Biodiversity (EVS) Unit V

**BIODIVERSITY** Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you'll find in one area---the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to maintain...

**BIODIVERSITY** Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you'll find in one area---the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to maintain balance and support life. Biodiversity supports everything in nature that we need to survive: food, clean water, medicine, and shelter. Biodiversity includes not only species we consider rare, threatened, or endangered but also every living thing---from humans to organisms we know little about, such as microbes, fungi, and invertebrates. At the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, we include humans and human cultural diversity as a part of biodiversity. We use the term "biocultural" to describe the dynamic, continually evolving and interconnected nature of people and place, and the notion that social and biological dimensions are interrelated. This concept recognizes that human use, knowledge, and beliefs influence, and in turn are influenced, by the ecological systems of which human communities are a part. This relationship makes all of biodiversity, including the species, land and seascapes, and the cultural links to the places where we live---be right where we are or in distant lands---important to our wellbeing as they all play a role in maintaining a diverse and healthy planet. **Why is biodiversity important?** Biodiversity is essential for human health and well-being, economic prosperity, food safety and security, and other areas critical to all humans and all human societies. Organisms, ecosystems and ecological processes supply us with oxygen and clean water, they help cycle carbon and fix nutrients, they enable plants to grow, they keep pests and diseases in check, and they help protect against flooding and to regulate the climate. 1. FOOD Biodiversity is essential for healthy child nutrition and provides plant, animal and microbial genetic resources necessary for food production and diversified, balanced diets. Biodiversity provides vital ecosystem functions such as soil fertilization, nutrient recycling, pest and disease regulation, erosion control and crop and tree pollination. 2. Water Biodiversity supports ecosystems to provide and purify water. Every two minutes a child dies from a water-borne disease. But through the continuous recycling of water, biodiversity maintains ecosystem services needed to sustain drinking water supplies. Ecosystems also play a significant role in purifying water. 3. Resilience Biodiversity is essential to increase the resilience of communities and reduce their vulnerability in the face of shocks such as climate change and natural disasters. Biodiversity loss destabilizes ecosystems that can regulate the climate and mitigation of floods. 4. Disease Biodiversity loss can increase the incidence and distribution of certain infectious diseases which are lethal for children. Diseases that spread from animals to humans are a serious threat: studies show that 75 per cent of all emerging diseases come from wildlife, including COVID-19. Deforestation drives wild animals out of their natural habitats and closer to humans and is linked to 31 per cent of outbreaks such as Ebola, and the Zika and Nipah viruses. 5. Medicines Biodiversity is an important and irreplaceable source for medicines and advances in understanding disease, thereby supporting child health. Plants, fungi, microbes and animals are the sources of unique and innovative molecules that form the basis for new medicines. Biodiversity also provides models with which to study health and disease, contributing to improvements in treatment and survival rates. **Threats to biodiversity** The five main threats to biodiversity are habitat loss, pollution, overexploitation, invasive species, and climate change. Increased mobility and trade has resulted in the introduction of invasive species while the other threats are direct results of human population growth and resource use. 1. Extinction Extinction is the global loss of a species. Five mass extinctions have occurred in geological history, and extinction rates were particular high during these events. Earth is currently experiencing a sixth mass extinction, which is driven by human activities. When mass extinctions are not occurring, extinction still occurs at a low rate, the background extinction rate. 2. habitat loss Habitat loss includes habitat destruction, altering the physical environment such that a species can no longer live there, and habitat fragmentation, which involves dividing a habitat into discontinuous patches. 3. overexploitation Overexploitation involves removing organisms at a faster rate than they can be replenished. Examples include the poaching of elephants, unsustainable hunting for bush meat, overfishing, and overcollection of slow-growing plants and fungi. 