Lecture-4 ESE

CH1400
ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY ENGINEERING

Lecture 4
Dr. Shipra Verma

Assistant Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering
National Institute of Technology Rourkela
Biodiversity
CONCEPT OF BIODIVERSITY
 Bio means life and Diversity means Variety

 Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms and
habitats found in a defined area.
 The term ‘Biodiversity’ was introduced by an
American Biologist Edward Wilson.
 It represents the totality of genes, species and
ecosystem of a given region.
 Biodiversity is the life support system.
 Organisms depend on it for the air to breathe, the
food to eat, and the water to drink.
Types of Diversity
1. Genetic Diversity
2. Species Diversity
3. Habitat Diversity/ Ecosystem
Diversity
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/meaning-of-biodiversity-1440148279-1
Genetic Diversity
 This is the variety of genetic information contained in all
of the individual plants, animals and microorganisms
occurring within populations of species.
 Simply it is the variation of genes within species and

populations.
 Number of genes in different species
 Mycoplasma :450-700 (Class of Bacteria)

 Oryza sativa :32000-50000 (Rice)
 Homo sapiens :35000-45000
https://www.qsstudy.com/geology/genetic-diversity
Species Diversity
 It is the variety of species or the living organisms.
 It is measured in terms of-
 Species Richness - The total count of species in a defined
area.
 Species Abundance - The relative numbers among
species.
 It is possible to classify species on the basis of their
functions
 Functional types: are categories of species grouped
together based on the ecological functions they perform
within an ecosystem. These functions can include roles such
as primary producers, herbivores, pollinators, decomposers,
and predators, among others.
 Functional analogues: Functional analogues represent
distinct taxa performing the same or very similar ecological
functions.
 Functional types
In a forest ecosystem, functional types might include:
•Canopy trees (tall trees that form the uppermost layer of the forest)
•Understory shrubs (smaller trees and shrubs growing beneath the canopy)
•Herbaceous plants (grasses, ferns, and other non-woody plants)
•Decomposers (fungi and bacteria involved in breaking down organic
matter)
 Functional analogues: distinct taxa performing the same or very
similar ecological functions.
Pollination: Bees, butterflies, birds, and bats can all be considered
functional analogues in terms of their role in pollinating plants.
Nitrogen Fixation: Different species of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the root
nodules of leguminous plants can be functional analogues for providing
plants with fixed nitrogen.
Seed Dispersal: Various animals, including birds, mammals, and ants, can
serve as functional analogues for dispersing seeds of plants.
Species Diversity
https://www.qsstudy.com/geology/species-diversity
Ecosystem/Habitat Diversity
• It relates to the variety of habitats, biotic communities and
ecological processes in the biosphere.
• Example: Deserts, rain forests, mangroves, coral reefs,
wetlands, estuary and alpine meadows etc.
• Biodiversity is not distributed evenly on Earth.
• It is the richest in the tropics.
• Terrestrial biodiversity is highest near the equator, due to
warm climate and high primary productivity.
• Marine biodiversity tends to be highest along coasts.
• Biodiversity generally tends to cluster in hotspots, and has
been increasing through time but will be likely to slow in the
future.
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/meaning-of-biodiversity-1440148279-1
BENEFITS OF BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity contribute to our material well-being.
Firewood
Construction
Food
material
Benefits of
Biodiversity
Education
Medicines
& Research
Fibre Tourism
Ecosystem services
Ecosystem services are defined as the processes and conditions
of natural systems that support human activity.
 Balance of nature
 Biological productivity
 Regulation of climate
 Degradation of waste
 Purifying air and water
 Cycling of nutrients
 Detoxification of soil and sediments
 Stabilization of land against erosion
 Carbon sequestration and global climate change
 Maintenance of Soil fertility
Loss of Biodiversity
• The loss of biodiversity and the related changes in the environment are now faster
than ever before in human history and there is no sign of this process slowing down.
• Many animal and plant populations have declined in numbers and geographical
spread .
• Loss of biodiversity is caused by a range of drivers.
• A driver is any natural or human-induced factor that directly or indirectly causes a
change in an ecosystem.
• An indirect driver operates more diffusely by altering one or more direct drivers.
• Important direct drivers affecting biodiversity are
o Habitat alteration,
o Climate change,
o Invasive species overexploitation
o Pollution
• More than 15,500 species are facing the threat of extinction worldwide.
• At present, 12% of birds, 23% of mammals, and 32% of amphibians face the threat
of extinction
THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
• A threat by definition refers to any process or event whether natural or human
induced that is likely to cause adverse effects upon the status or sustainable use of
any component of biological diversity.
• Habitat alteration and destruction
• Habitat destruction renders entire habitats functionally unable to support the
species present in the habitat.
• Biodiversity reduced in this process when existing organisms in the habitat are
displaced or destroyed.
• Over-exploitation of biological resources
• This results when individuals of a particular species are taken at a higher rate
than can be sustained by the natural reproductive capacity of the population
being harvested.
• This can be through hunting, fishing, trade, food gathering etc.
• Pollution
• Over the past five decades, inorganic and organic pollutants have emerged as
one of the most important factor of biodiversity loss in terrestrial, aquatic-
marine as well as freshwater ecosystems.
• Occurrence of such problems varies widely in different regions.
• Species invasions
• This can be intentional or accidental.
• Introduced species are organisms arising in areas/ habitats in which they were
previously not native.
• Such introduced species are usually referred to as biological pollutants.
• Climatic changes
• This is of great concern especially when global CO2 increases in the
atmosphere resulting to global warming.
• Recent changes in climate, such as warmer temperatures in certain regions,
have already had significant impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem.
• Population
• From 1950 to 2011, world population increased from 2.5 billion to 7 billion
and is forecast to reach a plateau of more than 9 billion during the 21st
century.
• From 1950 to 2011, world population increased from 2.5 billion to 7 billion
and is forecast to reach a plateau of more than 9 billion during the 21st
century .
In ecosystems, the loss of one species can disrupt the balance
and lead to a cascade of effects, potentially affecting multiple
species and the overall health of the ecosystem.
CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY
 Biodiversity inventories
 Conserving Biodiversity in protected Habitats-
 In situ conservation: conservation of species and ecosystems within their natural
habitats (National parks & Reserve forests)
 Ex situ conservation: conservation of biological diversity outside its natural
habitat (removal or relocation of components of biological diversity (e.g.,
individual species) to protected settings) (Seed Bank, Gene Bank, Pollen Bank,
DNA Bank)
 Restoration of Biodiversity
 Imparting Environmental Education
 Enacting, strengthening and enforcing Environmental Legislation
 Population Control
 Reviewing the agriculture practice
 Controlling Urbanization
 Conservation through Biotechnology
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/20
15-04/ecowheel_biodiversity.jpg
ENERGY FLOW IN THE ECOSYSTEMS
 Energy is the most essential requirement for all living

