Challenges on Environment

and Biodiversity
Dr. K.K. Sivadasan
Associate Professor of Botany
Mahatma Gandhi Govt. Arts College
Mahe
Our Environment

Definition: The complex set of physical, geographic, biological, social,

cultural and political conditions that surround an individual or organism and
that ultimately determines its form and nature of its survival.

1) All factors living and nonliving that affect an individual organism or

population at any point in the life cycle.
2) Set of circumstances surrounding a particular occurrence.
3) All the things that surrounds us.

The sum total of living and non living components ;

influences and event surrounding an organism
Importance
• Environmental issues are of international importance: global
warming, climate change, ozone layer depletion, acid rain,,
marine pollution, biodiversity loss
• Emergence of problems in the wake of modernization and
development: Industrilization, urbanization, transportation,
agriculture and waste developed n environmental impact
• Explosive increase in population: Heavy pressure on natural
resources and land
• Need for alternate solution: Developing countries to find
alternative paths to developmental goal.
• Need for wise planning of development: Resources withdrawal,
processing and use of the products in sustainable way
• Air quality index of Delhi is
generally Moderate (101–200)
level between January to
September, and then it
drastically deteriorates to Very
Poor (301–400), Severe (401–
500) or Hazardous (500+) levels
during October to December
due to various factors including
stubble burning, road dust,
vehicle pollution and cold
Land Pollution
 Earthquake
• A sudden movement of the earth's
crust caused by the release of stress
collected along faults or by volcanic
activity

Tsunami
• An unusually large sea wave
produced by a seaquake or
undersea volcanic eruption
Volcano
A vent in the earth's crust through which
lava, steam, ashes, etc., are expelled,
either continuously or at irregular
intervals
Okhi
BIODIVERSITY
• The term biodiversity coined by Walter G Rosen in 1985
• “the variety and variability among living organisms and
the ecological complex in which they occur”
• “the variability among living organisms from all sources
including, inter alia (among other things), terrestrial,
marine and other aquatic ecosystem and the ecological
complexes of which they part, this include diversity within
species, between species and of ecosystems”
 Biodiversity of India

• 2.4% of the world’s area

• 7.31% of the global fauna
• 30% of world’s recorded flora
• Home land 167 cultivated spp.
And 320 wild relatives of crop
plants
Economic values

• 1. DIRECT VALUE
Consumptive: All types of biomass food,
fodder, fruit, medicines, industrial raw
materials, wood, animal, fishes, microbial
products
Productive: Breeding, growth &
maintanance, environmental quality
Endemic fresh water ornamental fish WG
 Medicinal plants-1500 spp

Binomial of plants Vernacular name Medicinal uses

Abrus precatorius - Kunni – Fever, aphrodisiac for male (minute conc.), High conc. poison
Achyranthus aspera - Kadaladi- Inflammation, diarrhea, cough
Adhatoda vasica - Adalodakam- Cough, Expectorant, Vomiting
Aerva lanata - Cherula- Kidney stones, Diabetes
Aegle marmelos - Koovalam- Diarrhea, diabetes, antifungal, worm
Aloe vera - Kattarvazha- Cough, Gastric,
Alpinia calcarata - Chittaratha- Rhuematism, Cough,
Alstonia scholaris - Ezhilam pala- Head ache, Diabetes, eczema
Andrographis paniculata- Kiriyarth-
Aristalochia indica - Garudamooli- Antivenum, Cholera
Asparagus racemosus – Sathavari- Gastric, Jaundice,
Azadirecta indica - Veppu- Skin diseases, chickenpox, Spontilitis
Becopa monera - Brahmi- Brain & heart tonic
Boerhavia diffusa - Thazhuthama- Rhuematism, cough
Butea frondosa - Plasu/ chmartha- Worms, bleeding
Calotropis procera - Erukku - Antivenum, asthma, cough
Carica papaya - Pappaya- worms, diarrhea
Cardiospermum helicacabum- Uzhinja- Constipation, stomach ache
Cassia fistula - Kanikonna- skin diseases, constipation
Aesthetics
Coral
Reef
Ecosystem
• Non Consumptive: Aesthetic, Scenic, Tourism,
Religious, Social
 Non-consumptive
Aesthetic, scenic value
 Non-consumptive
Aesthetic, scenic value
 Non-consumptive
Aesthetic, scenic value
Ten sacred plants
(Dasapushpangal)
Aerva lanata
Biophytum sensitivum
Cardiospermum helicacabum
Curculigo orchioides
Cyanadon dactylon
Eclipta alba
Emilia sonchifolia
Evolvulus alsinoides
Ipomea mauritiana
Vernonia cineria
2. INDIRECT: Nutrient cycle, clean air, soil erosion, ecological
balance
3. OPTION VALUE: Bioresource for future uses, Agriculture,
medicine, industrial research
4.NON USE VALUE: Existence value
 group No. of spp.
Biodiversity world & India
Expected 1,22,50,000 Bacteria 850
Algae 2,500
Fungi 23,000
Lichen 1,600
group No. of spp.
Bryophytes 2,700
Bacteria 4000 Pteridophytes 1,022
Algae 40,000 Gymnosperms 64
Fungi 72,000 Angiosperms 17,000
Vascular plants 270,000 Protozoa 2577
Protozoa 40,000 Molluscs 5042
Mollucs 70,000 Crustacea 2970
Insects 950,000 Insects 50717
Nemetodes 25,000 Other invertebrates 11252
Crustaceans 40,000 Protochordata 116
Arachnides 75,000 Pisces 2546
Chordata 45,000 Amphibia 204
Others 115,000 Aves 1228
Total 17,50,000 Mammals 372
Total 1,26,188
Invasive species and freshwater fishes
Flood
• But flood brought many invasive species to natural
freshwater system of Kerala

Aparamia
Exotic from Brazil
FOREST FIRE

Many cases are because of anthropogenic activities

Wildfire is defined as…
any unwanted fire that burns fields, grass, brush or
forests.