Biodiversity Conservation PDF

# What is Biodiversity? Biodiversity or biological diversity refers to the range of organisms living in a given place. It shows the variety of life on Earth, and the variability among organisms, both within species and between ecosystems. Ecosystems include both the organisms interacting in an area...

# What is Biodiversity? Biodiversity or biological diversity refers to the range of organisms living in a given place. It shows the variety of life on Earth, and the variability among organisms, both within species and between ecosystems. Ecosystems include both the organisms interacting in an area and the environment in which they live. The plants found in a particular region together make up the flora of that region, while the animals of that region make up its fauna. Together, the flora and fauna contribute to the biodiversity of the area. Biodiversity varies between different ecosystems. For example, in a desert ecosystem, we may see only a few species of shrubs, cacti, reptiles, birds and rodents. However, in a tropical rainforest ecosystem, we may see thousands of species of plants, fungi, insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals within the same small area. Biodiversity varies within ecosystems too. Even in a desert with only a few species of plants and animals, the sand may contain millions of microorganism species. ## India's Biodiversity India has a rich biodiversity with varied species of flora and fauna. Its flora consists of about 30,000 species of plants. There are almost as many species of fungi. India’s fauna consists of more than 400 species of mammals, more than 1200 species of birds and more than 60,000 species of insects. In addition, there are also fish, amphibians, reptiles and many other kinds of animals. ### Endemic species A species of plant or animal that is found only in a given region and nowhere else in the world is said to be endemic to that region. For example, the Asiatic lion is found only in the Gir National Park area in Gujarat. Only about 500 lions still remain. The lion-tailed macaque is a species of monkey that is endemic to the Western Ghats of India. India has many other endemic species. Preserving biodiversity is important. We should remember that we share the Earth with other living things, which have a right to exist. Plants and animals are also renewable natural resources from which we obtain many products. ## Threats to Biodiversity Many animals and plants are increasingly under threat due to the following reasons: - The international trade in wildlife and wildlife products poses a threat to plants and animals. For example, body parts such as the skin, fur, bones, tusks, claws, feathers, internal organs and bile of wild animals are used to make ornaments or medicines. These animals are sometimes killed or trapped in areas where it is forbidden. This is known as poaching. - Human activities, such as clearing land for agriculture and urban or industrial development, has led to the destruction of habitats. This harms biodiversity. - Pollution due to human activities has resulted in global warming and climate change. This adversely affects biodiversity. - The introduction of exotic species is also a threat to biodiversity. ## Forests Forests are an important renewable resource for the following reasons: - They are sources of useful materials such as timber, paper, resin, rubber, lac and medicines. - Forests serve as a habitat for many kinds of organisms. - They play an important role in controlling soil erosion and conserving groundwater. - They are a natural source of oxygen and help to maintain the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. - They play an important role in the water cycle and help to increase rainfall. ### Deforestation Deforestation is the removal of trees from a region. Forests are being destroyed to meet the increasing demands for land for urban development and farming, and wood for fuel and construction. The building of mines, factories and dams, as well as overgrazing by cattle result in deforestation and affect the environment. ### Effects of deforestation Deforestation causes the following changes in the environment: - The removal of forests leads to increased erosion of topsoil by wind and water. This leads to land degradation and consequently, plants cannot grow in that region. Over time, continued soil erosion may convert the land into a desert. This is called desertification. - The water absorption capacity of the soil is reduced, leading to a reduction in groundwater. The decrease in absorption of water by the soil increases run-off on the surface, thereby increasing the danger of floods when it rains heavily. Heavy run-off can also lead to soil erosion. - When there are fewer plants to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the percentage of the gas in the atmosphere increases, contributing to global warming. This disturbs the water cycle and causes melting of ice in glaciers and at the Poles. - The habitats of animals are destroyed, which may lead to the extinction of some species over time. ### Forest Conservation Many methods are used to maintain forest cover. One of the simplest methods is to reduce the use of paper. According to research, more than 15 trees are cut down to produce about 1000 kg of paper. Recycling paper is also important. This involves converting waste paper into new products. The other methods of conserving forests are as follows: - **Afforestation and reforestation** - Afforestation is the planting of trees in an area that was previously not forested. - Reforestation is replanting trees in forest areas which are damaged or degraded. Both are important parts of forest conservation. - **Forest management** - Forests should be