This document discusses biodiversity, including its definition, levels, hotspots, and importance. It also covers threats to biodiversity like habitat loss and methods of conservation, both in-situ (within natural habitats like protected areas) and ex-situ (outside habitats, including seed banks, zoos, and botanical gardens). India is highlighted as one of the most biodiverse countries with two biodiversity hotspots, the Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas, that face serious threats and support many unique and endangered species.

1. Biodiversity
By Vaghela Nayan
SDJ International College

2. Biodiversity
• The term biodiversity was coined by WALTER
G.ROSEN in 1985.
• Defined as “ the richness in variety and variability of
a species of all living organism in a given habitat”.
• It is the variability among living organisms from all
sources including, terrestrial, marine and other
aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of
which they are a part..(Convention of Biological
Diversity,1992)

3. Levels of Biodiversity
• Genetic diversity- variation of genes within
species. It could be of alleles or chromosomal
structure.
• Species diversity- variety of species within a
region. i.e species richness.
• Community and Ecosystem diversity- diversity
at the level of community and ecosystem .

4. Genetic Diversity
Genetic Diversity
within the humans
diversity found in
native chickens
Genetic diversity in the
bambara groundnut

5. Species diversity

6. Importance of Biodiversity
• Protecting areas from soil erosion, floods and other
harmful weather conditions: Vegetation cover helps to
protect soils from erosion. Woodlands and hedges
provide useful windbreaks in farm areas, and the
vegetation on mudflats and sand dunes can help
protect coastal areas from erosion by the sea and wind.
• Reducing the risk of local and global climate
change: Ecosystems help maintain a healthy balance of
gases in the atmosphere. Trees and other plants store
carbon and help prevent the build-up of carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere, reducing the risk of global warming.

7. • Recycling nutrients: Bacteria and fungi play a crucial
role in recycling nutrients in ecosystems. Some plants
play a crucial role in the fixation of nitrogen in the soil.
Nitrogen fixation is the process of converting
atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia.
• Pollination and biological control: Some animals,
especially birds, bats and insects perform important
functions as pollinators of food plants such as
vegetables and fruit, and are also often the natural
enemies of weeds, pests and diseases that can harm
crops.

8. • Controlling pollutants: Plants like reeds act as natural
filters, helping to remove waste from surface waters
and many bacteria can help break down low level
pollutants.
• Monitoring the health of the environment: Some
species can indicate a change in the environment. For
example, the breeding failure among birds of prey can
point to a build up of pesticides in the system. Lichens
such as those found growing on your school walls and
on the trees may be sensitive indicators of levels of air
pollution.

9. • Food: The provision of food is the most fundamental
benefit that humans get from other life forms, and
humans have always depended on animals and plants
for meat, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and other natural
products.
• Medicines: Wild species have been used as sources of
drugs for thousands of years. The medicinal potential
of plants and animals is often considered a compelling
reason to conserve biodiversity as some species are
highly valued for their medicinal properties.

10. • Commercial uses: Human societies have traditionally
used plant and animal products like wool and fur for
clothing, and wood for building construction and
fuel. Other plant and animal products used in
industry include feathers, skins, glues, rubber, oils,
waxes, starches and dyes.
• Cultural and aesthetic values: Historically, some
species have played an important role in the folklore
and traditions of many cultures. Species may also
have heritage value as national symbols: for example,

11. Biodiversity Hotspots
• A biodiversity hotspot is a bio-geography region
with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is
under threat from humans.
• A hotspot is an area which faces serious threat
from human activities and supports a unique
biodiversity (endemic, threatened, rare species)

12. • The concept of biodiversity hotspots was
originated by Norman Myers(1988).
• Myers originally recognized 25 hotspots
around the world.
• Recently 9 more biodiversity hotspots has
been added which makes the present number
to 34.

13. India as a Mega Diversity region
• India is one of 12 mega diversity countries of world.
• It has 47,000 species of plants and 81,000 species of
animals.
• Many endemic plants and animals.
• Centre of origin of many flowering and crop plants.
• Great marine diversity due to 7500 km long coastline .

14. India has two major hotspots.
1. Western Ghats :
• Known as Sahyadri mountains. Floristic richness highest.
• At least 325 globally threatened species occur. eg. purple
frog, black leopard.
2. Eastern Himalayas :
• Numerous large birds and mammals, including vultures,
tigers, elephants, rhinos and wild water buffalo.
• Many endangered plants species.

15. Categories for Species under Threat
• Endangered species : on verge of extinction
• Vulnerable species : not endangered but is facing a very high
risk of extinction in the future.
• Rare species :These are species with small total population
size in the world ,their distribution are usually localized within
restricted area of world.
• Threatened species: decline in number significantly in total
numbers and may be on verge of extinction in certain
localities.

16. Threats associated to Biodiversity
• Ecosystem change (ecosystem loss and ecosystem
alteration) : Threats from human activities that result in the
reduction, conversion, fragmentation, alteration, or other
modification of habitat and/or ecosystems which may lead
to a loss ecosystem integrity or function.
• Pollution: Threats from chemicals and mixtures of
chemicals, nutrients and/or sediment loadings, thermal,
acoustic or light pollution, or any other form of pollution
that contaminates the environment.
• Invasive species (and the introduction of alien species and
genetic material): Threats from invasive (alien and native)
plants, animals, pathogens, microbes, or genetic material 9.

