importance of environmnet, conservation

1. Environment
Presentation
1.Sachin
2.Sakshi
3.Sakshi
4.Sheeza
5.Shivani

2. • Biogeographic Zones in IndiaSakshi
• Value of BiodiversitySheeza
• Biodiversity at global, local,national levelShivani
• Biodiversity conservation: Insitu and ExsituSachin
• Air PollutionSakshi

3. BIOGEOGRAPHICAL
ZONES OF
INDIA

4. India, being a vast country, shows a great
diversity in climate, topography an geology
and hence the country is very rich in terms
of biological diversity. India's biological
diversity is one of the most significant in
the world, since India has only 2% of the
total landmass of the world containing
about 6% of the world's known wildlife

5. s.no Biogeographic zones Biotic provinces
1. Trans-Himalaya Ladakh mountains, Tibetan plateau
2. Himalaya Northwest, West, Central and East Himalayas
3. Desert Thar, Kutch
4. Semi-arid Punjab plains, Gujarat Rajputana
5. Western Ghats Malabar plains, Western Ghats
6. Deccan Peninsula Central highlands, Chotta-Nagpur, Eastern highlands,
Central Plateau, Deccan South
7. Gangetic plains Upper and Lower Gangetic plains
8. Coast West and East coast, Lakshadweep
9. North-East Brahmaputra valley, Northeast hills
10. Islands Andaman and Nicobar
Source: Wildlife Protected Area Network in India: A Review, Wildlife Institute of India, 2000.

8. FEATURES OF TRANS HIMALAYAS
COLD AND ARID REGION.
TEMPERATURE: -35 to 3 degrees Celsius
AVERAGE HEIGHT: 4500 mts. Above mean sea level
VEGETATION: sparse alpine steppe.
Extensive area covered by BARE ROCKS and
GLACIERS
FAUNA:- wild sheep
wild goats
ibex
snow leopard
marbled cats
marmots
black necked crane
Marco polo sheep - ratio of
horn length to body weight
exceeds that of any animal in
the world

9. Trans Himalayas view
SNOW
COVERED
TOURISM-
SNOW SPORTS
HERDING , TRIBAL
POPULATION
DEEP VALLEYS,
GORGES, HARSH
TERRAIN

10. HIMALAYAS
FEATURES:-
Flora: 2,50,000 species
Fauna: 45,000 species
Tropical Rainforests- Eastern
Himalaya
 Thick subtropical and Alpine
forests – central Himalaya, western
Himalaya
Rich endemic forests in north east
Fauna: Sambar, Muntjac, serow,
goral, snow leopard, brown bear
and many other carnivores and
insects.
Classification No. of species
Angiosperms 15,000
Gymnosperms 64
Pteridophytes 1,022
Bryophytes 2,584
Algae 2,500
Fungi 23,000
Bacteria 850
Lichens 1,600
Source: Rao, 1994: BSI, 1992

11. TOPOGRAPHY OF
HIMALAYAS
1. Young mountains
2. Series of mountains
running parallel to each other.
3. Thick gravel and alluvium
4. Source of major snow fed
rivers of India.
5.Snow covered peaks, glaciers
and pristine rivers.

12. DESERT
1.Deserts in India include thar desert and Kutch.
2.They receive around 25 cm of precipitation annually.
3.Temperature: 30 to 50 degrees
4.Fauna : Snakes, Owls , mice, armadillo lizards, foxes,
bats, vultures, rabbit, cats ,camel etc.
5.Flora: Cactus, prickly pear, octillo plant, boojum.
6.Hot and extreme climate.
7.Vegetation found in oasis.
8.Soil is composed of sand and hard rocks.
9.States covered: Rajasthan and Gujarat.

14. SEMI ARID REGIONS
1.States included: Parts of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat,
Maharashtra.
2.Transitional zone between desert and dense forests of
western Ghats.
3.Natural vegetation is thorn forest.
4.Discontinuous vegetation, that is, vegetation in patches.
5.Open areas of bare and water deficit soil.
6.Flora: Thorny shrubs, grasses, cereals, some variety of
bamboo, dry forests.
7.Fauna: Birds, jackals, leopards, eagles, snakes, fox, buffalo.
Gazelle, lions, wolves, zebras, deer etc.

