India is one of 12 megabiodiverse countries containing around 7-8% of the world's species. It has high biodiversity at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels due to its varied climate, geography and 10 biogeographic zones. India hosts numerous threatened species and is home to 4 of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots. It has over 100 national parks and 500 wildlife sanctuaries covering 4.7% of its land area and has designated numerous biosphere reserves, Ramsar sites, and UNESCO World Heritage sites to protect its natural heritage.

1. Biodiversity Profile of India

2. WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY?
The term 'biodiversity' encompasses the
variety of all life on earth. It is identified
as the variability among living organisms
and the ecological complexes of which
they are part, including diversity within
and between species and ecosystems.
Quite simply it can be defined as “variety,
variability, between genes, species and
ecosystems”

3. Biodiversity manifests itself at three levels:
• Species diversity which refers to the
numbers and kinds of living organisms
• Genetic diversity, which refers to the
genetic variation within a population of
species
• Ecosystem diversity, which is the variety of
habitats, biological communities and
ecological processes that occur in the
biosphere

4. Why Conserve Biodiversity?
Biological diversity affects us all. Biological
diversity has direct consumptive value in food,
agriculture, medicine, industry. It also has
aesthetic and recreational value. Biodiversity
maintains ecological balance and continues
evolutionary process. The indirect ecosystem
services provided through biodiversity are
photosynthesis, pollination, transpiration,
chemical cycling, nutrient cycling, soil
maintenance, climate regulation, air, water
system management, and waste treatment and
pest control.

5. Convention on Biodiversity (CBD)
The three preambles of Biodiversity are:
• Conservation of Biodiversity
• Sustainable use of Biodiversity and leaving
enough for the future generations
• Fair and equitable sharing of Profits arising
out of the use of biodiversity

6. MEGABIODIVERSITY COUNTRIES OF THE
WORLD
India is one of the twelve-mega biodiversity countries
of the world and one of the four in Asia
Megabiodiversity?
Countries that contain as much as 7-8% per cent of the
world's species
The twelve Megabiodiversity countries that have been
identified are : India, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru,
Mexico, Madagascar, Zaire, Australia, China, Indonesia
and Malaysia.

7. India's richness of biological
diversity
India lies at the confluence of African,
European and Indo-Malaysian and the biota
therefore, includes African, European, Eurasian
and Mediterranean elements, which together
with Indian and endemic elements contributes
to the richness of the characteristic Indian
biodiversity.

8. India, being a vast country, shows a great
diversity in climate, topography and geology
and hence the country is very rich in terms
of biological diversity

9. The other important features that contribute to
India’s rich biodiversity are
• Physiography of India
• Variety in elevation and local climate
• Wetlands
• Forests
• Marine Environment

10. Biogeographic regions
10 regions:
• Trans Himalayan zone
• Himalayan zone
• Desert zone
• Semiarid zone
• Western ghat zone
• Deccan platea zone
• Gangetic plain zone
• North east zone
• Coastal zone
• Islands present near the shore line

11. Continental drift
The theory states that the continents of south
and north America, Africa, Peninsular India,
Australia and Antarctica once united in one
land mass (Gondwanaland) are now widely
separated by southern Ocean and bear striking
similarity of geological history and distribution
of ancient and modern organisms

12. Hotspots of Biodiversity
To qualify as a hotspot:
A region must meet two strict criteria:
• it must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular
plants (> 0.5 percent of the world’s total) as
endemics, and
• it has to have lost at least 70 percent of its original
habitat

13. Hotspots of Biodiversity
• The Earth's 35 biodiversity hotspots contain 50
percent of global plant species
• Biodiversity hotpots only cover 2.3 percent of
global landmass
• Balance between human progress and
preservation is the greatest battle

14. Hotspots of Biodiversity: India
• The Western Ghats/Sri Lanka, the Indo-Burma
region and Himalaya– among 35 of the world's
biologically richest and most threatened
ecosystems and they are included amongst the
top eight most important hotspots
• The hotspots are the areas with higher
concentration of endemic species and which
usually experience rapid rate of habitat
modifications and loss

15. World Heritage Sites- UNESCO
• World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State Parties
(countries) aims to catalogue, name, and preserve sites of
outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common
heritage of humankind
• Since adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16
November 1972 , today 182 State Parties ratify the convention
• The World Heritage List includes 911 properties forming part of
the cultural and natural heritage which the WHCommittee
considers as having outstanding universal value:
These include 704 cultural , 180 natural and 27 mixed properties
in 151 States Parties. As of June 2010, 187 States Parties have
ratified the World Heritage Convention.

