• Transition zone between desert and dense
forest of Western Ghats
• It includes the arid desert areas of Thar and
Rajasthan extending to the Gulf of Kutch
and Cambay and the Whole Kathiawar
Peninsula. (Central India: Gujarat- Euphorbia
Rajwara)
• The natural vegetation consists of tropical
thorn forests and tropical dry deciduous
forests, moist forests (extreme north).
Acacia, Date Palm and Peepal etc.
• The Asiatic lion (Leo persica) is restricted
to single site (Gir National Park) found in
this zone. Tiger (Sariska and Ranthambore
Tiger Reserves)
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 5. Western Ghats
• Total area: 4%
• Extend from Tapti river in north to
hills of South in Kanyakumari.
• Dominant with various flora such as
Sheesham, Tuna, Bahera, tea,
coffee, cocoa, rubber, cardamom
etc.
• Significant endemic species include
Nilgiri Langur, Lion Tailed
Macaque, Grizzled Giant Squirrel,
Malaber Civet, Malabar Grey
Hornbill, most amphibian species
etc.
• The area is very famous for
Tortoise, Frog, Lizards and
Snakes. ©VR
 6. Deccan Peninsula
• Total area: 42% (largest)
• Semi-arid region falls in the rain
shadow area of western ghats.
• It is bound by the Sathpura range on
the north, Western Ghats on the west
and Eastern Ghats on the east.
• Large part covered by tropical forest.
Most conserve forest of India in MP,
Maharashtra and Orissa.
• Various important timber species like
Sal and Teak found in this zone.
• Most wildlife species spread
throughout the region. E.g. Cheetal,
Sambar, Nilgai, Chowsingha, Wild
Elephant and Wild buffalo etc. Sambar Chital Chowsinngha
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 7. Gangetic Plain
• Total area: 10.8%
• Stretch from Yamuna river eastward across Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and coastal plains
of Orissa. It includes upper gangetic plains and
lower gangetic plains.
• It is topographically homogeneous and most
fertile agricultural land in the world.
• Sal forest found along the Himalaya and dry
deciduous forest in the plains. Acacia, Mango
Bael and Jamun etc.
• Species getting threatened due to agriculture
expansion.
• The Gangetic Dolphin, Gharial are
characteristic aquatic animal of Ganga river.
• The characteristic fauna of this region include
Rhinoceros, Turtle, Gazzel, Swamp Deer,
Hog-Deer and Hispid Hare etc. ©VR
 8. The Coasts
• Total area: 2.5%
• The coastline from Gujarat to Sunderbans.
It includes West Coast and East Coast.
• Consist of sandy beaches, mangrove, mud
flats, coral reefs and marine angiosperm
pastures.
• The natural vegetation consist of
mangroves. Other are: Coconut, Banana
and Cashew nut etc..
• There are 26 species of fresh water turtles
and tortoises in India and 5 species of
marine turtles, which inhabit and feed in
coastal waters and lay their eggs on
suitable beaches. Tortoise live and breed
mainly on the land. Dugong, Dolphin,
Aligator and Molluscs are other animal
species found in the area.
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 9. North East Region
• Total area: 5.2%
• Transition zone between the Indian,
Indo-Malayan and Indo-Chinese
regions as well as meeting place of
Himalayan mountains and Peninsula
India.
• It includes Brahmputra Valley and
North-eastern Hills.
• 40% of the zone covered by state of
Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Nagaland and Tripura is forest.
Large Indian Civet
• Jack fruit, Chestnut, Castor, Bamboo and Golden langoor
Sal are some important plant species.
• Among animals, the hornbill and the
small carnivore communities display a
species richness not known anywhere.
Eg. Large Indian Civet , Porcupine etc. Red Panda Golden cat
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 10. The Islands
• Total area: 0.3%
• The islands are center of high
endemism and contain India’s finest
evergreen forests. Bahera, Harar and
Jack fruit are some specific plant
species.
• It supports a wide diversity of corals.
• Coral reefs are stretched over an area
of 11,000 sq.km. in the Andamans and
2,700 sq.km. in Nicobar.
• Some of the endemic fauna of
Andaman & Nicobar islands include
Narcondam hornbill, South
Andaman krait etc. Dolphin,
Alligator and Molluscs are other
species.
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