BIODIVERSITY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO INDIA-STATUS MONITORING AND DOCUMENTATION,MAJOR DRIVERS OF BIODIVERSITY CHANGE

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth.It refers to the totality of genes, species and ecosystems of a region

There are 3 components/hierarchical levels of biodiversity

1)Genetic diversity: it refers to the total number of characteristics of a species,a subspecies, or a group of species.

The variation of the genes could be in alleles, in the entire genes or in the chromosomal structures.

This diversity enables a population in adapting to its envioronment and respond to natural selection.

speciation is based on genetic diversity

BIODIVERSITY STATUS AND DOCUMENTATION

2) Species diversity: it is the variety of species within a region It has two components namely,Species Richness, the

number of species in a community and Species Evenness, the relative abundance of species

3) Community diversity: this diversity has the following three perspectives:

• Alpha diversty (within-community diversity):diversity of organisms sharing the same community/habitat

• Beta diversity (between-community diversity):rate of replacement of species along environmental gradients such as altitudinal gradient,moisture gradient etc

• Gamma diversity:diversity of habitats over the total landscape or geographical area

3)ecosystem diversity includes climate,microclimate,soils,topography,number of trophic levels,niches,energy flow,food web,biogeochemical cycling,biotic interactions and time etc.

India is one of the 12 mega-biodiversity countries of the world.

It is estimated that 70%of the world’s total flowering plants occur in India

Indian gets 10th place in the world and 4th in Asia among these 12 mega-diverse countries

India has 10 biogeographic zones. They are Trans-Himalaya, Himalaya, Desert, Semi-arid, Western ghats, Deccan peninsula, Gangetic plain, Coasts, North-East, Islands

It is among top 10-15 nations of the world for its great diversity of plant life, especially flowering plants

India is a source of traditional crop varieties ranking first amongest the 12 regions of diversty of crop plants and seventh in the contribution of agricultural species

BIODIVERSTY STATUS IN INDIA

India is the origin of 166 species of crop plants and 320 species of wild relatives of cultivated crops

India’s marine biodiversty is als rich, supporting the most productive ecosystems such as mangroves, coral reefs and estuaries

In India, among plant kingdom angiosperms tops the list(17,500 species) while gymnosperms are the least, comprising only of 64 species

In India, among animal kingdom, arthropoda tops the list(68,389) while Protochordata are the list with only 119 species

The endemics are concentarted mainly in western ghats, NE Himalayas, NW Himalayas and Andaman & Nicobar islands. About 33% of the flowering plants present are endemic

About 53%fresh water fishes are endemic

About 60%of amphibians are endemic mostly in western ghats

About 36%reptiles are endemic

About 10%mammals are endemic

Indian flora is known to harbour more endemic species than any other region of the world, except Australia

In india there are following three mega endemic centres

1. Eastern Himalayas: 1808 endemic plants from approx.6000 species

2. Western Ghats: 1500 endemic plants from 4000 species

3. Western Himalayas: 1195 endemic plants from 5000 species

IUCN maintains RDB.It gives a complete list of lower risk,threatened risk and extinct categories of flora and fauna.The IUCN Red list system was initiated in 1963

The first volume of Red Data Books on Indian animals was published by ZSI in 199

Red list has following uses:• Developing awareness about the importance of threatened

biodiversity• Identification and documentation of endangered species• Providing a global index of the decline of biodiversity• Guiding conservation action• Provides information to international; agreements such as

CBD,CITES

IUCN RED LIST/RED DATA BOOKS

LOWER RISK CATEGORIES Least Concern(LC), lower risk.Does not qualify for a more risk

category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category

Near Threatened(NT),is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future

THREATENED RISK CATEGORIES• Vulnerable(VU),considered to be facing a high risk of

extinction in the wild• Endangered(EN),considered to be facing a very high risk of

extinction in the wild• Critically Endangered(CR),facing an extremely high risk of

extinction in the wild

THE IUCN RED LIST CATEGORIES

EXTINCT CATEGORIES

Extinct in the Wild(EW),known to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalized population well outside the past range

