CHAPTER 4

BIODIVERSITY
 Biodiversity

The term biodiversity is made up of two words - bio and diversity.

Bio means living and diversity means variety. So the variety or
variability of organisms and ecosystem is referred to as
biodiversity.
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.

 Species diversity- Diversity among species in an ecosystem.

‘Biodiversity hotspots’ are excellent examples of species diversity.

 Ecosystem diversity- Diversity at a higher level of organization,

i.e., the ecosystem. It concerns the variety of ecosystems on Earth.
 Kinds of biodiversity

Genetic Diversity
Variations among the genes of the same species are known as
genetic diversity.
It is this type of diversity that gives rise to the different varieties of
rice, mangoes,etc.
 Genetic diversity of rice in India

• As per the estimation of 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.

• This clearly shows the genetic diversity within one

species.
Species Diversity
Diversity which arises due to variations among species
present in specific areas is called as ‘species diversity’.
Horses and donkeys are distinct species, as are lions and
tigers.

.
Ecosystem Diversity
Ecosystem diversity is therefore, the diversity of habitats
which include the different life forms within. The term also
refers to the variety of ecosystems found within a bio
geographical political boundary.
 Biogeographical regions of India

The Western Himalayas

 (kashmir to nepal)

The Eastern Himalayas

 (China, sikkim, Bhutan)
Western Deserts
Gangetic Plains
Central India
Western Coast
Deccan Plateau (dry, rocky part in AP
Tamil Nadu karnatak)
North-East India
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Continue…
Sr. Biogeographic Biotic Total area
No. Zone Province (Sq. Km.)
       

1. Trans-Himalayan Upper Regions 186200

       

2. Himalayan North-West Himalayas 6900

    West Himalayas 720000
    Central Himalayas 123000
    East Himalayas 83000
       

3. Desert Kutch 45000

    Thar 180000
    Ladakh NA
       

4. Semi-Arid Central India 107600

    Gujarat-Rajwara 400400
       

5. Western Ghats Malabar Coast 59700

    Western Ghat Mountains 99300

       

6. Deccan Peninsula Deccan Plateau South 378000

    Central Plateau 341000
    Eastern Plateau 198000
    Chhota Nagpur 217000
    Central Highlands 287000
       

7. Gangetic Plain Upper Gangetic Plain 206400

    Lower Gangetic Plain 153000
       
Continue…

    Biodiversity and its Conservation 101

         
8. North-East India Brahmaputra Valley   65200

    North-Eastern Hills   106200

         

9. Islands Andaman Islands   6397

    Nicobar Islands   1930
    Lakshadweep Islands   180
         

10. Coasts West Coast   6500

    East Coast   6500
         
Biodiversity and food web
What would happen if a disease killed off
many of the hawks?
There will be nothing
to eat the snakes, so
their numbers will
increase.
All the frogs
get eaten
 No frogs.

More Cricket
(insect)
Most of the cattail
(Typha)gets eaten
by the crickets
Now the crickets don’t
have enough food so
their numbers go
down
..andso on. Numbers of each species have
an effect on the numbers of the other
species in the web.
 Hotspots of Biodiversity
Hotspots are the richest and the most threatened reservoirs of plant and
animal life on earth.
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
A biodiversity hotspot is a
Hotspots of India biogeographic region with a
• Western Ghats significant reservoir of biodiversity

• North–East Himalaya that is under threat from humans

• Indo-Burma
 India – A Megadiversity nation

India is one of the four mega diversity nations of Asia

Geographical diversity
Climatic diversity
Biological diversity
Habitat diversity
Cultural diversity
Endangered species
Plant or animal species which are at the verge of their extinction
are called endangered species.
Flying squirrel, Gir lion, Crocodile, Flamingo, Wild ass, Desert
cat, desert fox, Asiatic elephant, Orangutans , Great indian
Rhino etc. are some endangered animal species of India.
Endangered plant species - Sandal, Guggal, Sarpgandha, pitcher
plant etc.
 Pitcher
Plant

Guggul
Plant

Gu
 Endangered black buck

• The black buck is also known as kala hiran in India.

