Biodiversity, defined by E.O. Wilson in 1985, refers to the variety and variability of life forms within different ecosystems and is essential for ecological processes, human survival, and agricultural productivity. Different levels of biodiversity include genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity, each playing a crucial role in maintaining stable environments. However, biodiversity faces significant threats from habitat destruction, poaching, man-wildlife conflicts, and pollution, resulting in numerous endangered species globally, including 154 in India.

1. BIODIVERSITY
Mr. Arif Ahmad Najar
Tutor COPMS, Adesh University
Bathinda, Punjab

2. BIODIVERSITY - DEFINITION
• The term biodiversity was coined by E.O. Wilson in 1985.
• The term Biodiversity is contraction of term Biological Diversity.
• Biodiversity: Defined as The variety & variability among living
organisms and the Ecological complexes in which they occur.
OR
It is the measure of relative density among living organisms present in
different ecosystems
• It is said to be biological wealth of a country or region.

3. IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY
• It plays an important role in in the formation & enriching soil.
• Biodiversity influences the water cycle and biochemical cycles in the
ecosystem.
• Important for the proper functioning of many organisms and
ecosystems.
• Human population depends on the varieties of plants & animals for
their food, clothing, shelter, etc.
• Biological wealth of a country or region.

4. TYPES OR LEVELS OF BIODIVERSITY
GENETIC DIVERSITY
SPECIES DIVERSITY
ECOSYSTEM DIVERSITY

5. GENETIC DIVERSITY
• Genetic diversity is the amount of variation in genetic material (DNA)
within a species or within a population.
• The magnitude of variation in genes of a species increases with increase in
size and environmental parameters of the habitat.
• Genetic diversity has the following importance:
• (i) It helps in speciation or evolution of new species;
• (ii) It is useful in adaptation to changes in environmental conditions;
• (iii) It is important for agricultural productivity and development

6. SPECIES DIVERSITY
• Species Diversity refers to the variety of different types of living
things on earth such as plants, bacteria, mammals, insects, etc. within a
region.
• Species can be defined as a group or population of similar organisms
that reproduce by interbreeding within the group.
• To accurately determine species diversity, both the species richness,
which is the number of different species, and the relative abundance,
which is the number of individuals within each species, must be
considered.
• The species richness depends largely on climatic conditions.

7. ECOSYSTEM DIVERSITY
• Ecosystem Diversity describes the assemblage and Interaction of
spices living together and the physical environment of a given area.
• It relates varieties of habitats, biotic communities ecological processes
in biosphere.
• It also tells about the diversity within the ecosystem. For example, the
landscapes like grass lands, deserts, mountains etc. show ecosystem
diversity.
• The ecosystem diversity is due to diversity of niches, trophic levels
and ecological processes like nutrient cycling, food webs, energy flow,
role of dominant species and various related biotic interactions.
• Such type of diversity can generate more productive and stable
ecosystems or communities capable of tolerating various types of
stresses e.g. drought, flood etc.

8. HOT SPOTS OF BIODIVERSITY
• The area which exhibit high species richness as well as high species
endemism & are threatened by human activities are termed as Hot
Spots of Biodiversity.
• There are about 36 biodiversity hotspots world wide. They once
covered 15.7% of the earth’s land surface, 86% of these Hotspot
habitat has already been destroyed. The intact remnants of the
Hotspots now cover only 2.5% of the earth’s land surface.
• Hotspots cover about 50% of terrestrial biodiversity. About 40%
terrestrial plants, 25% vertebrate species (Endemic)
• Broadly Hotspots are in the Western Amazon, Madagascar, North &
East Borneo, North-Eastern Australia, West Africa & Brazilian
Amazon forests
• Out of these Hotspots TWO Hotspots are in INDIA & are present in
Eastern Himalayas & Western Ghats.

9. THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
• In the 20th century, the human impact has been so severe that thousands of
species & varieties of plant and animal life become extinct annually.
• Number of animal species have become extinct due to natural forces like:
• Volcanic eruption,
• Earthquakes, glaciations,
• Desertification,
• Global warming,
• Soil erosion,
• Floods, droughts
• Forest fires
• Eutrophication, etc .

10. THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
• The main causes of loss of biodiversity are:
1) Loss of Natural Habitats or Destruction of Habitats: Habitat destruction
is responsible for about 80% of the extinction of the species.
• Natural forests and grasslands have been the natural homes of thousands of
species of wild life.
• Habitat loss may be due to:
• Natural causes like forest fire
• Anthropogenic causes like deforestation, killing of animals etc.
• Construction of dams & reservoirs,
• Construction of highways & railway lines
• Building of industries
• Felling of forest trees etc.

11. THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
2) Poaching of Wildlife: means illegal hunting of wild animals as a
game or for the sake of animal products to be sold for money.
• Despite ban smuggling of wildlife products like furs, hides, horns, etc.
by mafia continues on a large scale, poaching of endangered species in
the international market
• Poaching of wildlife led to extinction of various species in the
biosphere.

12. THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
3) Man-Wildlife Conflicts: The encroachment of the natural habitats of
wildlife by modern man, i.e. forest has shrunk.
• The shrinkage has compelled the wild animals to move outside the
forests and enter villages and towns around the forests and attack the
agricultural fields, domestic animals, and sometimes, even human
beings.
• This has made the people, i.e. the villagers kill the wild animals that
have strayed into their villages . The result is loss of wild animals.
• Anthropogenic activities like developmental pressure, encroachment,
over exploitation, faulty management of forests and wildlife, etc.have
also led to man-wild life conflict.

13. THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
4) Other Causes for Loss of Biodiversity:
• Introduction of exotic species
• Over-exploitation of natural resources like over-grazing, over-fishing
etc.
• Pollution specifically aquatic pollution
• Disturbance in migratory routes of animals
• Official laxity in the implementation of Wildlife Protection
Environment Protection act.

14. ENDANGERED SPECIES
• Endangered species are those species of organisms that are in danger
of extinction & whose survival is unlikely, if factors continue
operating. These include :
• Vulnerable species; those species that are likely to move into the
endangered category in the near future, if the causal factors continue
operating.
• Rare species; are those species with a small populations that are not,
at present , endangered or vulnerable, but are at risk.
• Threatened species; refer to those species which are in one of the
three categories, viz. endangered, vulnerable or rare.

15. ENDANGERED SPECIES OF INDIA
• India has 154 species of animals regarded as endangered species.
These include:
• 53 species of insects
• 69 species of birds
• 29 species of reptiles and
• 3 species of amphibians

16. ENDANGERED SPECIES OF INDIA
• Some important endangered species of animals of india are;
1. Reptiles: Gharial, Green sea turtle, Tortoise and Python
2. Birds: Great Indian bustard, peacock, Pelican, Siberian White crane
Great Indian hornbill, Pink-headed duck
3. Carnivores: Indian wolf, Red fox, Sloth bear, Red Panda, Tiger,
Leopard, Striped hyena, Indian Loin, Golden cat,
4. Primates: Hoolock Gibbon, Loin-tailed macaque, nilgiri longur
capped monkey, Golden monkey.

17. ENDEMIC SPECIES
• Endemic species are species of organisms which are restricted to a
particular area. These are species which exist only in certain
conditions which are present in a definite area.
• Endemic Species of India: out of total 81000 species of animals large
number is endemic. About 62% amphibians & 50% lizards are
endemic to Western Ghats.
• Reticulated Python, Salamander, Varanus, Brown palm civet, Nilgiri,
Thar, etc are some important endemic species of India.
• Out of about 47000 species of plants , about 7000 species are
endemic , usually restricted (62%) to Himalayas, Khasi Hills, Western
Ghats.
• Some important flora include; Sapria Himalayana, Uvalia lurida,
Nephenthes, Khasiana, Pedicularis perrater, etc.

18. CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY
• In-situ Conservation: The conservation of ecosystem and natural
habitats, and maintenance and recovery of viable population of
species in their natural surroundings and in the case of domesticated
or cultivated species, in the surrounding where they have developed
their distinctive properties. This means it is the conservation of
biodiversity in its natural habitat.
• Merits of In-situ conservation;
1. Cheap method for conservation
2. Convenient way for conservation of biodiversity
3. Factors detrimental to the existence of the species concerned can
be eliminated

19. CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY
• Ex-situ Conservation: It may be defined as the conservation of the
components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats. This
means maintenance and breeding of endangered plant and animals
species under partially or wholly controlled condition. E.g. Zoos
nurseries, laboratories etc.
• Merits of Ex-situ conservation:
1. Conservation of crop varieties for future improvement programmes.
2. Plays important role in transfer desired traits in high yielding
varieties
• Demerits of Ex-situ Conservation: (1) Costly
(2) Impossible to create ideal habitats outside their natural habitats.

20. THANK YOU