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BIODIVERSITY :
AN INTRODUCTION
Source: orgs.unca.edu/tulula/images/biodiversity.jpg
Lost My Child Today
I lost my child today.
People came to weep and cry,
as I just sat and stared, dry eyed.
They struggled to find words to say
to try and make the pain go away.
I lost my child today……………….
GREEN
REVOLUTION
Soil degradation
Greater propensity
For
disease
Decrease in
water table
And at the base
and at the base
Was Loss of
biodiversity
Source: www.mccullagh.org
Five mass extinctions
 End Ordovician (~445 Ma)
 Late Devonian (~365 Ma)
 End Permian (~250 Ma)
 End Triassic (~210 Ma)
 End Cretaceous (65 Ma)
And we are moving towards the
SIXTH……………..
Why farmers commit Suicide
www.thehindubusinessline.com
What is BIODIVERSITY ?
 Refers to the numbers, variety and
variability of living organisms and
ecosystem.
 Includes all terrestrial, marine and
other aquatic organisms.
 Covers diversity within species,
between species as well as variations
among ecosystems.
Factors determining Degree of
Diversity






Habitat stress
Geographical isolation
Dominance by one species
Availability of ecological niches
Edge effect
Geological history
Types of Biodiversity
 Genetic diversity - Diversity of genes within
a species. i.e. genetic variability among the
populations and the individuals of the same
species.
 Species diversity- Diversity among species
in an ecosystem. “Biodiversity hotspots”
are excellent examples of species diversity.
 Ecosystem diversity- Diversity at a higher
level of organization, the ecosystem. To do
with the variety of ecosystems on Earth.
Importance of Biodiversity.
 Biodiversity has contributed in many
ways to the development of human
culture, and, in turn, human
communities have played a major role in
shaping the diversity of nature at the
genetic, species, and ecological levels.
Important Role of Biodiversity
 Ecological Role…..
 Economic Role…..
 Scientific Role…..
Ecological Role of Biodiversity
 All species provide at least one function
in an ecosystem. Each function is an
integral part of regulating the species
balance, species diversity and species
health: all aspects which are intrinsic for
the ecosystem as a whole to survive
and prosper
Economic Role of Biodiversity .
 Food: Crop Biodiversity or
agrobiodiversity.
 Goods: Various things like
timber,paper,medicines.
 Recreation: Wildlife tourism, trekking
nature photography,birdwatching.
Scientific Role of Biodiversity
 Genetic resources:Biotechnology and
genetic enginnering use the genes of
organisms to make new crops and
medicines.
 Each species can give scientist some
clue as to how life evolved and will
continue to evolve.
Causes of Biodiversity losses
At least 40 per cent of the world’s economy and 80 per
cent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological
resources. In addition, the richer the diversity of life, the
greater the opportunity for medical discoveries, economic
development, and adaptive responses to such new
challenges as climate change.
— The Convention about Life on Earth,
Convention on biodiversity website.


Habitat loss and degradation.
Habitat fragmentation.
Habitat and Degradation
 Destruction of biodiversity rich areas like tropical
forests.
 Destruction of coral reefs and Wetlands.
 Ploughing of grasslands.
 Aquatic ecosystem is threatened.
 Pollution of freshwater streams, lakes, and marine
habitats.
Threats to Reefs
10% of the coral reefs around the world are already
dead. Coral bleaching is another manifestation of the
problem and is showing up in reefs across the planet.
source:www.oceansalive.org
Threatened Tropical Forests
A world imperiled- forces behind
the forest losses
source:www.mongabay.com
Habitat fragmentation
Emergence
of discontinuities in
organism’s preferred
environment.
Fragmentation and
destruction of
Great Ape habitat
in Central Africa.
The Root Causes of Biodiversity
Loss
 This book provides detailed
studies on the evolving
consensus on biodiversity
loss
 A framework for analyzing
the root causes of
biodiversity loss
 The underlying causes of
biodiversity loss
 Addressing the root causes
of biodiversity loss….
Other causes of decline
 Pollution of wetlands.
 Over-exploitation of resources.
 Construction of large dams.
 Commercial hunting and poaching.
BIODIVERSITY IN INDIA
Himalayas - This majestic range of
mountains is the home of a diverse range
of flora and fauna. Eastern Himalayas is
one of the two biodiversity hotspots in
India.
Chilika - This wetland area is protected
under the Ramsar convention.
Sunder bans - The largest mangrove
forest in India.
Western Ghats - One of the two
biodiversity hotspots in India.
Thar desert - The climate and vegetation
in this area
is a contrast to the Himalayan region.
Source: earthtrends.wri.org
244/18664
88/390
72/458
25/521
03/231
09/5749
Source: www.earthtrends.wri.org/2002-03
Comparative statement of recorded number of
animal species in India and the World
Taxa
Species
World
Percentage of India to
the world
Protista
2577
31259
8.24
Mollusca
5070
66535
7.62
68389
987949
6.9
Other
Invertebrates
8329
87121
9.56
Protochordata
119
2106
5.65
2546
21723
11.72
Amphibia
209
5150
4.06
Reptilia
456
5817
7.84
1232
9026
13.66
390
4629
8.42
Arthropoda
Pisces
Aves
Mamalia
Source: MoEF 2002.
IS THE BIODIVERSITY OF INDIA
UNDER THREAT?
 10% of India’s plant species are
under threat.
 More than 150 medicinal plants have
disappeared in recent decades.
 About 10% of flowering plants,20%
of mammals and 5% of the birds are
threatened.
 From 30000 to 12 ???
Impact of loss of Biodiversity
 Increased vulnerability of species
extinction
 Ecological imbalance
 Reduced sources of food, structural
materials, medicinal and genetic resources
 Cost increase to the society
References…
 MoEF. 2000, Annual Report 2000-2001
New Delhi: Ministry of Environment and
Forests, Government of India
 Myers, N., R A Mittermeier, Mittermeier, C.
G., da Fonseca, G A B, Kents, J. 2000.
Biodiversity hotspots for conservation
priorities, Nature 403: 853-858
 Rajagopalan R,Environmental Studies:
From Crisis To Cure, page no.23-46 and
67-82
 www.globalissues.org/EnvIssues/Biodiversity
 www.edugreen.teri.res.in/EXPLORE/life
 AJAI KUMAR TIWARI- 06
 AMIT GARG- 08
 BAIJANTI MALLICK- 10
 NIKASH ANAND- 22