4\. Pollution Pollution is the release of harmful chemicals or other materials into the environment. Some types of air pollution results in acid deposition and climate change. Nutrient pollution of water bodies due to fertilizer overuse results in eutrophication. 5. Climate change The release of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, when burning fossil fuels for energy causes climate change. Not only does climate change involve an increase in average global temperature, but it also results in unpredictable weather patterns. Climate change threatens biodiversity through a variety of mechanisms and can cause species range shifts, mismatched biotic interactions, sea level rise, and ocean acidification. **Conservation of Biodiversity** Conservation of biodiversity is essential for maintaining ecosystem stability, sustaining life-support systems, and preserving genetic diversity. Various methods can be classified into **in-situ** and **ex-situ** conservation. Below are the primary methods: **1. In-situ Conservation (On-Site Conservation)** This approach involves protecting biodiversity in its natural habitat. **a. Protected Areas** - **National Parks**: Reserved areas for the protection of wildlife and habitat (e.g., Yellowstone National Park in the USA). - **Wildlife Sanctuaries**: Areas that allow some human activities but focus on wildlife protection. - **Biosphere Reserves**: Large areas with zones for conservation, research, and sustainable use (e.g., Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in India). - **Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)**: Ocean regions designated to protect marine biodiversity. **b. Sacred Groves and Landscapes** - Traditional community-protected forest patches or landscapes with cultural or religious significance. **c. Habitat Restoration** - Efforts to restore ecosystems to their original state, ensuring species thrive in their natural environment. **d. Sustainable Land and Resource Management** - Practices like agroforestry, rotational grazing, and sustainable fishing that balance human use with conservation. **2. Ex-situ Conservation (Off-Site Conservation)** This approach involves protecting biodiversity outside its natural habitat. **a. Gene Banks** - **Seed Banks**: Facilities like the Svalbard Global Seed Vault preserve seeds for future use. - **Cryobanks**: Storing genetic material (semen, eggs, embryos) in liquid nitrogen for future breeding programs. **b. Botanical Gardens and Arboreta** - Preserve and study plant species in controlled environments. **c. Zoos and Aquaria** - Provide safe environments for threatened and endangered species, often with breeding programs to reintroduce species into the wild. **d. Captive Breeding and Reintroduction Programs** - Breeding animals in captivity to increase population numbers and reintroducing them into natural habitats (e.g., California Condor). **3. Legislative and Policy Measures** - **International Agreements**: - **Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)** - **CITES** (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) - **Ramsar Convention** (for wetland conservation) - **National Laws and Acts**: Wildlife protection acts and policies promoting conservation. **4. Community-Based Conservation** **a. Participatory Forest Management (PFM)** - Empowering local communities to manage and protect biodiversity-rich forests. **b. Ecotourism** - Promoting responsible tourism to generate revenue for conservation while educating visitors. **c. Indigenous Knowledge and Practices** - Utilizing traditional knowledge for sustainable use of biodiversity. **5. Research and Monitoring** - **Biodiversity Mapping**: Identifying and monitoring species and ecosystems at risk. - **Citizen Science**: Engaging the public in biodiversity monitoring programs. **6. Education and Awareness** - Campaigns, workshops, and inclusion of biodiversity topics in curricula to promote conservation. By integrating these methods, a holistic approach to biodiversity conservation can be achieved, ensuring both ecological balance and sustainable development. **Biogeographical zones of India** India, with its vast geographical extent, varied topography, and climatic conditions, is one of the world\'s most biodiverse regions. It is divided into **10 biogeographical zones** based on ecological, geographical, climatic, and faunal characteristics. This classification provides a framework for conservation planning. Here\'s a detailed overview: **1. Trans-Himalayan Zone** - **Location**: Northernmost region of India, including Ladakh and parts of Jammu & Kashmir. - **Climate**: Cold desert with extreme temperatures and low precipitation. - **Vegetation**: Sparse