16. World Heritage Sites in India
The world body has listed 28 Heritage Sites in
India, including the following five Protected Areas
of great conservation significance to be a part of
World Culture and Heritage:
1.Kaziranga National Park, Assam
2.Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
3.Keoladaeo National Park, Rajasthan
4.Sunderbans National Park,West Bengal and
5.Nanda Devi National Park, Uttarakhand

17. WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN INDIA
Agra Fort
Ajanta Caves
Ellora Caves
Taj Mahal
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram
Sun Temple, Konârak
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Kaziranga National Park
Keoladeo National Park
Churches and Convents of Goa
Fatehpur Sikri
Group of Monuments at Hampi
Khajuraho Group of Monuments
Elephanta Caves
Great Living Chola Temples 12
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal
Sundarbans National Park
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
Humayun's Tomb, Delhi
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
Mountain Railways of India
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus)
Red Fort Complex
Jantar Mantar

18. Each World Heritage Site is the property of
the country on whose territory the site is
located, but it is considered in the interest of
the international community to preserve each
site for future generations of humankind
The protection and conservation of these sites
are a concern of all the World Heritage
countries

19. Biosphere Reserves in India
Biosphere Reserves in India were created under the
'Man & Biosphere' (MAB) Programme by UNESCO in
1971 to conserve in situ all forms of life, along with
its support system, in its totality, so that it could
serve as a referral system for monitoring and
evaluating changes in natural ecosystems
The first biosphere reserve of the world was
established in 1979, since then the network
of biosphere reserves has increased to 425 in 95
countries across the world (MAB, 2003)
Presently, there are 18 existing biosphere reserves in
India

20. Biosphere Reserves in India
1. Nilgiri
2. Nanda Devi
3. Nokrek
4. Great Nicobar
5. Gulf of Mannar
6. Manas
7. Sunderbans
8. Simlipal
9. Dibru-Sikhowa
10. Dehang-Debang
11. Pachmarhi
12. Khangchendzonga
13. Agasthyamalai
14. Amarkantak
15. Seshachalam Hills
16. Cold Desert
17. Great Rann of Kutch
18. Panna

21. Ramsar Convention (1971)
An inter-governmental treaty on
wetlands for conservation and wise use
of Natural resources as also
conservation of Waterfowl habitats
There are 25 wetlands in India that have
been identified as Ramsar Sites

22. Ramsar Sites in India
1. Chilika Lake, Orissa
2. Harike Wetland, Punjab
3. Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan
4. Loktak Lake, Manipur
5. Sambar Lake, Rajasthan
6. Wular Lake, Jammu and Kashmir
7. Kanji Lake Punjab
8. Ropar Lake, Punjab
9. East Kolkata wetlands,WB
10. Deepor Beel, Assam 1
11. Astamudi Lake, Kerala
12. Pong Dam Lake, H.P. 1
13. Kolleru Lake, Andhra Pradesh
14. Bhitakanika Mangrovers, Orissa
15. Tsomoriri, J & K
16. Point Calimere WLS, TN
17. Sasthamkota Lake, Kerala
18. Bhoj Wet;land, MP
19. Vembanad-Kol Wetland, Kerala
20. Chandertal Wetland, H.P.
21. Hokera Wetland, J.& K
22. Renuka Wetland, H.P.
23. Rudrasagar Lake, Tripura
24. Surinsar-Mansur Lakes,J& K
25. Upper Ganga River (Brijghat to Narora Stretch)
* Notified on 8th Nov 2005

23. Protected Area Network (PA Network)
The adoption of a National Policy for Wildlife
Conservation in 1970 and the enactment of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act in 1972 lead to a significant growth in
the protected areas network. To maintain rich biological
diversity of the Indian Himalayan Region a Protected
area network (PAN) has been established and
biodiversity rich areas have been conserved as
Sanctuaries, National Parks and Biosphere Reserves The
network was further strengthened by a number of
national conservation projects, notably Project Tiger
(initiated in April 1973) and the Crocodile Breeding and
Management Project (Launched in April 1975 )

24. Presently, India has 595 Wildlife Protected
Areas: with an area of 155,978 km2 or
4.70% of the area
• 95 National Parks
• 500 Wildlife sanctuaries: with an area of
117913.42km2 or 3.59% of the
geographical area of India
• 2 Conservation Reserves

