BIODIVERSITY AND

CHALLENGES FACED

-by
ASHITA SHARMA
BBA 3A E
ENROLL NO.- 00421401719
Index:
Biodiversity:
 Biodiversity meaning.
 Need of biodiversity.
 Classification of biodiversity.
 Biodiversity at international level.
 Biodiversity at national level.
Causes of biodiversity:
 Threats to biodiversity.
 Effects of biodiversity.
Conservation of biodiversity:
 Methods to prevent biodiversity.
 Conservation approaches.
 Conclusion.
BIODIVERSI
TY.
Biodiversity

Bio =

Diversity =

Variety
Definition:
‗Biological diversity‘ or biodiversity is that part of nature which
includes the differences in genes among the individuals of a
species, the variety and richness of all the plant and animal
species at different scales in space, locally, in a region, in the
country and the world, and various types of ecosystems,
both terrestrial and aquatic, within a defined area.

The word BIODIVERSITY

originates from the Greek word BIOS = LIFE
and Latin word DIVERSITAS = VARIETY or DIFFERENCE.
The whole word BIO DIVERSITY generally therefore means:
VARIETY OF LIFE.
Why is biodiversity important?

Everything that lives in an ecosystem is part of the web of

life, including humans. Each species of vegetation and each
creature has a place on the earth and plays a vital role in the
circle of life. Plant, animal, and insect species interact and
depend upon one another for what each offers, such as
food, shelter, oxygen, and soil enrichment.

Maintaining a wide diversity of species in each ecosystem

is necessary to preserve the web of life that sustains all
living things. In his 1992 best-seller, "The Diversity of Life,"
famed Harvard University biologist Edward O. Wilson --
known as the "father of biodiversity," -- said, "It is reckless to
suppose that biodiversity can be diminished indefinitely
without threatening humanity itself."
Ecosystem Species
diversity refers to diversity is the
the diversity of a effective
place at the level number of
of ecosystems. different
The term differs species that are
from biodiversity, represented in
which refers to a collection of
variation in individuals
species rather
than ecosystems.

Genetic diversity, the level of biodiversity refers

to the total number of genetic characteristics in the
genetic makeup of a species.
Ecosystem d i v e r s i t y Genetic d i v e r s i t y

SPECIES
DIVERSITY

species = a particular type of

 Includes diversity above
the species level.
Biologists have viewed
diversity above the
species level in various
ways. Some alternative ways
to categorize it include:
 Community
diversity
 Habitat
diversity
 Landscape
organism; a population or group
of populations whose members
share certain characteristics and
can freely breed with one another
and produce fertile offspring
› Species diversity = the number
or variety of species in a
particular region
› Species richness = number of
species
› Evenness, or relative abundance
= extent to which numbers of
different species are equal
or skewed
• Includes the differences
in DNA composition
among individuals
within a given species.
• Adaptation to particular
environmental conditions may
weed out genetic variants that
are not successful.
• But populations benefit from
some genetic diversity, so as
to avoid inbreeding or disease
epidemics.
•India is known for its rich heritage of biodiversity.
• India is one of the 17 mega-diverse countries in the world.
•With only 2.4 % of the world‘s area, India accounts for 7–8 % of the world‘s
recorded plant and animal species.
•India‘s ten biogeographic zones possess an exemplary diversity of ecological
habitats like alpine forests, grasslands, wetlands, coastal and marine ecosystems,
and desert ecosystems.
•Amongst the existing biota, 91,307 species of animals of which 2,557 Protista,
12,470 general invertebrates, 69,903 arthropods, 4,994 vertebrates, and 45,500
species of plants as well as 5,650 microbial species have been documented in its
10 bio-geographic regions.
•India has four out of thirty-four global biodiversity hotspots, which is an indicator
of high degree of endemism (of species) in India.
• About 5,150 plant species and 1,837 animal species are endemic to India.
•India‘s biodiversity includes wild relatives of agricultural crops and domesticated
animals.
 India has 16 major types and 251 subtypes of forests.
Indigenous medicine systems utilize nearly 6,500 native plants for both human and
animal healthcare.
India‘s diverse preponderance of native tribal and ethnic groups has contributed
significantly in the conservation and diversification of biodiversity. Its cultural and ethnic
diversity includes over 550 tribal communities of 227 ethnic groups spread over 5,000
forested villages. India proudly upholds the tradition of nature conservation.
In 252 B.C., the Emperor Asoka established protected areas (PAs) for mammals, birds,
fish and forests through a proclamation. Jim Corbett National Park covering an area of
325 sq km came into being as the India‘s first and world‘s third National Park in 1936.
India has currently 4.79 % of total geographic area under an elaborate network of PAs,
which includes 99 National Parks, 513 wildlife sanctuaries, 43 conservation reserves, 4
community reserves and 3 biodiversity heritage sites.
India has a National Wildlife Action Plan, which envisages 10 % of the geographical
area of the country under PA coverage.
Causes of
BIODIVERSITY
 BENEFITS OF BIODIVERSITY Ecological services:
 Balance of nature
Consumptive value:
 Food/Drink  Biological productivity
 Fuel
 Regulation of climate
 Medicine
 Batter crop varieties  Degradation of waste
 Industrial Material
 Cleaning of air and water
Non-Consumptive Value:
 Recreation  Cycling of nutrients
 Education and Research
 Control of potential pest and disease causing species
 Traditional value
 Detoxification of soil and sediments
 Stabilization of land against erosion
 Carbon sequestration and global climate change
 Maintenance of Soil fertility
 Flora and fauna diversity depends on-
 Climate
 Altitude
 Soils
 Presence of other species
 Most of the biodiversity concentrated in Tropical region.

BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS:
 A region with high biodiversity with most of spices being
Endemic.
India have two Biodiversity Hotspots- East Himalayan Region
and Western Ghat
 THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY

Natural causes:
 Narrow geographical area
 Low population
 Low breeding rate
 Natural disasters
Anthropogenic causes:
 Habitat modification
 Overexploitation of selected species
 Innovation by exotic species.
 Pollution
 Hunting
 Global warming and climate change
 Agriculture
 Domino effect
Species and taxonomy
Each species is classified within
a hierarchy reflecting
evolutionary relationships.

Two related species might be in

the same genus; two related
genera in the same family, etc.
Threatened endangered species In
India
Diversity of subspecies
Endangered golden lion
tamarin, endemic to Brazil’s
Atlantic rainforest, which has
been almost totally destroyed.

Within species,
diversity exists in
subspecies, or
geographic
variations.
The tiger,
Panthera
tigris,
had 8
subspecie
s.
5 persist
today,
including
Panthera
tigris
CONSERVATIO
N OF

BIODIVE
Conservation approaches: International treaties
• Various treaties have helped conserve biota.

• A major one is CITES, the Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, prepared in 1973.

• It bans international trade and transport of body parts of endangered

organisms.
 Conservation approaches: International treaties
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), from the Rio Conference in 1992, aims to:
• Conserve biodiversity
• Use it sustainably
• Ensure fair distribution of its benefits

The CBD has been signed by 188 nations, but not by the United States.

Biodiversity is the variety of life forms on earth and the essential interdependence
of all living things.
 As defined in convention on Biological diversity singed at Rio De Jenerio
(Brazil) in 1992 by 154 countries, the Biodiversity defined as “the variability among
living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other
aquatic eco-systems and the ecological complexes of which the area part- this
include diversity with in species, between species and of ecosystem.”
 According to IUCN in 1998, “the variety and variability of species of their
population, the variety of species of their life forms, the diversity of the complex
association with species with their interaction and their ecological process which
influences perform.”
BIODIVERSITY CONVENSIONS

The first convention on biodiversity organized at Rio De

Janerio, capital of Brazil from June 5 to 16, 1992 named as United
Nation Conference On Environment and Development
(UNCED), batter known as Rio Summit to maintain ecological
balance and enrich biodiversity. The agreement on biodiversity
signed by 150 countries including three programmes-
 To ensure conservation of biodiversity
Sustainable use of biodiversity
Rational and equitable share of profit to accrue from use of
genetic resources.
The second convention organized at Johannesburg in 2002
called World Summit On Sustainable Development (WSSD)
where the Biodiversity and Sustainable Ecosystem Management
was the issue.
The International Conference held on Biodiversity in
Relation to Food & Human Security in a warming planet 15-17
February, 2010 in Chennai.
International Conference on Wildlife & Biodiversity
Conservation held on 3 to 5 June, 2010 at Dal lake, Srinagar,
Kashmir.
Indian Biodiversity Congress (IBC) & Indian Biodiversity
Expo(IBE) will be held on 27-31 December at
Thriuvananthapuram, Kerala
 CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY: INSITU AND EX-SITU

In-situ conservation:
Conservation of a species is best done by protecting
its habitat along with all the other species
that live in it in nature.

