ECO SYSTEMS AND BIO-DIVERSITY

UNITII
Dr. K. Chandrasekaran

 Concepts of an eco system

It is defined as the system which results from the interaction
of all living and non living factors with particular environment.
Relationship between living organism and non-living matter
constitute the eco system.
Ecology is the study of science of interlationship between
living organism and their environment.
Forest, desert, fresh water body, earth ,estuaries, etc.,
constitutes the eco system.
Eco system is natural and it is self regulating without any
external factors is known as natural eco system.
Cities, Agricultural lands, dams and reservoirs are artificial
eco system.
Man creates artificial eco system to cater his need by use of
technology
Earth is the giant eco system in the form of biosphere; where
the biotic and abiotic systems are constantly interacting each
other.

Structure and Function of eco system

It consists of both biotic and abiotic environment

Abiotic components are non-living factors and supports living
components
Soil, minerals, air, light, water, nutrient, natural resources,
etc., are abiotic
Biotic components comprises all living organisms including
humans, plants, animals and microbes.
Biotic Components
Autotrophs Organism can produce their own food (Plants &
Trees). It can produce food by photosynthesis. As it
produces food for all organism, it is known as producers.
Heterotrophs Organisms which depend directly or indirectly
upon the autotrophs for their food and thus it is known as
consumers.

 Function of eco system

Metabolic Process- It regulates the flow rate of biological
energy including assimilation, respiration, production, growth,
etc.,
Energy flow involves transfer of energy from producer to
various consumers and assist in maintaining the diversity of
eco system.
Bio-geochemical cycling Bio-chemical cycling involves
circulating food mateials and water in between biotic and
abiotic components of an eco system.
Biological Regulation It regulates organism by
environment and environment by organism according to the
mutual needs between them.
It regulates the species diversity because the nature consists
of greater variety of organisms in a system, which leads to its
stability.
It controls the alteration components, because one
component (Biotic) affects other (Abiotic).

Producers, Consumers and Decomposers in eco

system

Producers - These are the autotrophs members of the eco

system which consists of green plants and synthesis food
from sun light. It includes flowering plants, trees algae and
chemosynthetic bacteria.
Consumers Heterotrophs members of eco system, which
consumer other living being for their food. Consumers include
animals and human beings.
Primary consumers are herbivores which depends upon
green plants for their food. Secondary consumers are
carnivores which depend upon other animals for their food.
Tertiary consumers are those animals which can eat
secondary consumers
Decomposers Includes micro organisms like bacterial and
fungi; which attack on dead bodies of producers and
consumers and decomposes it into smaller compounds and
release inorganic nutrients. These nutrients and organic
matter can be utilized by producers to prepare their own food.

Energy Flow in Eco System

Radiant energy produced in the sun travels through space in

the form of waves and reaches earth surface.
Energy reaching the earth is absorbed by green plants and
other organisms during photosynthesis and chemosysnthesis
Green thus obtained energy from photosynthesis and sacrifice
themselves as food to other organisms
Energy flow is unidirectional in eco system and is formed from
producers to herbivores to carnivores. The flow cannot occurs
in reverse direction.
Flow starts from autotrophs to heterotrophs. The amount of
energy decreases with successive trophic levels.

Food Chains and Food Webs

It is defined as the transfer of energy and nutrient through a
series of organisms with repeated process of eating and being
eaten.

Ecosystem interconnects all living organisms with one another

by food relationship in a way that each organism, living or dead
is potential food for some other organism and thus is no waste in
the functioning of a natural eco system.

The linear or orderly arrangement of food chains hardly occur

and remain interconnected with each other through different
types of organism at different trophic levels which is referred to
as a food web.

Significance: It provides food to any organism in an eco system

It facilitates the energy flow mechanism in eco system
It maintains the movement of toxic substance in the eco system
and the problem of biological magnification.