Extinct(EX),there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died

Monitoring biodiversity,estimates diversity at the same location at more than one time period for drawing inference about change

At the genetic level,genetic diversity of individual organisms within a population is important

At the species level,abundance,density,and biomass of each population may be of interest

At the ecosystem level,richness,evenness,and diversity of species,gulids, and communities are important

At the landscape level, attributes that could be monitored include the identity,distribution,and propotions of each type of habitat,and the distribution of species within those habitats

BIODIVERSTY MONITORING

It is best to assess and interpret biodiversity across all these levels of organization by using various approaches at several spatial and temporal scales

Monitoring is an effective tool to measure the progress and effectiveness of conservation measures, and to detect biological trends in response to natural and human induced disturbances in the environment

Monitoring biological diversity at national, regional and global levels requires systematic and ecological infrastructure, economic input and human resources

Monitoring aims to make an inventory of species and habitats present in an area as well as noting their natural relationships

Different approaches can be followed monitoring programme over a certain time span such as

Focus on a number of key species groups such as termites, fishes or butterflies

Focus on the description of all species present in a certain area

Provide an inventory of selected species giving a quick estimate of the biological richness of an area

Identify cause and effect relationships between external developments and changes in the biological community

All those who will monitor,all individuals or groups that will be involved in the monitoring activities,should be identified and categorized in a primary, secondary and tertiary category of monitors

PRIMARY MONITORS Individuals and groups that constitute the project

experts team and effectively design the indicators They include scientists,experts,project managers and

all individuals employed by the project whether from local communities or not

GUIDELINES FOR THE DESIGN OF BIODIVERSITY MONITORING PROGRAMMES

SECONDARY MONITORS Individuals and groups that are not essential for the

implementation of the activities but are important to ensure that all project indicators are properly monitored

These include partner organizations, government, focal point and departments, volunteer groups

TERTIARY MONITORS individuals and groups that may not be involved

in project but are essential to ensure long term sustainability of proposed monitoring activities of established indicators

These include municipalities, as well as the

private sector, volunteer groups from local communities

Drivers are natural or human-induced factors that directly or indirectly cause a change in biodiversity

Direct drivers that explicitly influence ecosystem processes include land use change, climate change invasive species, over exploitation and pollution

Indirect drivers such as changes in human population incomes or life style operate more diffusely by altering one or more direct drivers

MAJOR DRIVERS OF BIODIVERSITY CHANGE

Drivers affecting biodiversity range from local to global and from immediate to long term

Changes in biodiversity are driven by combinations of drivers that work overtime, on different scales, and that tend to amplify each other

For example, population and income growth combined with technological advances, can lead to climate change

Different direct drivers are critical in different ecosystems.Earlier habitat and land use change have had the biggest impact on biodiversity in all ecosystems, but climate change and pollution are projected to increasingly affect all aspects of biodiversity.Overexploitation and invasive species have been important as well and continue to be major drivers of changes in biodiversity.The most important direct drivers of change in different ecosystems are

In terrestrial ecosystem: Land cover change,mainly by conversion to crpoland.

Only areas unsuited to crop plants such as deserts,boreal forests,and tundra, remain relatively intact.

Deforestation and forest degradation are currently particularly extensive in the tropics.

DIRECT DRIVERS

In marine ecosystem: Fishing is the major direct human pressure affecting the structure, function,and biodiversity of the oceans.

• In all oceans ,a number of fish stocks targeted in fisheries have collapsed because they have been over fished or fished above their maximum sustainable levels

In fresh water ecosystem:Water regime changes,such as those following the construction of large dams;invasive species,which can lead to species extinction;and pollution ,such as high levels of nutrients

Specific direct drivers

1. HABITAT DESTRUCTION/LOSS

it is the primary reason for loss of biodiversity and results from the increase of human population and human activities

it occurs in mostly on islands Habitat is lost by cutting down

trees,filling wetlands,ploughing grasslands,burning forests,cattle ranching,plantation,dam construction

2. HABITAT FRAGMENTATION

Natural disturbances or changes in land use lead to the fragmentation of forests.

such habitat changes have a significant impact on biodiversity, as small fragments of habitat can only support small populations that tend to be more vulnerable to extinction.

