ES UNIT - 3: Biodiversity

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
UNIT – 3
BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity:
Biodiversity means variety of life on earth.
➢ Each and every species differ widely from one another. The variation in living
organisms is called biodiversity which is influenced by various physical and
chemical factors.
➢ The variety and variability among all groups of living organisms and the ecosystem
in which they occur or profanity of genes, species and ecosystems of a region.
Importance/ Significance of Biodiversity:

Nutrient cycling:
➢ Some elements like nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorous move in different from in
the food chain.
Example: - Nitrogen cycle
➢ Important for human life as we depend on plants, micro organisms for our food,
medicine and industrial products.
➢ Maintains ecological balance.
➢ Regulate the climate helps in purification of water.
➢ Helps in the formation of soil etc.
Classification or levels of biodiversity:

They are classified into 3 types –
1. Genetic Diversity:
Within individual species there are number of species which are slightly
different from one another. These differences are due to differences in the
combination of genes.
Example: - All rice varieties belong to the genes Oryza Sativa but there are thousands
of rice varieties which show variation at the genetic level differ in their size, shape,
colour and nutrient contact.
UNIT 3: BIODIVERSITY Page 1

C.KISHORE KUMAR, MECS
2. Species Diversity:
Any organisms which resemble and interpret with each other are called
species. It is diversity between different species. The sum of varieties of all the
living organisms at the species level is known as species diversity.
Example: - Plant species (Apple, Mango etc.), Animal species
3. Ecosystem Diversity:
Variety of ecosystems in a given area within a community or organisms
interacts with their environment.
Example: - Godavari Delta ecosystem has grass lands, wet lands, estuaries, fresh,
and salt and mangrove ecosystems.
Bio Geo graphical classification:

Bio geography deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals.
The major biogeography reasons in India are:
1. Trans – Himalayan region 6. Deccan Plateau

2. Himalayan zone 7. Gangetic plane
3. Desert region 8. North East India
4. Semi Arid zone 9. Islands
5. Western Ghats 10. coasts

India as a mega biodiversity nation
Values of biodiversity
Direct Value Indirect Value
Consumptive productive
use value use value
Social & cultural Ethical Aesthetic Optional Environmental

Value value value Value Service Value

Hotspots of Biodiversity:
➢ Norma Myers developed the hotspots concept in 1988 to designate priority areas
for in-situ conservation.
Hotspots:
Areas that are rich in species diversity and most threatened reservoirs of plant and
animal life on earth are called hotspot region.
Criteria for determining a hotspot:

1. Availability of more number of species.
2. Number of endemic species (the species that are found nowhere else)
3. Degree of threat which is measured in terms of habitat loss.
4. It should have a significant percentage of specialized species.
5. It should contain important gene pools of potentially useful plants. There are 25
terrestrial hotspots for conservation of biodiversity has been identified worldwide.
Among 2 are found in India –
I. Western Ghats
II. Eastern Himalayas
III. The hilly ranges of India Myanmar.
Threats of biodiversity:
1. Habitat loss
a. Deforestation
b. Destruction of wet lands
c. Habitat fragmentation
d. Raw materials
e. Illegal trade
f. Production of drugs
g. Development activities
2. Introduction of Exotic species
3. Pollution and Global warming
4. Illegal practices like hunting and poaching
5. Man wildlife conflicts

Endemic Species of India:

➢ Refers to those species which are strictly confined to particular zones only.
Example: - Most of the penguin species are confined or endemic to ice cap regions
only.
➢ Most of the endemic species are seen in Eastern Himalayan regions, Western Ghats
and few other region of north East India.
➢ 220 species of endemic plants are seen in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Endangered species of India:

➢ Endangered species of flora and fauna represents their pollution to such an extent
that could be extinct very soon due to the damage of their habitat areas due to
poaching, low rate of productivity.
➢ Based on their extinction they are further categorized as
1. Vulnerable species
2. Rare species
3. Indeterminate species
4. Threatened species
Conservation of Biodiversity:
Biodiversity Conservation
In - situ Conservation (onsite) Ex – situ conservation (offsite)
Sacred Biosphere National parks, Sacred plants Zoo, Botanical

grooves reservoirs wildlife garden garden,
and sacred sanctuaries Arboreta,
lakes Gene sanctuary Aquarium
Field bank
Terrestrial Aquatic field gene bank
Cryopreservation

➢ It provides immediate benefits to the society such as recreation and tourism.

