7 Biosystematics
7.2 Biodiversity and Conservation
Biodiversity and Conservation
Dr V Malathi
The term “biodiversity” describes the variety of life on Earth, including the various plant, animal, fungal, and microbe species, as well as the genetic variations among these species and the ecosystems they create. It is essential for sustaining life cycles, preserving ecosystems, and supplying resources including materials, food, and medicine.
There are several organizational levels at which biodiversity can be measured. Ecologists have historically used the number of species and the number of individuals of each species (sometimes referred to as relative abundance) to calculate biodiversity. To help concentrate efforts to conserve the ecologically and technologically significant components of biodiversity, scientists are employing a variety of biodiversity metrics, such as genetic diversity.
“Biodiversity” by Dasgupta Review’s photo is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Types of Biodiversity
1. Genetic Diversity : This refers to a species’ diversity of genes. It encompasses genetic differences between populations as well as between individuals within a population.For animals to adapt to shifting environmental conditions, genetic diversity is crucial. It supplies the building blocks for natural selection and evolution, allowing organisms to become resistant to environmental changes, pests, and illnesses. As an illustration of genetic diversity within a species, consider several dog breeds or rice types. It’s possible that every population has distinct characteristics that fit particular circumstances.
2. Species Diversity :Refers to the range of species found in a specific area or environment. It takes into account both the total number of species and their relative abundance. Because various species have distinct responsibilities within an ecosystem, high species diversity promotes ecological resilience and stability. More alternatives for resources and ecological services are also offered by a more diversified species pool. For instance, thousands of plant, animal, and insect species coexist in a tropical rainforest, making it a highly species-diverse environment.
3. Ecosystem Diversity: Refers to the range of ecosystems found in a specific location. Forests, deserts, marshes, grasslands, rivers, oceans, and other habitats are all included, and each has its own distinct organismal community and interactions.Diverse habitats and niches are made possible by ecosystem diversity, which supports a variety of life forms. Additionally, it improves ecosystem services like nutrient cycling, climate regulation, and water filtration.As an illustration of ecosystem diversity, consider the variations among seagrass beds, mangroves, and coral reefs in a coastal area. Each of these habitats supports unique species and processes.
“Biodiversity Hotspots Map” by Conservation International, creativecommons.org, via Wikimedia Commons is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Biodiversity Loss
The reduction or extinction of species, ecosystems, and genetic variety within species is known as biodiversity loss, and it frequently happens as a result of human activity. Because biodiversity supports ecosystems that sustain life, control the temperature, supply resources, and have cultural and recreational value, it is an important concern.
Causes of Biodiversity Loss
Habitat Destruction: Many species find it more difficult to survive when their habitat is fragmented and lost due to land conversion for infrastructure, urbanization, and agriculture.
Climate Change: The habitats, migration patterns, and reproductive cycles of species are impacted by global warming, shifting weather patterns, and extreme occurrences.
Pollution: Plastic, industrial, and agricultural pollutants poison the air, water, and soil, endangering ecosystems and wildlife.
Overexploitation: Many species experience population reductions as a result of unsustainable hunting, fishing, and logging practices.
Invasive Species: Human-introduced non-native species frequently cause ecosystem disruption by outcompeting, preying on, or infecting native species.
Impacts of Biodiversity Loss
Ecosystem Collapse: When biodiversity declines, ecosystems become unstable and lose functions like pollination, water filtering, and soil fertility.
Climate Effects: The loss of carbon-sequestering wetlands and forests hastens climate change.
Food security risks : Includes decreased agricultural resilience and a smaller genetic pool for crop and livestock adaptation to novel situations due to biodiversity loss.
Economic Repercussions: The loss of biodiversity has an impact on a number of sectors, including fishing, tourism, and pharmaceuticals.
Health Risks: By reducing the natural checks on disease-carrying species like ticks and mosquitoes, reduced biodiversity raises the risk of disease.
Biodiversity Conservation
The process of safeguarding, controlling, and reestablishing biodiversity in order to maintain species, genetic variety, and ecosystems is known as biodiversity conservation. It is necessary to preserve the resilience, health, and benefits that ecosystems offer to both people and wildlife.
Types of Biodiversity Conservation
1. In-Situ Conservation
Conserving species in their natural habitats to maintain natural evolutionary processes is referred as In-situ conservation.
Strategies:
Protected areas : National parks, animal reserves, and marine sanctuaries are examples of protected areas that are created to shield ecosystems and habitats from human interference.
Community conservation: Participating in conservation initiatives with local people is known as “community conservation,” and it is frequently more sustainable since it serves their interests.
Ecosystem restoration : Rehabilitating damaged ecosystems in order to restore ecosystem functionality and biodiversity is known as ecosystem restoration.