Food chain

Food web

Ecological pyramids
Ecological pyramids are diagrammatical representations to
show relationship of number, biomass and energy content
among organisms of food chain within eco system.
Pyramid Number It refers to the number of organism
present in eco system. It is generally found that there is a
progressive drop in number from producers to primary and to
secondary consumers.
Decrease in number occurs because of energy loss; when one
organism feeds on another.
Depending upon the type of ecosystem and food chain,
pyramid number may increase or decrease.
Pyramid Bio-mass Bio-waste generated by community or
an individual is called pyramid bio-mass. The amount of
organic matter present in it is given as per unit area.
Pyramid biomas deals with the quantitative relationship of the
standing crop at each trophic level.
It provides better information of standing crop of the eco
system.

ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS

2nd Level Carnivores

or Tertiary Consumers
1st Level
Carnivores
or Secondary
Consumers
Herbivores
or Primary
Consumers

Producers

Energy Pyramid
It deals the energy accumulation pattern among different
trophic levels of a food chain.
It provides good index about productivity and energy flow of
eco system.
Primary producers trap the radiant energy from the sun and
convert it into potential chemical eenergy.
The trapped energy flowing in the food chain from the
producers to top carnivores.

Energy Pyramids

Ecological Succession
Eco system is dynamic in nature
Its structure and function changes with time in routine
matter and thus predicted.
The progressive transformation of biological community,
plant and animal species come into an area and alter the
environmental condition in favor of new plants and animal
species and this process is known is ecological succession.
Ecological succession culminates in a stable eco system and
it is called as climax. Climax community is characterized by
bio-mass utilized efficiently per unit of available energy.
Succession may take hundred and thousands of years to
complete with number of intermediate communities known
as seral community or seres.
Establishment of first community all in the area is called
pioneer community.

Ecological succession

 Succession Process is a self propelled because each seral

community changes the physical factors of the area.
So that the community cannot renew itself in current form
For an instance pine forest grow in canopy and shades the former
forest floor. New sun loving pine seeding cannot germinate in this
shade and consequently the new shade-tolerant oak seedlings can
start sprout.
There are two types of succession
(i) Primary succesion & (ii) Secondary succession.
Primary succession: It takes place when plants and animals
colonize a previously desolate area such as sand dune, bare rocks,
new volcanic island.
Secondary Succession: It starts up from previously built up
community where a sudden change in climatic factor, biotic
intervention, fire, etc., causes the existing community to
disappear.
Further classification of succession based on the moisture content

(i) Hydrosere (ii) Mesosere (iii) Xerosere

Hydrosere

Hydrosere: This succession starts in regions where water

is available in plenty. (e.g) Pond, Lake, river, swamp, bog,
etc.,.
Hydrosere starts with colonization of some phytoplanktons,
which initially forms plant community and later terminates
into a forest.
Mesosere: This originate in an area where aequate moisture
conditions are present. The original substratum contains
sufficient amount of water and organic matter.
Theprimitive substratum are lichens, mosses, algae and
other microorganisms.
Xerosere: It grows in areas where moisture content is very
low. It is found is deserts regions. The original substratum
is deficient in water and lacks any organic matter.
Thus succession tends to move towards mesic (moderate)
conditions, irrespective of regions whether it is moist or dry.
The succession culminates in a stable climax community
(usually a forest).

Eco Systems
Several eco systems exists in micro and macro level.
Based on physiology, climate, natural vegetation, soil and
water bodies, separate eco systems can be identified.
Major group of eco systems can be classified on the basis of
habitat
Terrestrial Eco system
(I) Forest Eco system
(ii) Grassland system
(iii) Desert Eco system
Aquatic Eco System
(i) Fresh water eco system
(ii) Marine eco system
(iii) Estuarine eco system

Characteristics of Terrestrial Eco System

Moisture is the major limiting factor this eco system

Evapotranspiration is an energy dissipating process, unique
to terrestrial environment.
Extreme temperature is produced at several occasions
Strong-skeletal systems are present in terrestrial regions
(Plants and animals).
Rapid circulation air equalizes carbon dioxide and oxygen
contents throughout the globe.
Soil acts as highly developed ecological subsystem.