16. WESTERN GHATS
1.Covers Malabar plains and Western Ghats.
2.States included: Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Parts of
Kerala.
3.Mountains along the west coast of India.
4.Average altitude of mountains: 900-1500 mts. Above sea level.
5.Diverse topography. Unique sets of flora and fauna.
6.Rich evergreen forests, medicinal plants, ornamental plants.
7.Included in the biodiversity hotspots of the world.
8.Sparsely populated. Mainly tribal population lives there.
9.Fertile land for rice cultivation, commercial crops, plantation etc.
10.14 endemic species of legless amphibians.
11.Fauna: home to 325 globally threatened species, 16 species of
endemic mammals, tiger, lion tailed macaque, 288 freshwater
species, 508 species of birbs,6000 species of insects, 344 species
of butterflies,

18. DECCAN PLATEAU
1. Semi arid regions lying in the rain shadow region of western Ghats.
2. Central and eastern highlands provide many forest products.
3. Composed of oldest crystalline rocks.
4. Height varies from 300 to 900 mts above sea level.
5. It is semi arid in the north and tropical in most parts.
6. Rain falls in the monsoon and temperature can exceed up to 40
degrees in summer.
7. Types of forests: deciduous, thorn forests and scrublands.
8. Consists mainly of black soil. Suitable for commercial crops,
especially, cotton.
9. Flora: teak, Sal.. Consists mainly of dry deciduous forests.
10.Fauna: grazing animals, four horned rhinoceros, gaur, wild water
buffalo, bear, wild dog, Indian giant squirrel, tiger etc.
11.Home to more than ninety species of animals and various other
carnivores.

20. GANGETIC PLAINS
1. Alluvial soil, fertile soil, drained by river ganga.
2. Purely agro based area.
3. Major trees in this area: teak, Sal, shisham, mahua, khair etc.
4. Moist deciduous forests, densest human population.
5. Fauna: Tiger, one horned rhinoceros, Asian elephant, gaur, swamp
deer, crocodile, gharial and a large number of other vertebrae.
6. States covered: Parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, parts of west
Bengal.
7. 25-35 cm of annual rainfall.
8. Patches of grassland ecosystem.
9. 79 known species of mammals.
10.Lots of biodiversity conservation areas.
11.95% of the land converted into agricultural land.

22. COAST
1.Includes west coast, east coast and Lakshadweep.
2.India has coastline extending 5500 kms.
3.Best preserved evergreen forests are found here,
especially, in Lakshadweep.
4.Mangrove forests – a prominent feature.
5.Coral reefs are found in Lakshadweep.
6.Fertile land is found here. Most suitable for rice and
coconut trees.
7.Flora: railroads vines, coconut trees, beach grass etc.
8.Fauna: large variety of birds, insects and marine
animals. Seagulls, pelican, penguin, terns, crabs, sea
turtles, seals etc.
9.States covered: Kerala, Tamil nadu, Karnataka, Andhra
Pradesh, Gujarat, goa, Maharashtra, Orissa, west Bengal.

24. NORTH EAST
1. One of the richest areas of India in terms of biodiversity.
2. Several species of orchids, bamboos, ferns, mango, bananas,
citrus fruits, pepper, medicinal plants etc.
3. States included: Assam, Arrunachal Pradesh, Manipur,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura.
4. Fauna: rich in rare species, red panda, slow Loris, marbled cat,
leopard cat, bats and rodents, sangai, wild elephant, blue
sheep, yak, lots of species of birds, python and other lower
vertebrae, amphibians, butterflies etc.
5. One of the biodiversity hotspots of the world.
6. 51 types of forest ecosystems are found in this area, broadly
classified into six categories:
tropical moist deciduous forests, tropical semi evergreen
forests, tropical wet evergreen forests, subtropical forests,
temperate forests, alpine forests.

26. ISLANDS
1. It includes Andaman and Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep islands.
2. Tropical climate, humid weather, no winter season.
3. Maximum temperature: 28 degree Celsius.
4. Flora: giant evergreen forests, wet bamboo brakes, semi evergreen forests,
mangrove forests, sub montane forests.
5. Fauna: 50 varieties of forest mammals, wild boar, crocodile, sea cow,
leopard, butterflies and moths, shellfish
6. over 600 species of marine fishes, 78 species of corals, 82 species of seaweed,
52 species of crabs, 2 species of lobsters, 48 species of gastropods, 12 species
of bivalves, 101 species of birds.
7. Sparsely populated, tribal population.
8. Huge variety of marine species.

28. Value of
Biodiversity

29. Ecosystem
servicesEnvironmental value
Values
of
biodivers
ity
Aesthe
tic
value
Econo
mic
value
Ecosyst
em
services

30. What is the value of
biodiversity?
Biodiversity has a fundamental value to
humans because we are so dependent on
it for our cultural, economic, and
environmental well-being. Elements of
biodiversity can contribute to cultural
identity, and many ecosystem
characteristics are frequently
incorporated into cultural traditions.

31. Consumptive use value:
This is related to natural products that
are used directly for food, fodder,
timber, fuel wood etc. Humans use at
least 40,000 species of plants and
animals on a daily basis. Many people
around the world still depend on wild
species for most of their needs like food,
shelter and clothing. The tribal people
are completely dependent on the
forests for their daily needs.

32. Productive Use Value:
This is assigned to products that are commercially
harvested and marketed. Almost all the present date
agricultural crops have originated from wild varieties. The
biotechnologists continuously use the wild species of plants
for developing new, better yielding and disease resistant
varieties. Biodiversity represents the original stock from
which new varieties are being developed.