In-Situ Biodiversity conservation in India
The creation of protected areas, including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, and community reserves, is the main way that in-situ conservation is carried out in India.
Here are a few Examples:
The National Parks
The oldest national park in India, Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, was created in 1936 and is a crucial location for Bengal tiger conservation.
Assam’s Kaziranga National Park is home to tigers, elephants, and water buffalo in addition to its population of one-horned rhinoceroses.
West Bengal’s Sundarbans National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is well-known for its mangrove forests and Royal Bengal tiger.
Wildlife Sanctuaries
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala ,situated in the Western Ghats, is a hotspot for biodiversity. This sanctuary is well-known for its populations of tigers and elephants.
One of the greatest locations to witness Bengal tigers in their native environment is the Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan.
One of the biggest tiger reserves in India is Kanha Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh
Biosphere Reserves
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which spans Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, is home to a variety of species, including indigenous plants and the Nilgiri tahr.
The Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve in Uttarakhand, which is well-known for its abundant variety of plants and animals.
Tamil Nadu’s Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve houses numerous marine species, such as seagrass beds, coral reefs, and endangered dugongs.
Community Reserves
The first green village in India, Khonoma Village in Nagaland, created a community-led sanctuary to preserve the biodiversity of the forest, particularly its birdlife.
Odisha’s Chilika Lake is the biggest brackish water lagoon in Asia and is a vital home for migratory birds and endangered species, such as the Irrawaddy dolphin.
2. Ex-Situ Conservation
Ex-situ conservation refers to conserving species outside their natural habitats, which is useful when species are at high risk of extinction in the wild.
Strategies :
Zoos and Botanical Gardens: By sustaining breeding programs and educating the public, zoos and botanical gardens help to safeguard endangered species.
Seed Banks: Seed banks are collections of seeds from various plants, especially crops, that are kept safe to preserve genetic diversity.
Cryopreservation: Maintaining plant tissues, animal gametes, or embryos at extremely low temperatures for possible use in breeding and restoration is known as cryopreservation.
Ex-situ conservation in India
In order to save species from extinction and preserve genetic diversity, ex-situ conservation is practiced in India. In India, some of the most popular techniques and illustrations of ex-situ conservation include:
Wildlife Parks and Zoos
The National Zoological Park in New Delhi is home to numerous endangered species, including as the Asiatic lion, brow-antlered deer, and white tiger.
Indian elephants, Asiatic lions, and a variety of birds have all been successfully reared in the Mysore Zoo in Karnataka, which is well-known for its efforts to preserve endangered species.
Tamil Nadu’s Arignar Anna Zoological Park is home to numerous endangered species, such as the Bengal tiger and lion-tailed macaque.
Botanical Gardens
The Indian Botanical Garden in Kolkata is well-known for its extensive collection of exotic plants, which includes orchids, palms, ferns, and the Great Banyan Tree.
Bengaluru’s Lalbagh Botanical Garden preserves a variety of plant species, including endangered and therapeutic plants from different areas.
Kerala’s Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute is well-known for its rare and endangered tropical plant conservation and research initiatives.
Seed Banks
New Delhi’s National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR): In order to preserve agricultural biodiversity, the NBPGR oversees one of India’s biggest seed banks, which houses crop variety seeds.
The regional seed banks, which are spread across several climate zones, protect the genetic diversity of plants and crops, especially those that are native to a certain area.
Cryopreservation and Tissue Culture
The National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources also employs cryopreservation, which involves storing seeds, pollen, and plant tissues at very low temperatures for preserving the genetic material for later use.
The Tamil Nadu-based Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB) carries out tissue culture studies for the preservation and large-scale multiplication of tree species.
To grow rare and endangered plants, several agricultural research institutes in India, including the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), use tissue culture.
Conservation Breeding Programs
Central Zoo Authority (CZA) oversees species-specific breeding programs for animals that are critically endangered, including the Asiatic lion, snow leopard, and red panda.
Madras Crocodile Bank in Tamil Nadu is well-known for breeding and conserving endangered crocodile species, including the saltwater crocodile, gharial, and mugger.
To counteract the sharp reduction in vulture populations, India has breeding facilities for endangered vultures in locations like Pinjore, Haryana.
Gene Banks
The National Animal Gene Bank, housed at the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) in Haryana, conserves the genetic material of native animal breeds, including cattle, sheep, and buffalo embryos and semen.
Gene Banks for Fish: Institutions like the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR) in Lucknow focus on saving the genetic material of endangered fish species.
Why Biodiversity Conservation is important?
A stable environment that can sustain both human and non-human life depends on biodiversity conservation. Conservation promotes resilience against natural disasters, lessens the effects of environmental change, and protects ecosystems for coming generations.
Revise the Key terms