Forest Eco System

Predominant Vegetation of this eco system is trees, with a
large number of species of herbs, shrubs, climbers, lichens,
algae and wide variety of animals and plants.
Component of eco system is biotic and abiotic
Abiotic Inorganic minerals and organic matter
Biotic
Producers Trees, shrubs, epiphytes and ground vegetation
Primary consumers eating plants (monkeys, cow, goat,
mongooses)
Secondary Consumers Eating herbivores ( Snakes, lizards)
Tertiary Consumers Top carnivores (Eat lion and tiger)

Goods

timber
fuel wood
drinking and irrigation water
Fodder
non-timber products (vines, bamboo,
leaves)
food (honey, mushrooms, fruit,
game)

services

removal of air pollutants

emission of oxygen
cycling of nutrients
an array of watershed functions
(infiltration, purification, flow control,
soil stabilisation)
maintenance of biodiversity
sequestering of atmospheric carbon

Grassland Eco Systems

The prime vegetation of this eco system is grass species.
Abiotic Organic matter and inorganic minerals present in
soil
Biotic component
Producers Grasses, shrubs, forbs and ground vegetation
Conosumers
Primary Consumers Cow, Deer, Sheep (Herbivores)
Secondary consumers Carnivores like snake, lizards, fox,
wolf
Tertiary Consumers Top Carnivores, like lion, tiger, fox,
wolf, etc.,
Decomposers Microorganisms include fungi, algae,
bacteria, actinomycetes, etc.,

Grassland Eco Systems

Food chain of grass land eco system

Desert Eco System

Occurs in region where evaporation exceeds precipitation.
Annual mean rainfall is below 250mm
Scarcity of rainfall due to (i) High sub-tropical pressure
Three plant forms can grow in desert area,
(i) Annuals Avoid drought by growing only where there is
adequate moisture.
(ii) Succulents which store water
(iii) Desert shrubs Develop numerous features to adapt
desert condition
Abiotic component Poorly present in soil.
Biotic Component
Producers Shrubs, xerophytic grass, succulent plants
Consumers Insects, reptiles, nocturnal rodents, biers, camels,
etc.,
Decomposers Due to poor vegetation with low amount of
dead organic matter, decomposers are poor in desert eco
system with only few species of thermophillic fungi and
bacteria.

Desert Eco system

DESERT ECO SYSTEM FOOD CHAIN PATTERN

Aquatic system
Aquatic system deals with the biotic components of water
bodies.
Carbondi oxide and oxygen are available in gaseous state for
terresterrial system
But in aquatic system the above gases are available in
dissolved state in water.
Aqatic eco systems influenced by several factors such as
light, temperature, pressure, salinity, oxygen and carbondi
oxide concentration.
Based on the quality and nature of water the aquatic systems
are further classified into
(i) Fresh water aquatic systems (ii) Marine eco systems (iii)
Fresh water aquatic system further classified into
(i) standing water or lentic eco system (lake, pond, swamp)
(ii) Running water Iotic eco systems (river, spring, stream)

Food chain aquatic eco system

Marine Eco System

Coastal System

Fresh water eco system It occupies small portion of the

earths surface and provides drinking water as as water for
domestic needs.
Pond and Lake ecosystem Pond is a good example of
standing fresh water eco system, which exhibits a selfsufficient, self-regulating system. Pond is a place where
living organisms not only live but interact with biotic and
abiotic components.
Lakes are usually big standing fresh water bodies.
They have a shallow water zone called littoral zone, an openwater zone, where penetration of solar light takes place
called limnetic zone and deep water zone where light
penetration is negligible, called profoundal zone.
Abiotic component Organic and inorganic matter present in
bottom soil or dissolved in water.
Biotic Component
Producers Includes submerged, free floating and
amphibious macrophytes (hydrilla, typha, etc., ) and minute
floating and suspended lower phytoplanktons (like Ulothrirx,
Spirogyra, etc., )

Consumers
Primary Consumers
These are zooplanktons (ciliates, flagellates, protozoa, etc.,)
and benthos.
Secondary Consumers: These are carnivores like insects
and fishes feeding on the herbivores.
Tertiary Consumers
These are large fishes feeding on small fishes
Decomposers These are microorganisms like bacteria,
fungi and actinomycetes.
Marine or Ocean Eco System
These are gigantic reservoirs of water covering nearly 70% of
earthss surface. This eco system differs from freshwater
ecosystem mainly because of its saline water, depth and
water is in continuous circulation.
Most of the marine water is at a temperature of 2-3oC, devoid
of light, and 62% is under high pressure.
Trophic levels of marine eco system start from smallest
autotrophs, like planktons and neutons and end with larger

Abiotic component

High Na, Ca, Mg and K salt concentrations, variable dissolved

oxygen content, light and temp. makes unique physio-chemical
conditions of marine system.