vegetation; dominated by alpine and steppe shrubs, grasslands, and meadows. - **Fauna**: Snow leopard, Tibetan antelope, wild yak, black-necked crane, Himalayan marmot. - **Importance**: Acts as a buffer zone between the Indian and Palearctic biogeographical realms. **2. Himalayan Zone** - **Location**: Extends across Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and parts of West Bengal. - **Climate**: Varied; ranges from subtropical in the foothills to alpine in higher altitudes. - **Vegetation**: - Subtropical forests (lower altitudes) - Temperate forests (mid-altitudes) - Alpine meadows and tundra (higher altitudes) - **Fauna**: Red panda, Himalayan black bear, musk deer, monal pheasant, snow leopard. - **Importance**: Crucial for water resources and biodiversity; houses many endemic species. **3. Desert Zone** - **Location**: Covers the Thar Desert in Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat. - **Climate**: Arid to semi-arid, with extreme temperatures and low rainfall. - **Vegetation**: Xerophytic plants like cacti, acacias, and thorny bushes. - **Fauna**: Great Indian bustard, desert fox, blackbuck, chinkara, spiny-tailed lizard. - **Importance**: Unique adaptations of flora and fauna to harsh environments. **4. Semi-Arid Zone** - **Location**: Transitional zone between the Thar Desert and the Western Ghats; includes parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Deccan Plateau. - **Climate**: Semi-arid with moderate rainfall. - **Vegetation**: Grasslands interspersed with thorn forests. - **Fauna**: Indian wolf, striped hyena, Indian gazelle, peafowl. - **Importance**: Supports significant human and livestock populations; prone to desertification. **5. Western Ghats Zone** - **Location**: Runs parallel to the western coast from Gujarat to Kerala. - **Climate**: Tropical with high rainfall; known for monsoons. - **Vegetation**: - Tropical rainforests (windward side) - Deciduous forests and grasslands (leeward side) - **Fauna**: Lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr, Malabar civet, Indian hornbill, king cobra. - **Importance**: A global biodiversity hotspot with high levels of endemism. **6. Deccan Plateau Zone** - **Location**: Covers central and southern India, including parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. - **Climate**: Semi-arid to tropical. - **Vegetation**: - Tropical deciduous forests - Scrublands - Grasslands - **Fauna**: Indian leopard, sloth bear, gaur, four-horned antelope. - **Importance**: Rich in minerals and forests; supports diverse ecosystems. **7. Gangetic Plains Zone** - **Location**: Extends across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. - **Climate**: Subtropical with distinct summer, monsoon, and winter seasons. - **Vegetation**: Fertile alluvial soils support deciduous forests, grasslands, and wetlands. - **Fauna**: Ganges river dolphin, Indian softshell turtle, swamp deer, gharial. - **Importance**: Highly fertile and densely populated; crucial for agriculture. **8. North-East India Zone** - **Location**: Comprises Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh. - **Climate**: Humid and tropical with heavy rainfall. - **Vegetation**: - Tropical rainforests - Bamboo groves - Subtropical forests - **Fauna**: Hoolock gibbon, one-horned rhinoceros, clouded leopard, hornbills. - **Importance**: Part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot; rich cultural and biological diversity. **9. Islands Zone** - **Location**: Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal) and Lakshadweep Islands (Arabian Sea). - **Climate**: Tropical maritime. - **Vegetation**: Mangroves, tropical rainforests, and coastal vegetation. - **Fauna**: Saltwater crocodile, Nicobar pigeon, dugong, leatherback turtle. - **Importance**: Marine biodiversity, coral reefs, and endemic species. **10. Coastal Zone** - **Location**: Covers the long coastline along the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. - **Climate**: Tropical and humid. - **Vegetation**: Mangroves, sandy beaches, estuarine ecosystems, and wetlands. - **Fauna**: Olive ridley turtle, crabs, dugongs, coastal birds, and fishes. - **Importance**: Supports marine biodiversity, fishing communities, and acts as a barrier against coastal erosion. **Significance of Biogeographical Zones** 1. **Biodiversity Conservation**: Each zone harbors unique ecosystems and species. 2. **Ecological Services**: Provides clean air, water, and resources. 3. **Sustainable Development**: Helps plan land use, resource management, and conservation strategies. 4. **Research and Monitoring**: Offers a basis for studying climate change, migration patterns, and habitat management. India\'s biogeographical diversity underscores the need for region-specific conservation strategies to protect its unique and rich natural heritage.