organism.
 Solar energy is the only source to our planet earth.
 Solar energy is transformed to chemical energy in the
form of photosynthesis by the plants.
 Though a lot of sunlight falls on the green plants, only
1% of it is utilized for photosynthesis.
 This is the most essential step to provide energy for all
other living organisms in the ecosystem.
Biotic Components
Abiotic Components
• Energy Flow: Energy is a
crucial component of Earth's
ecosystem.
It flows through the ecosystem
primarily in the form of solar
energy.
• Nutrient Cycling: Nutrient
cycling is the process by which
essential elements like carbon,
nitrogen, phosphorus, and others
are recycled within the
ecosystem.
• Food Webs: Within the
ecosystem, species are
interconnected through
complex food cycles.
The Earth as an ecosystem

Water Cycle
 Transpiration is the process of

water movement through a plant
and its evaporation from aerial
parts, such as leaves, stems and
flowers.
 It helps regulate a plant's
temperature
 Percolation refers to the movement
of fluids (usually liquids) through
porous materials or substances,
such as soil, rock, or other
permeable materials.
Carbon Sources and sink: Carbon Cycle
Human activities: Human activities,
particularly the burning of fossil fuels, have
significantly increased atmospheric CO2 levels.
Terrestrial Ecosystems: Plants take in
atmospheric CO2 during photosynthesis,
converting it into organic carbon compounds
like carbohydrates.
Oceans: They absorb atmospheric CO2, which
can dissolve in seawater to form carbonic acid.
Marine organisms like phytoplankton
incorporate carbon into their shells and tissues.
Over long periods, these deposits can become
part of the ocean's sediments.
Decomposition: Dead plants and animals are
broken down by decomposers (e.g., fungi and The Carbon cycle - Online Science Notes
bacteria), releasing CO2 back into the
atmosphere as they break down organic matter.
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen fixation: The cycle
begins with nitrogen fixation,
where atmospheric nitrogen gas
(N2) is converted into ammonia
(NH3) or related compounds by
certain nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Ammonification: When organisms
die or produce waste, the organic
nitrogen is converted into ammonia
and ammonium ions (NH4+) by
decomposers like bacteria and
fungi.
Assimilation: Plants and other primary producers
Nitrification: Ammonium ions are take up nitrate ions from the soil and incorporate
further transformed into nitrite ions nitrogen into their organic compounds, such as
(NO2-) and then into nitrate ions proteins, nucleic acids, and chlorophyll.
(NO3-) through a two-step process
called nitrification.
https://www.studyacs.com/blog-nitrogen-cycle-37.aspx
Weathering of rocks: Over
long periods, physical and
chemical weathering processes
break down these minerals,
releasing inorganic phosphate
ions (PO43-) into the soil and
water.
Erosion and Transport:
Phosphate ions from weathered
rocks are transported by water,
primarily through runoff, into
rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Biological Uptake: Aquatic
plants, algae, and phytoplankton Consumption: Herbivores and omnivores obtain
in water bodies take up phosphorus by consuming plants or other organisms that
phosphate ions from the water, have assimilated phosphate.
incorporating them into organic
molecules. Geological Uplift: Geological processes like tectonic uplift
can bring phosphorus-containing rocks and sediments to the
Earth's surface, starting the cycle over again.
https://www.sciencefacts.net/phosphorus-cycle.html
Causes of biodiversity loss
 Habitat loss and fragmentation

 Over-exploitation
 Alien species invasions
 Co-extinctions
 Decline in plant production
 Lowered resistance to environmental perturbations such as
drought
 Increased variability in certain ecosystem processes such as plant
productivity, water use, and pest and disease cycles
Reference
1. Rawat U.S and Agarwal N.K, Biodiversity:
Concept, threats and conservation, Environment
Conservation Journal 16(3) 19-28, 2015
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CH1400

ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY ENGINEERING

Dr. Shipra Verma

 Bio means life and Diversity means Variety

3. Habitat Diversity/ Ecosystem

 Simply it is the variation of genes within species and

 Number of genes in different species

 Mycoplasma :450-700 (Class of Bacteria)

 Energy is the most essential requirement for all living

The Earth as an ecosystem

 Transpiration is the process of

 Habitat loss and fragmentation

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