Concentration of dissolved nutrient remain low and thus limits

the marine population.
Biotic Components
Producers It includes phytoplankton, large sea weeds,
angiosperms
Consumers
Primary Consumers Herbivorous and feed directly on
producers (crustceans, mollusks, fish, etc.,)
Secondary Consumers Carnivores fishes (Herring and
markerel)
Tertiary Consumers Top carnivores fishes feeding on small
fishes
Decomposers: Micro organism like bacteria and fungi.

Estuarine Eco System

Estuarines are semi-enclosed coastal body of water connected

on the one side with open sea and with fresh water on the
other side.
It is a transition zone which is strongly affected by tidal
action and mixing sea water into fresh water and vice-versa
Therefore this eco system is characterized as eco system
having fluctuating water level.
Hence the organism present in estuaries show a wide range
of tolerance to temperature (eurythermal) and salinity
(eurylhaline).
Estuaries are highly productive and offer high food potential
for human beings due to the nutrient and energy inputs from
both sea water and river water

What is estuary?

Estuarine eco system

Estuarine System

Component of estuaries

Abiotic component: Mixture of fresh water and marine eco

systems
Biotic
Producers Macrophytes (march grasses, seaweeds, sea
grasses, benthic algae and phytoplanktoms
Consumers Oysters, crabs, several kinds of shrimps and
many commercial sport fish.
Decomposers Bacteria and Fungi.

Introduction to Bio-diversity

Definition It is derived from the word biological diversity. The biosphere

contains more than 15 million organisms. They differ widely from one
other and this variation in living organism is called Bio-ddivesity.

Genetic Biodiversity

Genetic Diversity It refers to the variation of genes

within the species. The genes found in organisms can form
enormous number of combinations each of which gives rise
to some variability.
Genes are the basic unit of hereditary information
transmitted from one generation to the other.
Differences between individual organisms have two causes:
(i) variation in the genetic material and (ii) variation caused
by the environmental influence on each organism
When genes within the same species show different
versions due to new combinations, it is called genetic
variability and it is basic source of diversity.
Often natural habitats have been converted to other uses,
thereby destroying wide varieties of crop plants that might
need for plant improvement and this generally called
generally called as loss of genetic diversity. If it happens
within the species it is termed as genetic erosion.

GENETIC BIO-DIVERSITY

Application: Genetic diversity has benefit for agricultural

productivity and its development. It provides new variety of
crops with high yield.

Species Diversity
It refers to variety of species within a region.
Diversity between species is called species diversity.
It is possible to estimate the number of species within a region/
a country and this estimation is known as species richness.
It provides a possible measure of how much diversity present
at a site and thus it is a measure of diversity.
Any area contributes to overall global diversity both through
the number of species present in that area and through the
proportion to those species, which are unique to that area.
These species which are confined entirely to a certain area
are called endemic species.
Biotic components: Plants, animal and microbes
Smaller the area of endemism; the more at risk are the
endemic species.

Species Diversity

Eco System Diversity

This is the diversity of ecological environment showing

variations in ecological riches, trophic structure, food webs,
nutrient cycling, etc.,
It also shows variation with respect to physical parameters
like moisture, temperature, moisture, altitude, preicpitation,
etc.,
Diversity of eco systems is often assessed in terms of the
diversity of the species.
Hence, the diversity occurs at the ecological level (marine,
pond, desert, etc.,)
Eco system diversity is difficulty to measure since the
boundaries of the communities which constitute the various
eco systems are elusive.