managed such that useful products can be harvested from them in a sustainable manner. The number of trees cut and the harvesting of other resources should be controlled. This will allow the forest ecosystem to remain conserved. - **Preventing overgrazing** - Grazing animals eat or trample young trees, destroy leaves on lower branches and injure roots and trunks. Overgrazing, or allowing domesticated animals to graze in the same area over a period of time, does not allow the plants in the area to regenerate. Therefore, overgrazing should be prevented. - **Preventing forest fires** - A forest fire destroys trees and saplings, kills wild animals, and may even burn and destroy the rich humus of the forest floor. Lightning is a natural cause of forest fires. Human carelessness is another cause. To control forest fires, the following methods are used: - Fire lines, which resemble roads, are made in a forest at regular intervals, and provide gaps at which a forest fire can be stopped. - Fire extinguishing solutions are sprayed from airplanes to put out forest fires. - Firefighters equipped with water tanks and chemical fire extinguishers can sometimes bring a forest fire under control. ## Conservation of Wildlife An endangered species is one whose population has become very small. A species may become endangered if individuals in its population cannot adjust to environmental changes and begin to die, or if they are killed indiscriminately. If a species disappears completely and no individuals are left on Earth, it is said to have become extinct. If endangered animals are not protected, they may become extinct. A species at risk of becoming endangered in the future is said to be vulnerable. The dodo was a species of bird that was hunted to extinction several centuries ago. The passenger pigeon and Yangtze river dolphin became extinct recently. The tiger, blue whale, Asian elephant and gharial are some endangered species. Wildlife conservation is closely related to forest conservation. Increasing human pressure on wildlife has led to the extinction of some species. This pressure is in the following forms: - Habitats are destroyed when forests are cleared for land. - Animal species are over-exploited for commercial use (for example, the sale of the skins, teeth and claws of leopards, cheetahs and tigers). - The destruction of aquatic habitats by pollution has made the water unfit for aquatic animals to survive. The following steps should be taken to conserve wildlife: - **Hunting Regulations** - Strict laws have to be implemented to regulate hunting and fishing. Poaching of animals that are endangered should be banned. The tiger is endangered primarily due to hunting and the destruction of its natural habitat. The hunting of tigers is now banned in India. - Elephants are being poached for their ivory. Though ivory trade is banned globally, poaching will continue as long as there are people who buy ivory illegally. - **Population Surveys** - Surveys of wildlife populations should be conducted regularly to collect information on population changes. This will enable early identification of species whose populations show a decline, so that steps can be taken for their conservation. - **Red List** - The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) provides information about threatened species of plants and animals in the world in the form of what is called the Red List. Here, species are classified into different categories depending on the risk of extinction as: extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable. - The IUCN also maintains the Red Data Book, which provides data on the population status of the species included in the Red List. The Red List and the Red Data Book are periodically revised. - **Habitat Protection** - The destruction of habitats is the main threat to wildlife today. The development of farms, industries, houses and transportation has left fewer areas where animals can breed, nest and feed. Some areas are now set aside to protect habitat and wildlife. These are called protected areas. ## Biosphere reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks Less than 5% of the area of India has been declared to be protected area. This includes 18 biosphere reserves, 103 national parks, 543 wildlife sanctuaries, community reserves and conservation reserves. Some of the national parks and sanctuaries have been declared tiger reserves and elephant reserves specifically to protect these endangered animals. Biosphere reserves are protected areas where human beings, flora and fauna coexist. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve are examples of such reserves. The core zone of a reserve is a protected ecosystem where no human activity is permitted. In the surrounding buffer zone, limited human activity is permitted, and in the outermost transition zone many human activities are permitted, such as settlement, growing of crops, forestry and recreation. ## National parks and wildlife sanctuaries National parks and wildlife sanctuaries are protected forests for the preservation of wildlife. They provide protection and suitable living conditions for wild animals. Some examples include the Gir National Park in Gujarat, Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, the Pulicat Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh and the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, which houses the Indian one-horned rhinoceros. ## Captive Breeding Sometimes, animals are bred in places away from their natural habitats. Such programmes, called captive breeding programmes, are undertaken in zoos and aquariums. Animals that have been bred successfully in captivity and reintroduced into the wild include the Californian condor and the Arabian oryx.