• Earlier, it was found all over India except in the north-eastern regions of the
country.
• Due to large scale-poaching and destruction of habitat, its existence now
restricted in some parts of Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal and
Haryana.
• The black buck does not require dense forests, even it is usually found in
open plains in herds. So, open plains need to be conserved in order to
enable the black buck to move freely.
Endangered plant and animal species of India
Endemic Species

The plant or animal species confined to a particular region and

having originated there or a species which occur continuously
in that area are known as endemic species.
Restriction of species or taxa in small region is known as
endemism. Eletaria repens, Ficus religiosa, Butea monosperma,
Ficus bengalensis, etc. are some of the endemic plants of India.
 Edge species
Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered
(EDGE) species represent a disproportionate amount of
unique evolutionary history.
They have few close relatives, are often the only surviving
member of their genus, and sometimes the last surviving
genus of their evolutionary family.
Some EDGE species, such as elephants and pandas, are well
known.
Bumblebee bat (the world’s smallest mammal) is also a less
known EDGE species.
Extremely distinct in their looks, lifestyle and Behavior.
bumble bee bat -- Edge species
- the world’s smallest mammal
Threats to biodiversity
 Conservation of biodiversity

Biodiversity conservation is the scientific management at

its optimum level and derives sustainable benefit for both
the present and the future.
There are two major approaches for conservation of
biodiversity – in situ (on site) and ex situ (off site).
In situ conservation – In situ means the natural or the
original place. In situ conservation includes National
parks, Wildlife sanctuaries, Biosphere reserves, etc.
In situ conservation

• National parks – Corbett

national park in nainital

• Wildlife sanctuary – Sariska

tiger reserve, periyar

• Biosphere reserves - Nilgiri, nanda

devi, sunderbans
 Objectives Features Zone

National Conservation of No person resides in the Core

Parks species of a habitat park other than public
with minimal or very servants on duty and
low intensity of persons permitted by
human activities the chief wildlife warden

Wildlife Conservation of No person resides in the Core, Buffer

Sanctuary species and habitats park other than public and
by manipulative servants on duty and Restoration
management persons permitted by
the chief wildlife warden

Biosphere Conservation of Both natural and Core,

Reserves natural resources human-influenced Buffer,
and the improvement ecosystems; substantial Restoration
of the relationship human settlement and
between humans and Transition
the environment
Core zone:- Undisturbed and legally protected
ecosystem
Buffer zone:- It surrounds the core area and it’s
dedicated to research and educational activity
Transition zone:- Outer most region where
inhabitation, agriculture, recreational activity occur.
Advantages of in situ conservation:

•Long term protection

•Better opportunity for conservation

as well as evolution

• Cheaper

Limitations of in situ conservation:

•Proper protection against

environmental pollution may
not be enough in natural types
of ecosystems
Ex situ conservation – In this technique, plant and animal
species are conserved outside their natural habitats. Ex situ
conservation is the chief mode of preservation of genetic
resources. This can be done through establishment of gene
banks, zoos, botanical gardens, culture collections, etc.
Ex situ conservation

• Gene bank

• Botanical Gardens

• Aquaria

• Tissue culture technique

• DNA technology
Advantages of ex situ conservation

• Long-term conservation

• Controlled supervision of the species survive longer and may

breed more offspring than usual

• The quality of offspring may be improved by genetic

techniques if so required.

• Breeding of hybrid species is possible.

 
Limitations of ex situ conservation

•Not a viable option for protection of rare species due to human

interference

• Can be adopted for only a few kinds of species

• Overprotection may result in loss of natural occurrence.

 Zoogeographical regions of India

On the basis of the type of fauna found in a region, India has

been divided in several regions
•Himalayan Region- yak gural, snow leopard
•Malabar Region (south west –karnataka, kerala -monkeys, deers
(moderate climate)
•Nilgiri Region(western ghats and south India) - no. of birds,
elephants and lions.
•Northern Plains- leopards, neelgai, jackals, deer
•Desert Lands-cheetals, sambars, neelgai, lizard.
•Deccan Plateau Region(bw western ghat and eastern ghat -
varieties of animals.