What is Biodiversity?

• Biodiversity is the variety and differences among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part of.
• The rich biodiversity has been instrumental in providing humanity with food security, health care and industrial goods that has led to high standard of living in the modern world.
• This diversity of living creatures forms a support system which has been used by each civilization for its growth and development.

Biodiversity can be discussed at three levels:

1. Genetic biodiversity:

• Genetic biodiversity refers to the variation of genes within species.
• Genes are the basic building blocks of several life forms.
• Species are the groups of individual organisms having definite resemblances in their physical characteristics.
• Human beings inherently belong to the Homo sapiens group.
• They also differ in their features such as physical appearance, height, etc. This is due to genetic diversity.
• This genetic diversity is vital for healthy breeding of population of species.

1. Species Biodiversity:

• Species Diversity refers to the variety of species.
• It relates to the number of species in a demarcated area.
• The diversity of species can be measured through its abundance, richness, and types.
• The regions rich in species diversity are called hotspots of diversity.

1. Ecosystem Biodiversity:

• The wide differences between types of ecosystem and the diversity of habitats and ecological processes happening inside each ecosystem type set up the ecosystem diversity.
• The boundaries of communities and ecosystems are not very strictly demarcated.
• Hence the demarcation of ecosystem boundaries is intricate and difficult.

Biodiversity Hotspots

• Biodiversity hotspots are areas that support natural ecosystems that are largely intact and where native species and communities associated with these ecosystems are well represented.
•  They are also areas with a high diversity of locally endemic species, which are species that are not found or are rarely found outside the hotspot.

Biodiversity Hotspots in India

• Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
• The Eastern Himalayas
• Indo-Burma Region
• Sundaland (South-East Asia region – India is represented by the Nicobar Islands)

Causes for loss Biodiversity:

• Habitat Destruction: Damaging human activity continues to encroach on natural environments, thereby destroying the habitats of countless species. As our numbers rise, cities and industrial areas are growing and merging into each other, fragmenting the remaining habitat and leaving isolated “islands” of natural populations of plants and animals too small to survive. 
• Overexploitation: Humankind’s relentless consumption of resources such as timber, oil and minerals is continuing to destroy natural habitats around the globe. 
• Poaching: Wildlife poaching and trafficking still present a huge threat to many species, including rhinos, tigers and pangolins. 
• Agriculture Intensification: In order to meet the unsustainable consumption patterns of the developed world and feed the numbers of people living on the Earth today, humanity has developed agricultural systems which rely on monocultures, artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Monocultures are increasingly susceptible to disease whilst widespread pesticide use destroys insect populations indiscriminately. 
• Climate Change: Our planet is on the verge of a climate crisis due to our endless production of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide and methane.
• Pollution:  Our oceans are becoming choked with plastic waste which is killing millions of animals, from sea turtles to whales. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the sea. As populations increase, the disposal of waste, in particular hazardous waste, becomes an increasingly serious issue.
• Invasive species: Human travel across the world has a very large emissions footprint but it has also allowed the spread of invasive species, both accidental and intentional. 

Effects of loss of biodiversity are:

• The loss of biodiversity leads to depletion of genetic diversity.
• The loss of both genetic and ecosystem diversities result in a loss of cultural diversity.
•  The alteration of the habitat results in mass extinction of particularly the endemic species.
• The loss of a species can have deleterious effects on the remaining species in an ecosystem which lead to breakdown of biodiversity.
• Reduced biodiversity means millions of people face a future where food supplies are more vulnerable to pests and disease and where water is in irregular or short supply.
•  The loss of plant species also means the loss of unknown economic potential, as extinct plants can hardly be harvested for or food crops, fibers, medicines, and other products that forests, especially rainforests, provide.

Conservation:

The biodiversity conservation methodology is divided as In-situ and Ex-situ

In-situ methods of conservation of biodiversity

The in-situ strategy emphasizes protection of total ecosystems. The in-situ approach includes protection of a group of typical ecosystems through a network of protected areas.

• Protected areas:

These are areas of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources. These are managed through legal or other effective means. Examples of protected areas are National Parks, and Wildlife Sanctuaries.

• Biosphere reserves:Biosphere reserves are internationally recognized, nominated by national governments and remain under sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located.

• Core Areas: These areas are securely protected sites for conserving biological diversity, monitoring minimally disturbed ecosystems, and undertaking non-destructive research and other low-impact uses.

• Buffer Zones: These areas must be clearly identified, and usually surround or adjoin the Core Areas. Buffer Zones may be used for cooperative activities compatible with sound ecological practices, including environmental education, recreation, ecotourism and applied and basic research.

• Transition, or Cooperation, Zones: These areas may contain towns, farms, fisheries, and other human activities and are the areas where local communities, management agencies, scientists, non-governmental organizations, cultural groups, economic interests, and other stakeholders work together to manage and sustainably develop the area’s resources.

• National parks: A national park is a reserve of natural or semi-natural land, declared or owned by a government, which is restricted from most development and is set aside for human recreation and environmental protection. Visitors are allowed to enter, under special conditions, for inspirational, educative, cultural, and recreative purposes.
• Wildlife sanctuaries:   An area, usually in natural condition, which is reserved (set aside) by a governmental or private agency for the protection of particular species of animals during part or all of the year. An area designated for the protection of wild animals, within which hunting and fishing is either prohibited or strictly controlled. It is maintained by the state government.
• Sacred forests and sacred lakes: A traditional strategy for the protection of biodiversity has been in practice in India and some other Asian countries in the form of sacred forests. These are forest patches of varying dimensions protected by tribal communities due to religious sanctity accorded to these forest patches. 

Ex-situ methods of conservation of biodiversity

• Botanic Gardens: Botanic gardens can be defined as “public gardens which maintain collections of live plants mainly for study, scientific research, conservation and education. Translocations:
• Sometimes conservation of faunal species involves or necessitates translocation of animals. This means the movement of individuals from its natural habitat, or from captivity, to another habitat. Translocations are carried out in connection with introductions or reintroductions, and should be handled with extreme caution.
• Artificial Insemination:Artificial insemination, or AI, is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse or natural insemination.
• Somatic Cell Cloning: Somatic Cell Cloning holds some promise for propagating from one or a few survivors of an almost extinct species. 
• Seed bank : The preservation of plant germplasm in seedbanks, (or genebanks), is one of the techniques of ex-situ conservation of plant species.
• Reintroduction: Reintroduction of an animal or plant into the habitat from where it has become extinct is another form of ex situ conservation. For example, the Gangetic gharial has been reintroduced in the rivers of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where it had become extinct.

WILDLIFE PROTECTION ACT, 1972

• It is an Act of Parliament of India enacted for protection of plants and animal species.
• It extends to whole of India except Jammu & Kashmir.
• It has 6 schedules which give varying degree of protection.
• Various other Acts like Air Act (1981), Environment Protection Act (1986), Biological Diversity Act (2002), National Green Tribunal Act (2010), etc have been enacted in subsequent years in India which aim at protecting the overall environment.