Eco System Diversity

Coral Reef

Bio-geographical classification of India

India is one of the eight Vavilov Centres of high plant genetic

diversity and is characterized by having a high proportion of
endemic species in its vegetation.
Biogeography comprising phytography and zoogeography
deals with aspects of plants and animals.
Botanical survey of India has divided nine biogeographical
regions based on floral diversity,
Northern Himalayas: Consisiting of outer range covered by
subtropical dry evergreen , subtropical pine forests and moist
temperature zone forests. The inner ranges of mountains
have dry temperate forests and alpine scrubs.
Eastern Himalayas Compared to western Himalayas, the
Eastern Himalayas are wetter and warmer and thus rich in
biodiversity. Lower slopes posses semi-evergreen forests.
Western Arid Region Chracterized by sparsed vegetation
and distributed on fairly distinct found habitat conditions
namely (i) Sand plains and dunes (ii) Gravelly plains (iii) Rocky
Habitats (iv) Saline depressions

Gangetic Plain Stretching from eastern Rajasthan through Uttar

Pradesh to Bihar and Bengal. The whole area is chiefly under
Agriculture. The natural vegetation consists of tropical deciduous
forest. Southeast end of gangetic plain consists of mangroove
regions of sundarbans.
Eastern India: It includes seven sister nations starts from
Arunachal Pradesh.
Vegetation Tropical wet evergreen forests consists eastern and
southern Assam.
Deciduous forest Meghalaya, Tripura and Assam.
Sub tropical pine forests Meghalaya, Manipur
Nagaland Having many enemies including insectivorous pitcher
plant and it consists of finest bamboo forest in the country.
Nagaland This region represents high diversity of orchids,
bamboos, tree ferns, aroids, and members of zingiberaceae.
The Deccan Plateau Its are lies south of vindhyan hills and eastern
and western ghats.
Vegetation Tropical thorn forests, Trophical dry deciduoterus forest.
Coverage Eastern parts of the plateau in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya
pradesh and orissa.

Western Ghats
Natural Vegetation Tropical moist deciduous forests, tropical
semi-evergreen forests and tropical wet evergreen forests in
a continuous strip all along the ghats.
Coverage Karnataka, Kerala and Nilgiris. Especially Nilgiris
region is rich in endemic flora.
Eastern Ghats It consists of tropical dry deciduous thorn
forests.
Coverage Orissa
Natural vegetation Sholas are dominated by evergreen
forests
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Andaman islands are continental fragments while Nicobar
islands are volcanic. The islands have rich bio-diversity
having tropical wet evergreen, semi-evergreen and moist
deciduous forests.

Value of Bio-Diversity

The world is inhabitated by great diversity of life forms,

animals and plants, living in diverse habitats and possessing
diverse qualities.
This diversity is key to human survival as they provide food
and materials for shelter, clothing, tools and medicine.
The value of biodiversity in terms of commercial utility,
ecological services, social and aesthetic value is enormous.
Bio-diversity value can be classified as follow,
Consumptive use value These are direct use values
where the bio-diversity products can be harvested and
consumed directly (e.g: food, drugs, etc.,)
Food A large number of wild plants are consumed by
human beings as food . About 90% of present day food crops
have been harvested from wild tropical plants.
Drugs and medicine 75% of world population depends upon
plants or plant extract for medicine. Pencillin used as
antibiotic is derived from a fungus called pencillium.

Significance of diversity/Nitrogen
Fixation

 Productive use values

These include animal products like tusks of elephants, musk
from musk deer, silk from silk worm, wool from sheep, fir of
many animals, lac from lac insects, etc., are traded in the
market
Industries: Paper industry, plywood industry, railway sleeper
industry, silk industry, textile industry, ivory-works, leather
industry, pearl industry, etc., are based on the productive use
values of bio-diversity.
Social Value These values are associated with the social
life, customs, religion, and psycho-spiritual aspects of the
people. Many plants are considered as holy and sacred in our
country like tulsi,neem, Lotus, Mango, Banana, Peepal, Bael,
etc., . The leaves, fruits and flowers of these plants are used
for worship.
Many animals like cow, snake, bull, peacock, owl, etc., also
have significant place in our psycho-spiritual practice. Thus
bio-diversity has distinct social value attached with the
different societies.

