Biodiversity

Dr. Rinkoo Shantnu

Associate Professor & Head, Department of Business Economics,
Pillai College of Arts, Commerce & Science (Autonomous), New Panvel
Introduction
 The term biodiversity was coined in 1985.
 The word, “Biodiversity”, is combination of two words, “Bio” means life and “diversity” means
variety.
 “Biodiversity is the variation among living organisms from different sources including terrestrial,
marine and desert ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are a part.”
 Biodiversity refers to the variety of living species on Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria,
and fungi.
 It can be used more specifically to refer to all of the species in one region or ecosystem.
 Scientists have estimated that there are around 8.7 million species of plants and animals in
existence. However, only around 1.2 million species have been identified and described so far,
most of which are insects.
Importance of Biodiversity
 Ecological Stability
• Every specie has a specific role in an ecosystem.
• They capture and store energy and also produce and decompose organic matter.
• The ecosystem supports the services without which humans cannot survive. A diverse ecosystem is more
productive and can withstand environmental stress.
 Economic Importance
• Biodiversity is a reservoir of resources for the manufacture of food, cosmetic products and pharmaceuticals.
• Crops livestock, fishery and forests are a rich source of food.
• Wild plants such as Cinchona and Foxglove plant are used for medicinal purposes.
• Wood, fibres, perfumes, lubricants, rubber, resins, poison and cork are all derived from different plant species.
• The national parks and sanctuaries are a source of tourism. They are a source of beauty and joy for many people.
 Ethical Importance
• All the species have a right to exist. Humans should not cause their voluntary extinction.
• Biodiversity preserves different cultures and spiritual heritage. Therefore, it is very important to conserve
biodiversity.
Classification of Biodiversity
Genetic diversity
 It refers to the variations among the genetic resources of the organisms. It is basically the
variety of species expressed at the genetic level by each individual in a species.
 Every individual of a particular species differs from each other in their genetic constitution.
That is why every human looks different from each other.
 People living in different regions show a great level of variation.
 Similarly, there are different varieties in the same species of rice, wheat, maize, barley, etc.
 Diversity of genes within a species increases its ability to adapt to disease, pollution and other
changes in environment.
Classification of Biodiversity
Species diversity
 Species diversity refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular area.
 It is the biodiversity at the most basic level. It includes all the species ranging from plants to
different microorganism.
 It is the biodiversity observed within a community. It stands for the number and distribution of
species.
 The number of species in a region varies widely depending upon the
varied environmental conditions.
 This diversity is seen both in natural ecosystems and in agricultural ecosystems. Some areas are
richer in species than others. Natural undisturbed tropical forests have much greater species
richness than plantations.
Classification of Biodiversity
Ecological diversity
 An ecosystem is a collection of living and non-living organisms and their interaction with each
other.
 Ecological biodiversity refers to the variations in the plant and animal species living together
and connected by food chains and food webs.
 It defines the diversity observed among the ecosystems in a particular region.
 It is the diversity observed among the different ecosystems in a region. Diversity in different
ecosystems like deserts, rainforests, mangroves, etc., include ecological diversity.
Ecosystem/Community Diversity
 Alpha Diversity:
• It is the biodiversity within a particular area, community or ecosystem.
• It is usually expressed by the number of species (i.e., species richness) in that ecosystem.
• This can be measured by counting the number of taxa (distinct groups of organisms) within the
ecosystem (e.g., families, genera, and species).
 Beta Diversity:
• Beta diversity (β-diversity) is a measure of biodiversity which works by comparing the species
diversity between ecosystems or along environmental gradients.
• This involves comparing the number of taxa that are unique to each of the ecosystems.
• It is the rate of change in species composition across habitats or among communities.
• It gives a quantitative measure of diversity of communities that experience changing environments.
 Gamma Diversity:
• It refers to the total species richness over a large area or region.
• It is a measure of the overall diversity for the different ecosystems within a region.
• It is the product of a diversity of component ecosystems.
Threats to Biodiversity
 Habitat destruction - Huge pressure from the world’s rapidly increasing population. Habitat
destruction is currently ranked as the primary causes of species extinction world wide.
 Global climate change - Change in a biotic elements of ecosystems leading to biotic change.
 Habitat fragmentation - From human activity. Reduces ability of habitat to support species.
 Pollution - Introduction of pollutants such as nutrient overloading with nitrate fertilizer as
well as more immediately harmful chemicals.
 Over-exploitation - This includes the illegal wildlife trade as well as overfishing, logging of
tropical hardwoods etc.
 Alien species (Non-native species)- Introduced by humans to regions where there are no
natural predators.
 Disease - Reduction in habitat causing high population densities, encourages spread of
diseases.
https://oh-deer.co.uk/2020/02/23/is-humanity-the-greatest-threat-to-global-
biodiversity/
Conservation of Biodiversity
 In-situ Conservation  National Parks
These are small reserves maintained by the
In-situ conservation of biodiversity is the government. Its boundaries are well demarcated and
conservation of species within their natural human activities such as grazing, forestry, habitat
habitat. In this method, the natural and cultivation are prohibited. For eg., Kanha
ecosystem is maintained and protected. National Park, Bandipur National Park.
 Advantages:  Wildlife Sanctuaries
• It is a cost-effective and a convenient method of These are the regions where only wild animals are
conserving biodiversity. found. Human activities such as timber harvesting,
• A large number of living organisms can be cultivation, collection of woods and other forest
products are allowed here as long as they do not
conserved simultaneously. interfere with the conservation project. Also, tourists
• Since the organisms are in a natural ecosystem, visit these places for recreation.
they can evolve better and can easily adjust to
different environmental conditions.  Biosphere Reserves
These are multi-purpose protected areas where the
• Certain protected areas where in-situ wildlife, traditional lifestyle of the inhabitants and
conservation takes place include national domesticated plants and animals are protected.
parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere Tourist and research activities are permitted here.
reserves.
Conservation of Biodiversity
 Ex-situ Conservation
Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity involves the
breeding and maintenance of endangered species in
artificial ecosystems such as zoos, nurseries, botanical
gardens, gene banks, etc. There is less competition for
food, water and space among the organisms.
 Advantages:
• The animals are provided with a longer time
and breeding activity.
• The species bred in captivity can be
reintroduced in the wild.
• Genetic techniques can be used for the
preservation of endangered species.
https://www.brainkart.com/article/Conservation_38281/
Strategies for Biodiversity Conservation
 All the varieties of food, timber plants, livestock, microbes and agricultural animals should be conserved.
 All the economically important organisms should be identified and conserved.
 Unique ecosystems should be preserved first.
 The resources should be utilized efficiently.
 Poaching and hunting of wild animals should be prevented.
 The reserves and protected areas should be developed carefully.
 The levels of pollutants should be reduced in the environment.
 Deforestation should be strictly prohibited.
 Environmental laws should be followed strictly.
 The useful and endangered species of plants and animals should be conserved in their nature as well as
artificial habitats.
 Public awareness should be created regarding biodiversity conservation and its importance.
Biodiversity in India

 India is one of the twelve mega biodiversity countries of the world.

 It has only 2.4 % of the land area in the world. However, it has 8.1 % of the global species
diversity.
 As an estimate, there are around 45,000 species of plants and about 90,000-1,00,000 species of
animals.
 There are still quite a number of species that are yet to be discovered.
Thank You