25. Threatened Species?
The Threatened species are those that are often impoverished of
low fecundity, dependent on patchy or unpredictable resources,
extremely variable in population density, persecuted or otherwise
prone to extinction in human dominated landscapes
Red Data Book (RDB) was developed during 1960s and the species
were placed under various threatened categories according to the
severity of the threats faced by them and the estimated eminence
of their extinction
World Conservation monitoring Centre (WCMC) in collaboration
with IUCN Species Survival commission network of the specialist
groups compiles the IUCN Red list every two years since 1986

26. IUCN Red List Categories
Extinct (EX) - A taxon is Extinct when there is no reasonable
doubt that the last individual has died
Extinct In The Wild (EW) - A taxon is Extinct in the wild when it
is known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a
naturalized population (or populations) well outside the past
range
Critically Endangered (CR) - A taxon is Critically Endangered
when it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
in the immediate future, as defined by any of the criteria
Endangered (EN) - A taxon is endangered when it is not
Critically Endangered but is facing a very high risk of extinction
in the wild in the near future, as defined by any of the criteria

27. Vulnerable (VU): A taxon is Vulnerable when it is not
Critically Endangered or Endangered but is facing a high
risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term future,
as defined by any of the criteria
Near Threatened (NT): A taxon is Near Threatened
when it has been evaluated against the criteria but does
not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered or
Vulnerable now, but is close to qualifying for, or is likely
to qualify for, a threatened category in the near future
Least Concern (LC) A taxon is Least Concern when it has
been evaluated against the criteria and does not qualify
for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable or
Near Threatened- Widespread and abundant taxa are
included in this category

28. Data Deficient (DD): A taxon is Data Deficient
when there is inadequate information to make
a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of
extinction based on its distribution and/or
population status
Not Evaluated (NE): A taxon is Not Evaluated
when it is has not yet been assessed against
the criteria

29. Assessing biodiversity
• Why Assess Biodiversity?
• Sampling by selecting sample areas or transect
routes
• Mean number of species per sample, as a measure
of Species Richness
• Time based observation, such as time restricted
search and timed species counts
• The Objective of Assessing Biodiversity is usually to
compare sites or to provide the data that can be
used by others for comparing sites
• The methodology should be consistent and clearly
slated so that it can be repeated.

30. Why set Conservation Priorities?
For too many conservation problems but
constraint of time and money, the
priorities have to be set in to quantify
aspects such as:
• Rarity
• Extent of decline and rate of decline
• Use this data to determine priorities

31. Prioritizing Species Vulnerability to
extinction (as per IUCN criteria)
Critically Endangered-50% probability of extinction in
5 years
Endangered- 20% probability in 20 years
Vulnerable- 10% probability in 100 years
Extinction: Species not sighted since last 50 years are
whose members are reported to have lost breeding
potential and last surviving member was sighted 50
years back

32. Some definitions

33. Keystone species
A keystone species is a species that has a
disproportionate effect on its
environment relative to its biomass
Such species affect many other organisms
in an ecosystem and help to determine
the types and numbers of various other
species in a community

34. Indicator species
An indicator species is any biological species that
defines a trait or characteristic of the environment.
For example, a species may delineate an ecoregion or
indicate an environmental condition such as a
disease outbreak, pollution, species competition or
climate change. Indicator species can be among the
most sensitive species in a region, and sometimes act
as an early warning to monitoring biologists.

35. Foundation species-
Foundation species- In ecology, a
foundation species is a dominant
primary producer in an ecosystem
both in terms of abundance and
influence. Examples include kelp in
kelp forests and corals in coral reefs.

36. A flagship species
A flagship species is a species chosen to represent an
environmental cause, such as an ecosystem in need of
conservation. These species are chosen for their
vulnerability, attractiveness or distinctiveness in order to
engender support and acknowledgment from the public at
large. Thus, the concept of a flagship species holds that by
giving publicity to a few key species, the support given to
those species will successfully leverage conservation of
entire ecosystems and all species contained therein.
Examples of flagship species include the Asiatic lion and the
Bengal tiger of India, the giant panda of China, the golden
lion tamarin of Brazil, the African elephant, the mountain
gorilla of central Africa, and the orangutan of southeast Asia.

37. Umbrella species
Umbrella species are species selected for making
conservation related decisions, typically because
protecting these species indirectly protects the many
other species that make up the ecological community of
its habitat. Species conservation can be subjective
because it is hard to determine the status of many
species. With millions of species of concern, the
identification of selected keystone species, flagship
species or umbrella species makes conservation
decisions easier. Umbrella species can be used to help
select the locations of potential reserves, find the
minimum size of these conservation areas or reserves,
and to determine the composition, structure and
processes of ecosystems.