33. Social Value:
The social value of biodiversity includes aesthetic, recreational, cultural
and spiritual values. To this can be added health benefits resulting from
recreational and other activities. While traditional societies which had a
small population and required less resources had preserved their
biodiversity as a life supporting resource, modern man has rapidly
depleted it even to the extent of leading to the irrecoverable loss due to
extinction of several species.

34. Ethical and Moral Value:
It is based on the principle of ‘live
and let others live’. Ethical values
related to biodiversity
conservation are based on the
importance of protecting all forms
of life. All forms of life have the
right to exist on earth. Man is only
a small part of the Earth’s great
family of species.

35. Aesthetic Value:
The beauty of our planet is because of
biodiversity, which otherwise would have
resembled other barren planets dotted
around the universe. Biological diversity
adds to the quality of life and provides
some of the most beautiful aspects of our
existence. Biodiversity is responsible for
the beauty of a landscape.
People go far off places to enjoy the
natural surroundings and wildlife. This
type of tourism is referred to as eco-
tourism, which has now become a major
source of income in many countries

36. Ecosystem Services:
These services also support human needs and activities such as
intensely managed production ecosystems.
Ecosystem service includes:
-The production of oxygen by land based plants and marine algae
-The provision of foods such as fish, pastures for cattle and sheep,
timber, fire wood and harvested wildlife such as kangaroos and native
cut flowers;
-The provision of native species and genes used in industry research
and development, for instance, in traditional breeding in agriculture,
forestry, horticulture, pharmacy, chemicals production
-Pollination of agricultural crops, forest trees and native flowering
plants by native insects, birds and other creatures;
-Maintenance of habitats for native plants and animals; and
- Maintenance of habitats that are attractive to humans for
recreation, tourism and cultural activities and that has spiritual
importance.

37. Environmental Value:
The environmental value of biodiversity can be
found by examining each ecosystem process and
identifying the ecosystem services that result. For
instance, in wetlands the vegetation captures
water- carried sediment and the soil organisms
break down a range of nutrients and pollutants
washed into the area.
These processes provide the ecosystem service of
purifying water. Wetlands also act as spawning
and nursery grounds for some fish and provide a
refuge for animals in times of drought. Some
ecosystem services are easy to overlook until the
underlying process is impaired.

38. Biodiversity
At Local, National & Global level

39. Global Level
• Conservative estimates of the existing biodiversity is ten
million species, but if estimates for insects are correct
then it could be around 30 million species, we have till
now enlisted about 1.4 million species.
• It includes among others about 98% birds, 95% reptiles
and amphibians, 90% fish and about 85% higher plants
known to exist on this Earth

41. Local & National level
India has over 108,276 species of bacteria,
fungi, plants and animals already identified
and described . Out of these, 84
percent species constitute fungi (21.2
percent), flowering plants (13.9 percent), and
insect (49.3 percent). In terms of the number
of species, the insecta alone constitute nearly
half of the biodiversity in India

42. continued...
India is 10th among the plant rich countries of
the world, fourth among the Asian countries,
eleventh according to the number of endemic
species of higher vertebrates (amphibia, birds
and mammals), and tenth in the world as far
as richness in mammals is concerned. Out of
the 10 ‘Hot spots’ identified in the world, India
has four.

43. continued....
The crops which first grew in India and spread
throughout the world include rice, sugarcane,
Asiatic vignas, jute, mango, citrus, and
banana, several species of millets, spices,
medicinal, aromatics and ornamentals. India
ranks sixth among the centres of diversity and
origin in terms of agro-biodiversity.

44. National Biodiversity Action Plan
• Article 6 of CBD enjoins upon all Parties to prepare
• national strategies for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and
to integrate conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity into relevant
sectoral and cross-sectoral plans, programmes and polices.
• The NBAP draws from the principle in the National
• Environment Policy that human beings are at the
• centre of concerns for sustainable development and
• they are entitled to a healthy and productive life in
• harmony with nature. This Action Plan identifies threats
• and constraints in biodiversity conservation.

45. Why is India rich in Biodiversity?

46. Conservation of
biodiversity:-
Exsitu and
Insitu

47. In- Situ Conservation
• In this case, you identify an area with high
biodiversity (= this area has lot of number and
variety of plants and animals)
• And then, you isolate and protect this area from
human activities by establishing a natural
park/sanctuary/biosphere reserve etc.
• Very essential for Big animals like elephants, rhinos,
tigers: they require huge area.

48. The advantages of in situ conservation
• The species will have all
the resources that it is
adapted too
• The species will
continue to evolve in
their environment
• The species have more
space
• Bigger breeding
populations can be kept
• It is cheaper to keep an
organism in its natural
habitat
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© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

49. However there are problems
• It is difficult to control illegal
exploitation (e.g. poaching;
illegal hunt or catch on land
that is not ones own or in
conservation of official
protection.)
• The environment may need
restoring and alien species are
difficult to control. Sciencemuseum.org
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS