By-

Tanisha Ameriya
Lecturer
Department of Environmental Science
IIS (deemed to be University)
Email: tanisha.ameriya@iisuniv.ac.in
• The term Biodiversity was first coined by Walter G. Rosen in 1986.

• Biological diversity, abbreviated as 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.

Types of Biodiversity

Genetic Species Ecosystem

Diversity Diversity Diversity
It refers to the The variety of The variety of
differences in species, refers to habitats, natural
genetic make-up the number of communities and
between distinct ecological
species and the
species and to processes.
genetic variations number of
within a single individuals in a
species. species.
 Values of Biodiversity

Consumptive Productive Esthetic Optional

Social Value
Value Value Value Value

• Products commercially • Social beliefs and • Relates to • Values preserved for

• Direct use harvested for exchange in rituals admiring the future use
Values market. • Ex- sacred trees, beauty of nature
• Ex food, fuel, • This value is concerned with
national income.
animals, poojas • Ex- eco-tourism,
medicines, etc visit to national
• In India, an average income
from biodiversity is nearly parks, etc
30%.
• Ex- milk product industry,
textile and dye industry,
Ivory, silk and leather
industry
 India as a Mega Diversity Nation
• India is one of the 12 mega diverse countries in the world.
• India occupies 2.4.% of the total land area of the world, but it hosts about 7% of
global flora (47,000 plant species) and 6.5% of fauna (81,000 animal species).
Some of the biodiversity criteria are as follows:
1. Endemism:
• Species which are restricted only to a particular area are known as endemic.
• India shows a good number of endemic species. About 62% of amphibians, 50% of
lizards, 53% freshwater fishes, 36% reptiles, 10% mammals and 33% flowering plants are
endemic to India.
• Western Ghats are the site of maximum endemism.
2. Centre of origin: A large number of species are known to have originated in
India. Nearly 5000 species of flowering plants had their origin in India.
Biogeographic
Classification of India
India is considered a biodiversity-rich
nation. For botanical and geographical
purposes, the Indian subcontinent can be
divided into ten regions. These are:
1. Trans-Himalaya
2. Himalaya
3. Desert
4. Semi-arid
5. Western Ghats
6. Deccan Peninsula
7. Gangetic Plain
8. Coasts
9. North-East
10. Islands
 Biodiversity Hotspots
• The hotspots are the geographic region with significant levels of biodiversity that is
threatened with destruction.
• This concept was first introduced by Norman Mayer, in a paper published in the journal
named Nature.
• Biodiversity hotspots are the method to identify those regions of the world where attention is
need to address biodiversity loss and to guide investments in conservation
• To qualify as a hotspot, a region must meet two criteria:
1. It must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants (>0.5% of the world’s population) as
endemic;
2. It has to have lost at 70% of its original habitat.
• At present, there are 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world, out of which 4 are present in India.
• They represent just 2.3% of Earth’s land surface, but between them they contain around 50%
of the world’s endemic plant species and 42% of all terrestrial vertebrates.
Hotspots of the World
Biodiversity
hotspots of India
There are 4 Biodiversity hotspots in
India.
1. The Eastern Himalayas
2. Indo-Burma Region
3. The western Gats
4. Sundaland
 Endangered and Endemic Species of India

• Endangered species are those living organisms which are almost on the verge
of extinction.
• Endemic species are those which are found only in a particular geographical
region because of its isolation, soil and climatic condition.
• The Endangered species in the country are categorized as:
• Vulnerable
• Rare
• Indeterminate
• Threatened
• Natural Causes:
o Low population
o Low breeding rate
o Natural disasters
o Invasive Species
• Anthropogenic Causes:
o Habitat Destruction
o Hunting and Poaching
o Illegal Trade
o Over-exploitation
o Pollution
o Man and Wildlife Conflict
Biodiversity Conservation
• Biodiversity conservation is about saving life on Earth in all its forms and keeping
natural ecosystems functioning and healthy.
• Conservation is of two kinds: In-situ conservation and Ex-situ conservation
• In-situ conservation: the conservation of species in their natural habitats, is
considered the most appropriate way of conserving biodiversity.
• Conserving the areas where populations of species exist naturally is an underlying
condition for the conservation of biodiversity. That’s why protected areas form a
central element of any national strategy to conserve biodiversity.
• A protected area is a geographically defined area that is designated or regulated
and managed to achieve specific conservation objectives. I may be set aside for
the protection of biological diversity and of natural and associated cultural
resources and is managed through legal or other effective means.
• This includes national parks and natural reserves, sustainable use reserves
(biosphere), wilderness areas and heritage sites.
• Ex-situ conservation is the preservation of components of
biological diversity outside their natural habitats. This involves
conservation of genetic resources, as well as wild and cultivated
or species, and draws on a diverse body of techniques and
facilities. Some of these includes:
• Gene banks, e.g. seed banks, sperm and ova banks, field banks
• In vitro plant tissue and microbial culture collections etc.
Organizations related to Biodiversity
Conservation
International Organisations
• World Wildlife Fund for nature (WWF)
• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of
Nature and Natural Resources)
• Fauna and Flora International (FFI)
• United nation Environment Programme (UNEP)
• International Institute for Environment and
Development (MED)
• International Whaling Commission (IWC)
National Organisations
• Bombay Natural History Society
• Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Centre.
• Dolphin Nature Conservation Society
• Forest Research Institute
• National Biodiversity Authority
• National Tiger conservation Authority
• Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust
• Wildlife Research and Conservation Trust
• Wildlife Institute of India
• Zoological Survey of India