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Biodiversity and its conservation

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 ENVIRONMENT
Biodiversity and its Conservation
B iodiversity or Biological
diversity refers to the
variety and variability
among genes, species and
ecosystems.
There are three levels of biodiversity
namely genetic diversity, species
diversity and ecosystem diversity.
Genetic diversity is the genetic
conservation of variation within species, both
among geographically separated
biodiversity is the populations and among individuals
need of the hour for within single population. This
food, fodder, fuel, genetic diversity is the result of
different modes of adaptation in
timber and medicinal
different habitats, which provides
requirements organisms and ecosystems with
and also for the capacity to recuperate after change
has occurred. Species diversity
agricultural
denotes the variety of species on
production, earth from acellular viruses to single
ecological balance, celled microorganisms like bacteria,
mycoplasmas, actinomycetes etc. to
and mitigation of
multicellular plants and animals. For
environmental proper functioning of particular
pollution community
The author is an Ecologist associated with Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
YOJANA August 2010
FOCUS
Arvind Singh
or ecosystem the species diversity
is very essential. In a community
the survival of all species are
interrelated to the existence of
other living organisms. Ecosystem
diversity refers to variations in the
biological communities in which
species live, the ecosystem in which
communities exist and interactions
among these levels. Ecosystem
diversity is reflected in diverse
biogeographic zones such as lakes,
deserts, coasts, estuaries etc.
Significance of biodiversity
Biodiversity plays a crucial role
in the life of man. Biodiversity fulfils
the need of food, fodder, fuel, timber
and medicines. It is estimated that
more than 25 per cent of all
medicines available today are derived
from tropical plants. Plants are
important source of grazing for cattle
and other herbivores. Flesh of
animals is an important source of
food for human beings.
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 Biodiversity helps in increasing
the agricultural production and also
in developing disease resistant
varieties. It was evident in the early
1970s when an epidemic called
grassy stunt disease of rice caused by
virus destroyed more than 160,000
hectares of the crop in Asia. A
resistance gene borrowed from
wild rice variety of Central India
named Oryza nivara controlled
the disease. It was the only known
genetic source of resistance to the
grassy stunt disease.
Biodiversity plays an important
role in protecting the water
resources. The natural vegetation
cover in water catchment helps in
maintaining hydrological cycles,
regulating and stabilizing water
runoff and acts as buffer against
natural disasters like flood and
drought. Vegetation facilitates the
percolation of water into the
ground, thus helping in
maintenance of ground water table.
The standing mangrove
vegetation along the sea coast
serves as a shield against natural
disasters like cyclone and tsunami.
Biodiversity plays significant role
in soil formation and its protection.
The vegetation improves the soil
structure, increases the water
holding capacity of the soil and also
raises the nutrient level of the soil.
Biological diversity plays
important role in nutrient recycling. It
is the sink and source of nutrients.
Microbes in the soil, facilitating the
nutrient return to the soil decompose
the dead plant parts and animals.
58
Biodiversity helps in elimination
of environmental pollution . ecosystems are home of wild-life
Breakdown of the pollutants and
its absorption is a feature of many
plants. The plant Vinca rosea
(Sadabahaar) has the ability to
degrade Trinitrotoluene (TNT) like
explosive. Several strains of
microorganisms have been found
useful for the purpose of cleaning
up toxic wastes. Some plant species
thrive on soils that are rich in heavy
metals. Several plants have the
ability to hyperaccumulate metals
like copper, nickel, cadmium,
chromium, cobalt and mercury.
They can be planted on toxic waste
sites where they remove the toxic
metals from the soil. The Indian
mustard (Brassica juncea) has the
ability to absorb cadmium and
chromium from the soil. Aquatic
plants like Eichhornia crassipes,
Lemna minor and Azolla pinnata are
used for disposition and extraction
of metals like copper, cadmium,
iron and mercury from water.
Forests comprising diverse
group of plant species are the major
sinks of carbon dioxide. The latter
serve as a green house gas causing
global warming. Thus ecologically
diverse forest ecosystems help in
mitigation of global warming.
