Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

BIODIVERSITY
Oh, the beauty of a forest! The pleasure of walking through it, enjoying the smells of the flowers
and the wild; watching the insects flitting about and listening to the birds chirp - how we all love
it and wish to return to it again and again. It is this biodiversity that we have to protect and take
care of in order to enjoy the joy of it all.

ETYMOLOGICAL MEANING OF
BIODIVERSITY
The term was used first by wildlife scientist and
conservationist Raymond F. Dasmann in a lay book
advocating nature conservation. It is derived from two
words i.e. Bio & diversity, where Bio means Living
things & Diversity means Variety.

CONCEPT OF BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity, a contraction of the phrase "biological diversity," is a complex topic, covering
many aspects of biological variation. In popular usage, the word biodiversity is often used to
describe all the species living in a particular area. If we consider this area at its largest scale - the
entire world - then biodiversity can be summarized as "life on earth." However scientists use a
broader definition of biodiversity, designed to include not only living organisms and their
complex interactions, but also interactions with the abiotic (non-living) aspects of their
environment.

Biodiversity is the variety and differences among living organisms from all sources, including
terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are
a part. This includes genetic diversity within and between species and of ecosystems. Thus, in
essence, biodiversity represents all life.

1
 Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

TYPES OF SPECIES
Extinct Species: Any species that no longer exists anywhere on Earth. There are today about
10,000 species of birds, with roughly 1,200 considered to be under threat of extinction.

Labrador Duck

Endangered Species: An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of

becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental
or predation parameters. Also it could mean that due to deforestation there may be a lack of food
and/or water.

Iberian Lynx, Europe's most endangered mammal

WHY IS BIODIVERSITY IMPORTANT?

2
 Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

1. Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all
have an important role to play.
For example: A larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops. Greater
species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms. Healthy ecosystems can
better withstand and recover from variety of disasters.

2. A healthy biodiversity offers many natural services . A healthy biodiversity provides a

number of natural services for everyone:

Ecosystem services, such as

 Protection of water resources
 Soils formation and protection
 Nutrient storage and recycling

 Pollution breakdown and absorption

 Contribution to climate stability

 Maintenance of ecosystems

 Recovery from unpredictable events

Biological resources, such as

 Food

 Medicinal resources and pharmaceutical drugs

 Wood products

 Ornamental plants

 Breeding stocks, population reservoirs

Future resources

 Diversity in genes, species and ecosystems

 Social benefits, such as

 Research, education and monitoring

 Recreation and tourism

3
 Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

 Cultural values

That is quite a lot of services we get for free! The cost of replacing these (if possible) would be
extremely expensive. It therefore makes economic and development sense to move towards
sustainability.

Species depend on each other

While there might be “survival of the fittest” within a given species, each species depends on the
services provided by other species to ensure survival. It is a type of cooperation based on mutual
survival and is often what a “balanced ecosystem” refers to.

For E.g.: The relationship between soil, plants, bacteria and other life.

4
 Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

Biological diversity is being eroded as fast today as at any time since the dinosaurs died out
some 65 million years ago. The crucible of extinction is believed to be in tropical forests. Around
10 million species live on earth, according to the best estimates, and tropical forests house
between 50 and 90 percent of this total. About 17 million hectares of tropical forests – an area
four times the size of Switzerland – are now being cleared annually, and scientists estimate that
at these rates roughly 5 to 10 percent of tropical forest species may face extinction within the
next 30 years.

This estimate may prove conservative, however. Rates of tropic forest loss are accelerating, and
some particularly species-rich forests are likely to be largely destroyed in our lifetime. Some
scientists believe that about 60,000 of the world’s 240,000 plant species, and perhaps even
higher proportions of vertebrate and insect species, could lose their lease on life over the next
three decades unless deforestation is slowed immediately.

CAUSES OF LOSS IN BIODIVERSITY

The most striking feature of Earth is the existence of life, and the most striking feature of life is
its diversity. This biological diversity, or biodiversity, has long been a source of wonderment and
scientific curiosity, but is increasingly a source of concern. Human domination of Earth's
ecosystems is markedly reducing the diversity of species within many habitats worldwide, and is
accelerating extinction.