Ethical Value
It is also known as existence value. It involves ethical issues
like all life must be preserved. It is based on the concept of
live and let live. Every human in the society have the
responsibility to preserve and protect our bio-diversity.
Aesthetic Value
Aesthetic value is a key aspect of bio-diversity. Aesthetic value
of bio-diversity attracts the tourism and this is known as eco
tourism. It increases the economic development of nation due
to the revenue generated by eco toursim.
Option Values
These values include the potentials of the bio-diversity that are
presently unknown and need to be explored. The potential
cure of AIDS or cancer drugs could be developed in near future
based on herbal plants from forest eco system.
The option value also includes the values, in terms of the
option to explore areas where a flora and fauna exists.

Bio-diversity at global level

It is estimated that there are 530 million species of living
forms are present in the earth and only 1.5 million have
been identified which includes 3,00,000 species of green
plants and fungi 9,00,000 species of insects, 40,000 species
of vertebrates and 5,00,000 species of microorganisms.
Tropical rain forests are the earths largest storehouse of
biodiversity and are inhibited by millions of species of
plants, animals, birds, insects and other micro organism.

Indian Biodiversity
Indian landmass extending over a total geographical area of
about 3029 million hectares is bound by Himalayas in the North,
the Bay of Bengal in the East, Arabian Sea in the west and Indian
Ocean in the South.
Wide variety of physical features and climatic condition has
resulted in a diversity of ecological habitats and biodiversity
richness.

These vary from the humid tropical western ghats to the hot
deserts of Rajasthan, from the cold deserts of Ladakh and icy
mountains of himalayas to the warm coast of peninsular India.

Overall 7% of the global species are found in India. It is

estimated that Indian ranks 10th among the plant rich countries of
the world and 11th in terms of number of endemic species of
higher vertebrates and 6th among the centres of diversity and
origin of agricultural crops.

Substantial mass of Indian Bio-diversity is still unexplored.

Unexplored area includes

Major wetlands, coral reefs, mangrooves, Plants in TransHimalayan, North-West, West, Central and Eastern Himalayan
forests, Western Ghats, coasts, deserts, Gangetic plains, Deccan
Plateau, and the Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweeep Islands.
On account of diverse climatic conditions there is complete
rainbow spectrum of bio-diversity present in our nation.
INDIA AS A MEGA DIVERSITY NATION
Out of 12,2,153 life forms described till now in the world. India
has about 7.28% and more likely to be discovered.
70,000 insects have been identified till now.
3000 out of 35000 described species of crustaceans are found in
India.
Fish fauna is very rich with more than 2,500 fish species present
in India.
250 species of amphibians, 456 species of reptiles, 1225 species
of birds and 390 species of mammals.
There are many species of animals endemic to India or the Indian
Sub continent.

38 species of mammals are not found anywhere else in the

world.
69 species of endemic birds and 214 species of reptiles
confined to Indian sub continent.
Highest ratio of endemism is found in amphibians nearly 110
species of frogs, toads, salamander, etc.,
60% of the world tigers
80% of the worlds one-horned rhinocerous,
100% of the Asiatic lion
65% of the Asian elephant
80% of the worlds gharials are found in India.
India is reported to have 16,500 19,400 taxa of flowering
plants
India uniquely have 64 gymnosperms
1,135 Pteridophytes
2,850 Bryophytes
2021 lichens
6,500 algae & 14,500 fungi

3,500 herbal plants

Besides, use of fibre, fodder, gum, dyes, scents, essential
oils and for all religious purposes.
Hot Spots of Bio-Diversity
These areas are endowed with superabundance of unique
plant and animal species which are serious risk of erosion
and these areas are called hot spots of bio-diversity.
Areas which exhibit high species richness as well as high
species endemism are termed as hot spots of bio-divesity.
An area is designated as hot spot when it contains at least
0.5% of the plant species as endemics.
There are 25 hot spots are available in global level out of
which two are present in India namely, the Eastern
Himalayas and Western Ghats.
These areas have provided the valuable germ plasm (gene
pool) on which the modern agriculture, horticulture,
silviculture, pisciculture, poultry, dairy and piggery have
been existing.

Hot spots covering 2% of worlds land are found to have

about 50% of terrestrial bio-diversity.
40% of terrestrial plants and 25% of vertebrate species are
endemic are found in these hot spots.