Biodiversity provides stability
to the ecosystem and maintains
the ecological balance. Plants and
animals in ecosystem are linked to
each other through food chain and
food web. The loss of one species
in the ecosystem affects the
survival of other species. Thus the
ecosystem becomes fragile.
Ecologically diverse forest
and tribals. The forest of surrounding
areas fulfils all the needs of the
tribals. Due to constant association
with the forest environment tribals
have evolved a curious knowledge
of plants and their utility for them.
Many of the uses for which plant
tribals employ products are not
known outside their restricted
community.
Biodiversity of India
With 2.4 per cent of the world’s
land, India contributes 8 per cent to
the world diversity. It has,
therefore, been designated as one of
the 12 megadiversity regions
of the world. India is recognized
as a country uniquely rich in
biodiversity because of its tropical
location, varied physical features
and climate. Indian biodiversity is
estimated to be over 45,000 plant
species contributing 8 per cent of the
world’s flora and about 80,000
animal species constituting 7 per
cent of the world’s fauna of which
33 per cent flora and 62 per cent
fauna are endemic (found nowhere
else in the world) to India. Among
the plant species, the flowering plants
have a much higher degree of
endemism, a third of these are not
found elsewhere in the world. Of the
estimated 45,000 species of plants
about 5,000 species of algae, 20,000
of fungi, 1,600 of lichens, 2,700 of
bryophytes, 600 of pteridophytes and
15,000 of flowering plants have been
identified and described so far. Indian
flowering plants represent 15 per cent
of the flowering plants
YOJANA August 2010
of the world. Among flowering
plants orchids have high species
diversity (1,082) found mainly in
North-eastern Himalaya.
Apart from the high biological
diversity in Indian wild plants
there is also great diversity of
cultivated crops. The traditional
cultivar includes 30,000 to 50,000
varieties of rice and a number of
cereals, vegetables and fruits. The
highest diversity of cultivars is
concentrated in high rainfall areas
of the Western Ghats, Eastern
Ghats, Northern Himalayas and
the North-Eastern hills.
As far as faunal diversity is
concerned, India is home for 67,000
species of insects (including 13,000
butterflies and moths), 4,000 of
molluscs, 6,500 other invertebrates
2,000 of fishes, 1,200 of birds, 540
of reptiles, 200 of ambhibians,
and 500 of mammals, in which 62
per cent ambhibians and 32 per
cent reptiles are endemic to India.
Among lizards, of the 153 species
recorded 50 per cent are endemic.
Among the larger animals 79
mammals, 44 birds, 15 reptiles
and 3 amphibians are threatened
today and 1,500 plant species
belong to endangered category
(the species which are in danger
of extinction).
Indian sub-continent alone has
given the world nearly 320 species
of wild animals, whose centre of
origin lies in India. Livestock
diversity is also high i.e. 27 breeds
of cattle, 40 breeds of sheep, 22
breeds of goats and 8 breeds of
YOJANA August 2010
buffaloes are available in the
country. However, today many of
these are standing on the verge of
extinction due to the increased use
of exotic breeds. Jersey and
Holsteins have largely replaced
indigenous breeds of cattle.
India has contributed 167
species of cultivated plants along
with their 320 species of wild
relatives and land races and
several domestic animals. Rice,
sugarcane, jute, jackfruit, ginger,
turmeric, black pepper, bamboos,
camel, mithun and water buffalo
have originated in India.
India is extremely rich in
Ecosystem diversity as well.
According to Wildlife Institute of
India the country has 10
biographic zones: (i) Trans-
Himalayas (ii) Himalayas (iii)
Desert (iv) Semi-arid (v) Western
Ghats (vi) Deccan (vii) Gangetic
Plain (viii) North-East India (ix)
Islands; and (x) Coasts
The North-East, the Western
Ghats, Western and North-
Western Himalayas are rich in
endemism. At least 200 endemic
species are found in the Andaman
and Nicobar islands.