It results in reduction of a large, continuus area into two or more fragmented reduced area .

The fragments have greater amount of edge area the original habitat and also the core of the fragmentd habitat is nearer the edge.

Species occupying deeper parts of forests are the forst to disappear as thhe large areas ensures availabilty of food and protection from predattors and invaders

3. HABITAT DEGRADATION AND POLLUTION

Weakening of habitat by physical or chemical change

Man made disturbance differ from natural disturbances in intensity, rate and spatial extent

Environmental pollution in the form of industrial chemicals, emissions, pesticides, sediment deposits etc. changes habitat quality

pollution may reduce and eliminate populations of sensitive species

Eutrophication of water bodies drastically reduces species diversity

4.INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES/EXOTIC SPECIES

They rank second as a major cause of biodiversity loss

Exotic/Alien species are the new species entering a geographical range

Chief factors responsible for their introduction are:European colonization,horticulture and agriculiture and accidental transport

They may be natural chance immigrants, escaped ornamentals or escaped domestic animals

They may cause of disappearance of native species through changed biotic interactions as they have no natural predators

4.OVEREXPLOITATION

It remains a serious threat to many species, such as marine fish and invertebrates, trees, and animals hunted for meat

Over exploitation results in either complete extinction of the species or reduction in the population size beyond critical density

Most industrial fisheries are either fully or over exploited, while destructive fishing technique harm estuaries and wet lands

The overexploitation of bush meat is in a similar situation, where sustainable levels of exploitation are poorly understood, and the catches difficult ti manage effectively

5. GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

Global warming, depletion of ozone layer and acid rain are responsible for the loss of biodiversity across the globe

They have affected species distributions, population sizes and the timing of reproduction or migration events,as well as the frequency of pest and disease outbreaks

Projected changes in climate by 2050 could lead to the extinction of many species living in certain limited geographical regions

By the end of the century, climate change and its impacts may become the main direct driver of overall biodiversity loss

1. CHANGE IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

Global economic activty is now nearly seven times what it was 50 years ago and it is expected to grow further

The many processes of globalization have been removing regional barriers, weakening national connections, and increasing the interdependence among people and between nations

INDIRECT DRIVERS

2. POPULATION CHANGE

World population has doubled in the past forty years, reaching 6 billion in 2000

The fact that more and more people live in cities increases the demand for food and energy and thereby pressure on ecosystems

3. SOCIO-POLITICAL FACTORS The trend toward democratic institutions

over the past 50 years has enabled new forms of managemenbt of environmental resources

4. CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS FACTORS

Culture conditions individuals perceptions’ of the world, and their priority setting, for instance in terms of conservation

5. SCIENCE AND TECHONOLOGY The development and diffusion of scientific

knowledge and technologies can on the one hand allow for increased efficiency in resource use and on the other hand provide the means to increase exploitation of natural resources

In-situ approaches include methods and tools that protect species,genetic varieties and habitats in the wild.

• It is a favourable approach amongst ecologists and conservationsts to protect habitats and ecosystems

Ex situ approaches include methods that remove plants,animals and microbial species and genetic varieties from their envirnment.

• These are popular amongst agriculturalists and species-oriented biololgists, and helps the maintenance of samples of species

Biodiversity management approaches

Restoration and rehabilitation approaches include methods that draw upon in-situ and ex-situ tools to re-establish species,genetic varieties,communities,populations,habitats and ecological processes

Ecological restoration usually invoves the reconstruction of natural and semi-natural ecosystems on degraded lands

This includes the reintroduction of most native species,while eclogical rehabilitation invlves the repair of ecosystem processes

Major land-use approaches include tools and stratgies in forestry,fisheries,agriculture,wildlife management and tourism

These incorporate protection,sustainable use and equity criteria and guidelines on management objectives and practices

Since these land-use approaches dominate most landscapes and the near shore coastal zone,they are approaches where often the greatest reward for investments in biodiversity management will be found