➢ Important tool for sustainable development.
➢ The enormous value of biodiversity due to their commercial, medicine, genetic,
aesthetic and ecological importance emphasizes the need to conserve biodiversity.
There are two types of biodiversity conservation:

1. In - Situ Conservation:
➢ It involves flora and fauna within the natural habitat where the species
naturally occurs is called in-situ conservation.
➢ The natural habitats or ecosystems maintained under in-situ conservation are
called protected areas.
Important In-Situ conservation:

a. Biosphere reserves – 14
b. National parks – 89
c. Wildlife Sanctuaries – 500
d. Botanical gardens – 120
a. Biosphere reserves:
➢ It deals with the conservation of whole ecosystem and for scientific study.
➢ A biosphere reserve consists of two zones –
i. Core zone:
Internal area with almost no human interference.
ii. Buffer zone:
Surrounds the core zone where research, tourism, agriculture
activities are carried out.
➢ A biosphere reserve may have one or more national parks.
Example: - Niligiri, Nandadevi, Sundarbans etc.
b. National Parks:
➢ It is an area dedicated for the conservation of wild life along with its
environment.
➢ Within the biosphere reserves one or more national park exist.
Example: - Khaziranga National Park (One Horned Rhinos), Gir National Park
(Indian Lion), Jim Carpet National Park (Tiger)
c. Wild life sanctuaries:-

➢ It is an area which is reserved for their conservation of animals only.

Example: - Ghana Birds Sanctuary, Sultanpur Birds Sanctuary etc.
d. Gene Sanctuary: -
It is an area where the plants are conserved.
Example: - One Gene Sanctuary for citrus (Lemon family) etc.
2. Ex-situ conservation: -
➢ It involves the protection of flora and fauna outside the national habitat.
➢ Mainly it is used for the conservation of crop varieties and wild relatives of
crops.
a. Cryopreservation: -
➢ It involves the preservation of seeds, pollen of some important agricultural and
horticultural crops by using liquid nitrogen at a temperature as low as 196⁰C.
➢ It is usually kept at -5⁰C for 5 to 25 years and it is viable for 100 years and is
preserved at -20⁰C.
b. Field Gene Bands: -
➢ These are the places where growing plants of various genetic species are
gathered for creating a gene pool.
➢ The other projects for conservation of animals are
1. Project Tiger
2. Crocodile Breeding Project
3. Gir Lion Project
4. Project Elephant etc.


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ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Importance/ Significance of Biodiversity:

Classification or levels of biodiversity:

UNIT 3: BIODIVERSITY Page 1

Bio Geo graphical classification:

1. Trans – Himalayan region 6. Deccan Plateau

UNIT 3: BIODIVERSITY Page 2

India as a mega biodiversity nation

Direct Value Indirect Value

Social & cultural Ethical Aesthetic Optional Environmental

UNIT 3: BIODIVERSITY Page 3

Criteria for determining a hotspot:

UNIT 3: BIODIVERSITY Page 4

Endemic Species of India:

Endangered species of India:

In - situ Conservation (onsite) Ex – situ conservation (offsite)

Sacred Biosphere National parks, Sacred plants Zoo, Botanical

UNIT 3: BIODIVERSITY Page 5

➢ It provides immediate benefits to the society such as recreation and tourism.

There are two types of biodiversity conservation:

Important In-Situ conservation:

c. Wild life sanctuaries:-

UNIT 3: BIODIVERSITY Page 6

➢ It is an area which is reserved for their conservation of animals only.

UNIT 3: BIODIVERSITY Page 7

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