This document provides an overview of biodiversity and its conservation in India. It begins by defining biodiversity and describing the different types, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity. It then discusses the value of biodiversity in terms of direct consumptive, productive, and indirect social, ethical, and aesthetic values. The document notes that India ranks high in biodiversity as the 10th most plant diverse country and is home to many endemic species. It identifies the Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas as biodiversity hotspots under threat from habitat loss and wildlife conflicts. The document concludes by explaining the strategies for biodiversity conservation, including both in-situ and ex-situ conservation methods.

1. Unit III
Biodiversity and its
Conservation
Presented By
Ms. Prachi Soniminde

2. Contents
2
• Introduction and its types
• Genetic diversity
• Species diversity
• Ecosystem diversity
• Biogeographic classification of India
• Value of Biodiversity
• Consumptive value
• Productive value
• Social value
• Ethical value
• Aesthetic value
• Option value
• Biodiversity at Global, National and Local Levels
• Hotspots of Biodiversity
• Threats to Biodiversity: Habitat Loss, Poaching of Wild life, Man-Wild
life Conflicts.
• Endangered and Endemic species of India

3. Introduction and its
types
Biodiversity is the variety of different types of
life found on earth. It is a measure of the
variety of organisms present in different
ecosystem.
• Defined as “richness in variety and variability of
species of all living organism in a given habitat.
• It is variability among living organism from all
sources including terrestrial, marine and other
aquatic ecosystems and the ecological
complexes of which they are a part.
3

4. 4
Biodiversity of Earth

5. 5
Types of Biodiversity
• Genetic Diversity : variation of
genes within species. It could be
alleles or chromosomal structure
• Species Diversity : variety of
species within a region i.e.
species richness
• Community or Ecosystem
Diversity : diversity at the level
of community and ecosystem

6. 6
Genetic Diversity

7. 7
Species Diversity

8. 8
Community or Ecosystem Diversity

9. 9
Biogeographic Classification of India

10. Value of
Biodiversity
10
Value of
Biodiversity
Direct values
Consumptive
use values
Productive
use values
Indirect
values
Social values Ethical values
Aesthetic
values
Option values
Ecosystem
values

11. A. Consumptive
values
11
(direct use value)
1. Food :
• About 80,000 edible plants species
• Edible animals
2. Drugs and Medicines:
• Plant and plant extracts extensively used in
medicines
• Penicillin Penicillium(fungi)
• Malaria drugs Cinchona tree
• Anticancer drugs Vinblastine and Vincristine
(flower of Catharanthus
plant)
1. Fuel :
• Fossil fuel coal, petroleum, natural gas

12. B. Productive
values
12
(commercially usable values)
• Musk, silk, ivory, leather industry
• Milk products industry
• Textile and dye industry
• Wood Industry
C. Social values
• Holy and Scared Tree Tulsi, Peepal, Lotus, etc.
• Holy animals Cow, Snake, Bull, Peacock, Rat,
etc.

13. D. Ethical values
13
• “All Life must be preserved” based on “Live and let
live”
• This means we don’t use the species directly or
indirectly, but we feel sorry about the loss of species
• They have existence value
• E.g. Passenger Pigeon or Dodo
• E.g. River Ganga
E. Aesthetic
values
• Eco – tourism (to enjoy the aesthetic value of
biodiversity)

14. F. Option values
14
• Keeping future possibilities open for their use is called
option value
• E.g. The growing biotechnology field is searching for a
the cure for diseases like cancer and AIDS.
• E.g. Marine animals anti cancer drugs
G. Ecosystem
values
• Prevention of soil erosion, floods
• Maintain soil fertility, nitrogen fixation
• Biogeochemical cycle, hydrological cycle
(non-consumptive value)

15. 15
Biodiversity at Global, National and Local
Levels
• India is second largest nation containing 5% of world’s biodiversity and 2% of the earth
surface.
• Rank of India in biodiversity: 10th rank among the plant rich, 11th rank among the endemic
species of higher vertebrates, 6th rank among the centers of diversity and origin of
agricultural crops.
• India’s is an agricultural country and economic depends on the production of crops
• Medicinal Value: More than 2000 medicinal plants – cure many diseases e.g. Tulsi, neem,
turmeric, etc.
• Distribution of plants and animals among different districts in Tamil Nadu is uneven
• Dense forest in Salem
• Western Ghats has 1500 species of plants, 50 species of mammals and 90 reptiles.
• Throughout the world, the value of biologically rich natural areas is now being increasingly
appreciated as being of unimaginable value. International agreements such as the World
Heritage Convention attempt to protect and support such areas.
• India has also signed the Convention in the Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) which is
intended to reduce the utilization of endangered plants and animals by controlling trade in
their products and in the pet trade.

16. 16
India as a Mega Diversity Nation
• India is one of 12 mega diversity countries in world
• It has 47,000 species of plants and 81,000 species of animals
• Many endemic plants and animals
• Center of origin of many flowering and crop plants
• Great marine diversity due to 7,500 km along coastline
• The traditional cultivars included 30,000 to 50,000 varieties of rice and a number of cereals,
vegetables and fruit.
• The highest diversity of cultivars is concentrated in the high rainfall areas of the Western
Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Northern Himalayas and the North-Eastern hills.

17. Hotspots of
Biodiversity
17
• Areas which exhibit high species richness as well as
high species endemism are termed as Hot spots of
Biodiversity.
• There are 25 hot spots of biodiversity on a global level
and two are present in India i.e. Eastern Himalayas and
Western Ghats.
• At global level, these are the areas of high conservation
priority, if these species lost, they can never be
replaced or regenerated.
• Hotspot covering less than 2% of world’s land are found
to have 50% of terrestrial biodiversity.
• About 40% of terrestrial plants and 25% of vertebrate
species are endemic and found in hotspot.

18. 18
Global Hotspot of Biodiversity

19. Threats of Biodiversity
19

20. 20
Endangered and Endemic Species of
India
• According to International Union Conservation of Nature
and Natural Resources – IUCN the species are classified
as follows, Extinct Species – No longer found,
Endangered Species – Number of species has been
reduced to critical level, Vulnerable Species –
Continuous decline due to habitat destruction, Rare
Species – Species located within a restricted area or
thinly scattered over a more extensive area.
• In India the following species are endangered - 450 plant
species - 100 mammals species - 150 birds species
• India’s biodiversity is threatened due to habitat
destruction, degradation and over exploitation of
resources.
• Reptiles – tortoise, green sea turtle, python, etc. Birds –
peacock, Siberian white crane, etc. Mammals – Indian
wolf, tiger, Indian lion, etc. Primates – capped monkey,
golden monkey, etc. Plants – medicinal plants, sandal
wood tree, etc.
• ENDEMIC SPECIES: Species found
only in particular region
• In India 47,000 species and 7,000
plants are endemic, 62% of our
endemic species are found in
Himalayas and Western Ghats
• 1. Fauna – Animals present in a
particular region
• 81,000 species of animals
• Western Ghats is rich in 62%
amphibians and 50% reptiles
• 2. Flora – Plants present in a particular
region

21. Why Is Biodiversity Critical To Life On
Earth?
21

22. 22
Conservation of Biodiversity
• There are two basic strategies for biodiversity
conservation, these are most effective and efficient
mechanism for conservation
1. In-situ conservation:
• The term in-suit conservation denotes
conservation of species in its natural
habitat, that is where the species are
normally found
• The in-suit conservation strategies stress
on protection of total ecosystem through
network of protected areas
2. Ex-suit 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 and botanical gardens, etc.

23. THANK YOU!
Any Questions?