Hot spots are the regions of
high biodiversity with massive
threat to flora and fauna due to
high biotic pressure. Of the 18
biodiversity hot spots of the world
2 belong to India. Western Ghats
and Eastern-Himalayas are the hot
spots of biodiversity in India.
The Andaman and Nicobar
islands are extremely rich in
species, and many subspecies of
different animals and birds have
evolved here. The islands alone
have as many as 2,200 species of
flowering plants and 120 species
of ferns. Out of 135 genera of land
mammals in India 85 (63%)
are found in the north-east. The
north-eastern states also have
1,500 endemic plant species.
A major proportion of
amphibian and reptile species,
especially snakes, is concentrated
in Western Ghats, which is also
habitat for 1,500 endemic plant
species. The Coral reefs around
the Andaman and Nicobar islands,
the Lakshadweep islands and the
Gulf areas of Gujarat and Tamil
Nadu are biologically diverse
ecosystems and are often called
‘tropical rain forest’ of the ocean.
Causes of loss of biodiversity
The fundamental causes of
biodiversity loss include:
1. Unsustainably high rates of
human population growth and
natural resource consumption.
2. Introduction of exotic species
associated with agriculture,
forestry and fisheries.
3. Economic systems and
policies that fail to value the
environment and its resources.
4. Inequity in ownership and
access to natural resources,
including the benefits from
use and conservation of
biodiversity.
5. Inadequate knowledge and
inefficient use of information.
59
6. Legal and institutional
systems that promote
unsustainable exploitation.
Conservation of Biodiversity
Conservation of biodiversity
refers to planning and management
of biological resources in a way so
as to secure their wide use and
continuous supply, maintaining
their quality, value and diversity.
The World Conservation Strategy
has suggested the following steps
for biodiversity conservation:
1) Efforts should be made to
preserve the species that are
endangered.
2) Prevention of extinction
requires sound planning
and management.
3) Varieties of food crops, forage
plants, timber trees, livestock,
animals and their wild
relatives should be preserved.
4) Each country should identify
habitats of wild relatives and
ensure their protection.
5) Habitats where species feed,
breed, nurse their youngs and
rest should be safeguarded
and protected.
6) International trade in wild plants
and animals be regulated.
For the conservation of
biodiversity the immediate task
will be to devise and enforce time
bound programme for saving
plant and animal species as well
as habitats of biological resources.
Action plan for conservation,
therefore must be directed to:
i) Inventorization of biological
resources in different parts of
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the country including the
island ecosystems.
ii) Conservation of biodiversity
through a network of protected
areas including National Parks,
Sanctuaries, Biosphere
reserves, Gene Banks,
Wetlands, Coral reefs etc.
iii) Restoration of degraded
habitats to their natural state.
iv) Reduction of anthropogenic
pressure by cultivating the
species elsewhere.
v) Rehabilitation of the threatened
and endangered species.
vi) Protection and sustainable use
of genetic resources/germplasm
through appropriate laws and
practices.
vii) Conservation of microbes
which help in reclamation and
rehabilitation of wastelands
and revival of biological
potential of land.
viii)Control of over-exploitation
through Convention on
International Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES)
and other agencies.
ix) Rehabilitation of tribals
displaced owing to creation of
protected areas.
x) Protection of domesticated
plant and animal species in
order to conserve indigenous
genetic diversity.
xi) Multiplication and breeding of
threatened species through
modern techniques of tissue
culture and biotechnology.
xii) Maintenance of corridors
between different nature
reserves for the possible
migration of species in
response to climate, or any
other disturbing factor.
xiii)Restriction on the introduction
of exotic species without
adequate investigation.
xiv) Support for protecting
traditional indigenous
knowledge and skills for
conservation.
xv) Discouragement of
monoculture plantations.
There are two main categories
of biodiversity conservation: Ex
situ conservation and In situ
conservation:
1. Ex situ conservation: This is
conservation outside their
habitats by perpetuating sample
population in genetic resources
centres, zoos, botanical
gardens, culture collection etc.
or in the form of gene pools,
and gamete storage for fish;
germplasm banks for seeds,
pollen, semen, ova, cells etc. In
this type of conservation, plants
are maintained more easily than
animals. Seed banks, botanical
gardens, pollen storage, tissue
culture and genetic engineering
have been playing important
role.