1. Massive Extinctions from Human Activity

Population growth and increasing resource consumption affect biodiversity in two ways: they
create pressure to convert wildlife habitat into agricultural and urban land, and they produce
wastes that pollute habitat and poison wildlife. These trends can be offset by stabilizing
populations, using resources more efficiently, recycling, and controlling pollution.

“The current extinction rate is now approaching 1,000 times the background rate and may climb
to 10,000 times the background rate during the next century, if present trends continue. At this
rate, one-third to two-thirds of all species of plants, animals, and other organisms would be lost

5
 Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

during the second half of the next century, a loss that would easily equal those of past
extinctions.”

2. Deforestation

A 20-year study has shown that deforestation and introduction of non-native species has led to
about 12.5% of the world’s plant species to become critically rare.
“Loss of forests equates to a loss of many species.”

3. Over Exploitation

Overexploitation remains a serious threat to many species and populations. Among the most
commonly overexploited species or groups of species are marine fish and invertebrates, trees,
and animals hunted for meat. Most industrial fisheries are either fully or overexploited, and the
impacts of overharvesting are coupled to destructive fishing techniques that destroy habitat, as
well as associated ecosystems such as estuaries and wetlands. Even recreational and subsistence
fishing has contributed to what is known as the “shifting baselines” phenomenon, in which what
we consider the norm today is dramatically different from pre-exploitation conditions.

4. Climate change

Climate change in the past century has already had a measurable impact on biodiversity.
Observed recent changes in climate, especially warmer regional temperatures, have already had
significant impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, including causing changes in species
distributions, population sizes, the timing of reproduction or migration events, and an increase in
the frequency of pest and disease outbreaks.

5. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions, which are a major source of global warming, are a prime cause of the
loss of biodiversity. Global warming is expected to contribute to the earth eventually becoming
uninhabitable by most of the species of plants and animals that now exist. Already, the polar ice

6
 Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

caps are beginning to melt, with accompanying rises in sea levels. Concurrently, smaller inland
seas, such as the Aral Sea, are evaporating due to changes in atmospheric temperature, seepage
from irrigation channels, and changes in the composition of the water itself, which destroy the
life they formerly supported.

ENDANGERED FAUNA OF INDIA

SR. NO GRP OF ANIMAL NAME OF ANIMAL LOCATION

Lion Tailed Macaque Western Ghats

Pig Tailed Macaque North – East India

1 Primates
Nilgiri Langur Western Ghats

Kashmir – Sikkim (Himalayan

Himalayan brown bear
region)
Sloth bear
2 Bear All over India
Malayan sun bear
North – Eastern India

Tiger All over India

3 Big Cats Leopard Woody Forest
Snow Leopard Upper Himalayas

4 One Horned
Rhinoceros North Bengal & Plains of Assam
Rhinoceros

5 Wild Ass Wild Ass Rann of Kutch

Kashmir valley & adjoining areas.

Kashmir Stag
Cervidae Marshy areas of Tarai & upper
6 Swamp deer
(Deer Family) Gangetic Plains
Musk deer
Arunachal Pradesh & Assam

7
 Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

Ducks, geese, swans,

Forest ponds & swamps along
pink hued duck
foothills of Himalayas
White winged wood
7 Dense swampy forests of Assam,
Birds duck
Manipur & Arunachal Pradesh
Black necked crane,
Eastern Assam
hooded crane

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Unfortunately, despite the effort put into conservation by organizations and activists, their work
can easily be undermined by those who have other interests. This occurs, for example, from
habitat destruction, illegal poaching, to influencing or manipulating laws designed to protect
species.

1. IN – SITU CONSERVATION (Inside Natural Habitat)

In-situ conservation means "on-site conservation". It is the process of protecting an endangered

plant or animal species in its natural habitat, either by protecting or cleaning up the habitat itself,
or by defending the species from predators.

Some of the In- Situ plans are as follows:

 Natural Parks: Natural Parks contain a variety of uses and areas of preservation,
conservation and recreation. Knox Mountain Park is a good example. Natural areas and
open spaces include ravines, lands adjacent to creeks, wetlands, significant natural
landscapes, hillsides not suitable for development and significant ecological features.
These lands are generally maintained in their natural state but may include parkland
development, which reflect environmental sensitivity.
 Wildlife Sanctuaries: It is a naturally-occurring sanctuary, such as an island, that
provides protection for species from hunting, predation or competition, or it may refer to

8
 Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

a protected area, a geographic territory within which wildlife is protected. Such wildlife
refuges are generally officially designated territories, created by government legislation,
though the land itself may be publicly or privately owned.