Threats to Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety and variation occurring in nature,
which has sustained the harmonious existence of the earth.
Any change in the system leads to major imbalance and
threatens the normal ecological cycle.
Extinction is the natural process of evolution and earth has
experienced many extinction.
The process of extinction is very rapid particularly in the
recent years of human civilization due to the activities of
modern man armed with power of science and technology.
Man made activities leads to loss of bio-diversity and it
causes thousands of species and varieties become extinct.

 Causes of biodiversity degradation

Loss of Habitat Natural forests and grasslands were the
natural homes of thousands of species which are perished due
to loss of their natural habitat.
It happens in intermittent periods and hence, habitat is divided
into small and scattered patches, a phenomenon known as
habitat fragmentation.
Fragmentation can reduce population due to poor weather and
can cause extinction as well.
Habitat loss are highest in tropical countries; where the diversity
of species is very high.
Marine biodiversity is also under serious threat due large scale
destruction of the fragile breeding and feeding grounds of our
oceanic fish.
Poaching Means a wild game
It involves trading products from endangered species, smuggling
of wildlife items like furs, hides, horns, tusks, live specimens and
herbal products worth millions of dollars per year.

The trading of such wild life products is highly profitable for

the poachers who hunt these prohibited wild lives and
smuggle it other countries.
Stringent law and enforcement on trading wild life items
should be implemented; this measure will reduce poaching
and wild life trade.
Man-wild life conflicts: - Dwindling habitats of wild life due
to shrinkage forest cover compels wild animals to move
outside from the forest and attack the humans and
agricultural fields.
The agonized farmers, therefore get revenged and kill the
wild animals.
Anthropogenic activities like developmental projects,
encroachment, over-exploitation, faulty management
practices, political and policy issues further worsen this
scenario.

Endangered and endemic species of India

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (IUCN) publishes the Red Data Book, which
includes the list of endangered species of plants and animals
RDB symbolizes the warning signal for those species which
are endangered and likely to become extinct in near future.
Important endangered species of India
(a) Reptiles: Gharial, green sea turtle, tortoise & python
(b) Birds : Great Indian Peacock, Pelican, Great Indian
Hornbill, Siberian cran
(c) Carnivnores: Indian wolf, Red fox, Red Panda, Leopard
(d) Primates: Hoolock gibbon, lion tailed macaque, golden
monkey
(e) Plants: A large number of species of orchids,
Rhododendrons, sandal wood tree, medicinal plants like
Rauwolfia serpentina.

Endemic species of India

Of 47,000 species of plants in our country nearly 7,000
species are endemic.
Indian sub continent has about 62% endemic flora
restricted mainly in Himalayas, Khasi Hills and Western
Ghats. Some of the endemic flora include orchids and
species like sapria himalayana, Uvaria lurida, etc.,
The western ghats are particularly rich in amphibian (Frogs,
toads, etc.,) and reptiles (Lizards, crocodiles, etc.,)

 Conservation of Biodiversity
Types In situ conservation & Ex situ conservation
In-situ conservation is defined as the conservation of eco
systems and natural habitats, and maintenance and recovery of
viable populations of species in their natural surroundings and in
the case of demisticated of cultivated species, in the surrounding
where they have developed their distinctive properties.
Ex-situ conservation is defined as the conservation of
components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats.
In situ conservation
This type of conservation involves conservation of species in its
natural habitat.
In situ conservation is a cheap and convenient way preserving
biodiversity
Detrimental factors concerned to the species are eliminated and
thus species is allowed to grow in its natural environment.
The strategy of in situ conservation revolved around
establishment of small or large protected area.

Human activities like hunting, firewood collection, timber

harvesting, etc., are restricted in these area so that the wild
animals and plants could grow multiply in a protected
environment.
Ex-situ conservation
It involves maintenance and breeding of endangered plant
and animal species under partially or wholly controlled
conditions e.g zoos, gardens, nurseries and laboratories.
This conservation is an old age practice but the application of
advance science and technology has transformed the
process into a well organized discipline of science.
It involves identification of species to be conserved based on
vulnerability of the species to extinct and economical,
ecological and aesthetic importance of the species.
This type of conservation is important for conservation for
crop varieties and wild relatives of crops
The main objective of conserving the total genetic variability
of the crop species for future crop improvement or
afforestation.