India has done commendably well
as far as ex situ conservation of crop
genetic resources is concerned. Gene
banks have collected over 34,000
cereals and 22,000 pulses grown in
India. It has also taken up
such work on livestock, poultry and
fish genetic resources. However,
there is need to develop facilities for
YOJANA August 2010
long and medium term
conservation through :
i) Establishment of Genetic
Enhancement Centres for
producing good quality of
seeds.
ii) Enhancement in the existing
zoos and botanical garden
network.
iii) Seed-gene banks.
iv) Tissue culture gene banks
v) Pollen and spore banks
vi) Captive breeding in
zoological gardens; and
vii) In vivo and in vitro
preservation
2. In situ conservation : This is
the conservation of genetic
resources through their
maintenance within natural or
even human made ecosystem in
which they occur. This type
includes a system of protected
areas of different categories,
managed with different objectives
to bring benefit to the
society. Strict Nature Reserve/
Wilderness Area, National
Parks, National Monuments/
Natural Landmark, Habitat/
Species Management Area,
Protected Landscapes and
Seascapes, Managed Resource
Protected Area, Wildlife
sanctuaries and Biosphere
Reserves belong to this type
of conservation.
Protected Area Network in
India
The protected areas in India
includes National Parks, Wildlife
Sanctuaries and Biosphere
Reserves.
YOJANA August 2010
National Parks: These are areas
dedicated to conserve the scenery,
natural objects and the wildlife
therein. In these areas, all private
rights are non-existent, forestry
operations and grazing of domestic
animals are prohibited. Certain parts
of the parks are developed for
tourism, enjoyment and study in such
a way that it will not disturb or scare
the animals. The boundaries of the
National Parks are circumscribed by
legislation. There are 89 National
Parks in
India, occupying nearly 4.1 million
hectares (1.25%) of the land area of
the country.
Wildlife Sanctuaries: These are
dedicated to protect the wildlife,
and their boundaries are not limited
by state legislation. In a sanctuary,
killing, hunting or capturing of any
species of birds and mammals is
prohibited except by, or under the
control of the highest authority in
the department responsible for
management of a sanctuary.
Forestry and other usages are
permitted to the extent that they do
not adversely affect the wildlife..
India has 500 wildlife sanctuaries
occupying about 12 million hectares
(3.6%) of land area of the country.
Biosphere Reserves: These are
multipurpose protected areas
which are meant for preserving
genetic diversity in representative
ecosystems by protecting wild
populations, traditional life style
of tribals and domesticated plant/
animal genetic resources. Each
biosphere reserve has following
zones:
i) Core zone: where no human
activity is allowed.
ii) Buffer zone: Limited human
activity is allowed.
iii) Manipulation zone: Human
activity is allowed but ecology
is not permitted to be disturbed.
iv) Restoration zone: Degraded
area for restoration to natural
or near natural form.
Nilgiri Biosphere reserve was the
first biosphere reserve of India
established in 1986. Today there
are 15 Biosphere Reserves in India,
three of which i.e. Sunderban, Gulf
of Mannar and Agasthymalai
Biosphere Reserves have been
improved as World Biosphere
Reserves by United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO).
Conclusion
In a biodiversity rich developing
country like India the fast growing
human population has put
tremendous pressure on biological
resources. Hence unsustainable use
of the biological resources has
resulted in the loss of biological
diversity of the country. Besides
this, introduction of exotics have
also substantially contributed to the
loss of biological wealth of the
country. Therefore, conservation of
biodiversity is the need of the hour
not only for the fulfillment of food,
fodder, fuel, timber and medicinal
requirements but also for the
enhanced agricultural production,
ecological balance, mitigation of
environmental pollution and
natural calamities. 
(E-mail: arvindsingh_bhu@yahoo.com)
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