17. • Exploitation, harassment, or direct mortality of native
species: Threats from consumptive use of native
biological resources including intentional and
unintentional harvesting effects, by-catch, species
control efforts, and other human activities that result
in the direct mortality of individuals or populations.
• Accelerated climate change: Threats from climatic
changes that may be linked to global warming and
severe weather events outside the natural range of
variation that could eliminate a vulnerable species or
habitat.
• Natural causes: Threats resulting from any stochastic
event or factor

18. CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY
There are two basic strategies for biodiversity
conservation, these are most effective and
efficient mechanism for conservation.
• 1-insitu(onsite) conservation
• 2-exsitu (off site) conservation

19. IN-SITU CONSERVATION
• The term in-situ conservation denotes conservation of
species in its natural habitat ,that is where the species is
normally found.
• The in-situ conservation strategies stress on protection of
total ecosystems through a network of protected areas.
• PROTECTED AREAS
• To facilitate the growth and reproduction of plants and
animals in their habitat, the area is protected by restricting
human activities like hunting, firewood collection, timber
harvesting etc.
• Today, there are about 37,000 protected areas, parks,
sanctuaries and biosphere reserves all around the world.

20. INDIA has over
• 600 protected areas, which includes over 90 national
parks, over 500 animal sanctuaries and 15 biosphere
reserves.
• Protected areas contain maximum biological
diversity.

21. • NATIONAL PARKS
• It is an protected area which is strictly reserved
for the conservation/betterment of the wild life
and where activities like forestry, grazing and
cultivation are not permitted.
• Their boundaries are well marked and
circumscribed. They are usually small reserves
spreading in an area of 100 sq,km. to 500 sq,km.
• In national parks, the emphasis is on the
preservation of a single plant or animal species.
• Kaziranga national park in Assam
• Gir national park in Gujarat.
• Kanha national park in M.P etc.

22. • WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES
• It is an protected area which is reserved for the
conservation of only animals and human activities
like harvesting of timber, collection of minor forest
products are allowed to a certain extent.
• Boundaries of sanctuaries are not well defined and
controlled biotic interference is permitted, e.g -
tourist activity.
• Anamalai wildlife sanctuary, Tamilnadu
• Bir moti bagh wildlife sanctuary, Punjab
• Chilka lake bird sanctuary, Orissa
• Jaldapara sanctuary in West Bengal etc.

23. • BIOSPHERE RESERVES
• It is a special category of protected areas where human
population also forms a part of the system.
• They are large protected area of usually more than
5000 sq.km.
• A biosphere reserves has 3 parts- core, buffer and
transition zone.
a) The core zone is innermost zone, this is undisturbed and
legally protected area.
b) Buffer zone lies b/w the core and transition zone. Some
research and educational activities are permitted here.
c) Transition zone is the outermost part of biosphere
reserves. Here cropping, forestry, recreation, fishery and
other activities are allowed.

24. EX-SITU CONSERVATION
• This is a conservation of species outside their habitat.
• This includes gene, pollen, seed, tissue cultures and DNA banks
and also includes various zoos & botanical gardens etc.
• To conserve all these we have various methods of ex-situ
conservation:- etc.
• 1.Seed bank, gene bank, germplasm bank
• 2.Translocation area
• 3.Botanical parks
• 4.Zoological parks

25. 1. USE OF SEED BANK,GENE BANKS OR
GERMPLASM :
• Some seeds show variable periods of dormancy.
Most of seed plants therefore can be preserved in
the form of their seeds in small packets for long
durations. Places where seeds are stored are
called seed banks or gene banks or sometimes
germ-plasm banks.
• Term germ-plasm refers to any of plant organ or
its part(living) from which new plants can be
generated. They utilize the technique of
cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen at a temp. of
• (minus)-196 degree Celsius.

26. 2. ANIMAL TRANSLOCATIONS:
• Release of animals in a new locality:
• Translocation is carried in following cases:
a) when a species on which an animal is dependent
becomes rare.
b) when a species is endemic or restricted to a
particular area.
c) due to habit destruction & unfavorable
environment conditions.
d) increase in population in an area

27. 3. BOTANICAL GARDENS:
• A botanical garden is a place where flowers, fruits
and vegetables are grown.The botanical gardens
provide beauty & calm environment.
• Most of them have started keeping exotic plants for
educational & research purposes.
• Many rare & endangered plants lives in botanical
garden which have taken task of conservation of
plants in a real sense.
• In INDIA,the 1st botanical garden was established in
Bombay in 1830 by agricultural society and in 1838
one more garden was established in madras.

28. • ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OR ZOOS:
• In zoos wild animals are maintained in captivity .
• Conservation of wild animals sp which are rare and
endangered.
• The oldest zoo, the Schonbrumm zoo which exist
today also, was established in VIENNA in 1759.
• The first indian zoo was setup by Raja Rajendra
Mullick Bahadur at marble palace in calcutta(1854).

29. Thank you