 Biosphere Reserves: Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems
promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.
They are internationally recognized, nominated by national governments and remain
under sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. Biosphere reserves serve
in some ways as 'living laboratories' for testing out and demonstrating integrated
management of land, water and biodiversity. Till 1999, ten biosphere reserves had been
set up, namely Nilgiri, Nandadevi, Nakrek, Great Nicobar, Gulf of Mannar, Manas,
Sunderbans, Similipal, and Dibru Saikhowa. A number of NGOs are being involved in
the programme to create awareness. But legal protection is provided only to national
parks and sanctuaries, which cover about 4.5% of India’s land area.

 Protected Mangroves & Wet lands

2. EX – SITU CONSERVATION
(Outside Natural Habitat)

Ex-situ conservation means literally, "off-site conservation". It is the process of protecting

an endangered species of plant or animal by removing part of the population from a
threatened habitat and placing it in a new location, which may be a wild area or within the
care of humans. While ex-situ conservation comprises some of the oldest and best known
conservation methods, it also involves newer, sometimes controversial laboratory methods.

 Botanical gardens & Zoological parks: Zoos and botanical gardens are the most
conventional methods of ex-situ conservation, all of which house whole, protected
specimens for breeding and reintroduction into the wild when necessary and possible.

9
 Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

These facilities provide not only housing and care for specimens of endangered species,
but also have an educational value. They inform the public of the threatened status of
endangered species and of those factors which cause the threat, with the hope of creating
public interest in stopping and reversing those factors which jeopardize a species' survival
in the first place.
 Aquariums: An aquarium (plural aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium consisting of at
least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fish
keepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and
aquatic plants.

 Arboreta: A place where an extensive variety of woody plants are cultivated for
scientific, educational, and ornamental purpose.

 Seed/ Pollen Bank, Tissue/organ culture & Sperm/egg bank are other several ways
through which a part of the organism can be conserved.

IUCN: INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization

dedicated to natural resource conservation. It was founded in October 1948, as the International
Union for the Protection of Nature (IUPN), following an international conference at
Fontainebleau, France. Its headquarters are located in the Lake Geneva area in Gland,
Switzerland. The IUCN brings together 83 states, 108 government agencies, 766 Non-
governmental organizations and 81 international organizations and about 10,000 experts and
scientists from countries around the world.

IUCN's mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve
the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable
and ecologically sustainable.The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN
Red List or Red Data List), founded in 1948, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the
global conservation status of plant and animal species. The International Union for the
10
 Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is the world's main authority on the
conservation status of species. A series of Regional Red Lists are produced by countries or
organizations, which assess the risk of extinction to species within a political management
unit.The IUCN Red List is set upon precise criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of thousands of
species and subspecies. These criteria are relevant to all species and all regions of the world. The
aim is to convey the urgency of conservation issues to the public and policy makers, as well as
help the international community to try to reduce species extinction.

CONCLUSION

The sacred groves of India are some of the areas in the country where the richness of biodiversity
has been well preserved. The Thar Desert and the Himalayas are two regions rich in biodiversity
in India. There are 89 national parks and 504 wildlife sanctuaries in the country, the Chilika Lake
being one of them. This lake is also an important wetland area. Learn more through map on
biodiversity in India.

Over the last century, a great deal of damage has been done to the biodiversity existing on the
earth. Increasing human population, increasing consumption levels, and decreasing efficiency of
use of our resources are some of the causes that have led to overexploitation and manipulation of
ecosystems. Trade in wildlife, such as rhino horn, has led to the extinction of species.
Consequences of biodiversity loss can be great as any disturbance to one species gives rise to
imbalance in others. In this the exotic species have a role to play.

The preservation of biodiversity is not just a job for governments. International and non-
governmental organisations, the private sector and each and every individual have a role to play
in changing entrenched outlooks and ending destructive patterns of behavior. Man is a complex
being; he makes the deserts bloom and lakes die. And so, while we dominate this planet, we still
need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.

11
Come forth into the light of things & let nature be your teacher.

12