Ex-sittu conservation:
However, there are situations in which an endangered species is so close to extinction that
unless alternate
methods are instituted, the species may be
rapidly driven to extinction.

 Restoration of Biodiversity
 Biodiversity inventories  Imparting Environmental Education
 Conserving Biodiversity in protected Habitats-  Enacting, strengthening and enforcing Environmental
In situ conservation Legislation
Ex situ conservation  Population Control
 Seed Bank, Gene Bank, Pollen Bank, DNA  Reviewing the agriculture practice
Bank  Controlling Urbanization
 Conservation through Biotechnology
 Biodiversity
Conservation

In situ Ex situ

Biosphere Sacred plant

Sacred National home
groves Reserves parks, wildlife garden
and lakes sanctuaries

Seed Bank, Gene

Terrestria bank,
l Cryopreservation

Marine
Botanical
garden,
Zoological
garden,
Aquaria
Biodiversity loss and species extinction

• Extinction = last member of a species dies and the species

vanishes forever from Earth
• Extirpation = disappearance of a particular population, but not
the entire species globally

• These are natural processes.

On average one species goes extinct naturally 500– every
1,000 years—this is the background rate of extinction.
• 99% of all species that ever lived are now extinct.
 Benefits of biodiversity: Biophilia
Biophilia = human love for and attachment to other living things; ―the
connections that human beings subconsciously seek out with the rest of
life‖:
• Affinity for parks and wildlife
• Keeping of pets
• Valuing real estate with landscape views
• Interest in escaping cities to go hiking, birding, fishing, hunting,
backpacking, etc.
 Ethics?
Do we have an ethical responsibility to prevent species
extinction?

On one hand, as humans we need to use resources and consume

other organisms to survive.

On the other hand, we have conscious reasoning ability and are

able
to make conscious decisions.
 Conservation biology
• Scientific discipline devoted to understanding the factors, forces,
and processes that influence the loss, protection, and restoration
of biological diversity within and among ecosystems.

• Applied and goal-oriented: conservation biologists

intend to prevent extinction.

• This discipline arose in recent decades as biologists grew

alarmed at the degradation of natural systems they had spent
their lives studying.
 Equilibrium theory of island biogeography
• Explains how species diversity patterns arise on islands, as a result of:
• Immigration
• Extinction
• Island size
• Distance from the mainland

• The theory originally developed as basic science for oceanic islands.

• Then it was found to apply to islands of habitat (fragments) within terrestrial

systems, for conservation biology.
 Conservation approaches: Captive breeding
• Many endangered species are being bred in zoos, to boost populations and
reintroduce them into the wild.
• This has worked so far for the
California condor
(in photo, condor hand puppet feeds
chick so it imprints on birds, not
humans).

• But this is worthless if there is not

adequate habitat left in the wild.
 Conservation approaches: Umbrella species
• When habitat is preserved to meet the needs of an ―umbrella species,‖
it helps preserve habitat for many other species. (Thus, primary species
serve as an ―umbrella‖ for others.)

• Large species with large home ranges (like tigers and other top predators) are
good umbrella species.

• So are flagship species, or charismatic species that win public affection, like the
panda.
Conservation approaches: Biodiversity hotspots

Biodiversity hotspot = an area

that supports an especially
high number of species
endemic to the area, found
nowhere else in the world
Conservation approaches: Biodiversity hotspots

Global map
of
biodiversity
hotspots, as
determined
by
Conservatio
n
International.
 Conservation approaches: Community-based conservation
• Many environmentalists from developed nations who want to establish reserves in
developing nations have been viewed with resentment by local people.
• But today many efforts work with local communities to get them invested in the conservation
of their
own natural resources.
• This community-based conservation makes efforts more complex, but will probably be
more successful in the long run.

Conservation approaches: Economic incentives

Debt-for-nature swaps = a non-governmental organization (NGO) raises money and offers to pay
off
debt for a developing country, in exchange for parks, reserves, habitat protection
Conservation concession = an NGO offers money to a developing nation‘s government for a
concession to some of its land—for conservation, rather than for resource extraction
 CONCLUSION

Biodiversity is our life. If the Biodiversity got lost at this rate then
in near future, the survival of human being will be threatened. So, it
is our moral duty to conserveBiodiversity as well our Environment.
Long-term maintenance of species and their management requires
co-operative efforts across entire landscapes. Biodiversity should
be dealt with at scale of habitats or ecosystems rather than at
species level.
The
end