biodiversity, - scientific pub
TRANSCRIPT
BIODIVERSITY, CONSERVATION, AND
SYSTEMATICS
Editor PRITHIPALSINGH
Published by: Pawan Kumar Scientific Publishers (India) 5-A, New Pali Road, P.O. Box 91 Jodhpur - 342 001 E-mail : [email protected] www.scientificpub.com © Prithipalsingh, 2007 ISBN: 978-81-72334-64-8 eISBN: 978-93-88449-73-1 Lasertype set: Rajesh Ojha Printed in India
Preface
“All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.” An Indian proverb
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.
It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” Charles Darwin
“A plant is completely named when it is furnished with a generic and a specific name.”
Carolus Linneaus
The three quotes mentioned above sum up the title of this Volume “Biodiversity, Conservation, and Systematics”. In this context, it is important to mention that the international community of botanists during the XVII International Botanical Congress held in Vienna, Austria from 17th to 23rd July 2005 recognized “that plants create the ecological habitat for all terrestrial organisms, and that their management and conservation depend on a good understanding of their taxonomy”. The contributions in this Volume elaborate on different aspects of plant and animal diversity, conservation and taxonomy.
Beginning on a philosophical note with “Facets of Biodiversity” (S. K. Sawhney), an attempt has been made for understanding several aspects of this concept. The basic process of documenting biodiversity (“Inventorying Biodiversity” – Prithipalsingh), or using it for common good (“Harnessing Biodiversity in Himachal Pradesh” - Vatsala Joshi) have been presented in simple terms. The Prochlorophytes have become important components of biodiversity since their discovery in 1975. Several aspects of these organisms have been discussed (“Prochlorophytes: From a Phylogenetic Riddle to Important Players in Global Environment” - Shashi B. Babbar, Monika Ram and Anupam Raina). Glimpses are provided into different groups of plants as significant components of biodiversity (“Algal Diversity and Potential Applications” - A.S. Ahluwalia; “Adaptive Strategies of Bryophytes” - Prem L. Uniyal, H. Govindapyari and Promila Gupta; “Diversity in Pteridophytes” - S. P. Khullar).
Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, considered “an immense economic resource”, have also been addressed. In this context, it would be interesting to know that the United Nations Environment
iv Biodiversity, Conservation, and Systematics
Programme (UNEP) has recently selected Kodagu district in the Western Ghats of Karnataka for its international initiative to conserve ancient sacred sites and termed it as ‘the grove capital’ in 2006. The district consists of deep forests associated with flower gardens on mountain slopes and paddy cultivation in the valleys. This district has the centuries old tradition of recognizing definite areas as a sacred grove. Locally known as ‘Devara Kadu’, this is a traditional institution wherein a patch of forest in each village is devoted to the worship of the local deity. The contribution, “Ethnic Knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation” (Roshni Rajamohan), discusses the importance of traditional knowledge and emphasizes the need to understand its role in conservation. Sir George Taylor (Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 1969) remarked that “botanical gardens should aim to be sources of aesthetic and intellectual delight”. Besides delighting people, there are many scientific roles of botanical gardens. Conservation of plants has become one very significant feature of botanical gardens. This has been elaborately discussed with interesting examples (“Botanic Gardens and Conservation” - Akhilesh S. Tewari). The role of plant reproductive biology in conservation of bioresources has also been evaluated (“Plant Reproductive Biology and Conservation of Bioresources” - Vikas, Khoisnam S. Devi and Rajesh Tandon).
Systematics, as a fundamental science, serves as a very important discipline for understanding biodiversity. Babeeta Chrungu Kaula elaborates on the “Role of Systematics in Biodiversity Conservation”. The use of different characters of plants for understanding several aspects of biodiversity have been presented in three contributions (“Leaf Epidermal Diversity in Grasses and its Taxonomic Significance” - Nidhi Gautam; “Analysis of Plant Biodiversity and Evolution at Genome Level” - Pooja Saigal and Renu Deswal; and “Characteristics and Importance of Invasive Plant Species” - Prasanta C. Bhowmik and Nishanth Tharayil-Shanthakumar).
The strategically located State of Punjab has attracted attention for different reasons. The Forest Department of the Punjab Government initiated a detailed study of the biodiversity. Two contributors associated with this project have provided detailed accounts of the fauna and flora of Punjab (“Faunal diversity of Punjab with special emphasis on the Shivalik region: An Overview ” - M. A. Khalid and “Floristic Diversity of Punjab: An Overview ” - Prithipalsingh).
Learning is a continuous process and some aspects of “Biodiversity, Conservation, and Systematics” have woven their way into this process in this Volume. The challenging task of publishing the volume could not have been accomplished without the co-operation of different individuals. I thank all the contributors for providing the ‘state of the art write-ups’ of their
Preface v
scholarly understanding of the topics included in this volume. The enthusiastic response from the learned scholars provided me an opportunity to carefully edit the contributions. The contributors not only shared my enthusiasm but also generously accepted the suggestions made by me and incorporated the same in their contributions. Without their support and co-operation, this Volume would not have seen the light of the day. The publisher (Shri Pawan Kumar Sharma) and his team are thanked for their co-operation in bringing out this Volume.
I also thank several colleagues for their encouraging suggestions. Last but not the least, the support from my family has been a very strong pillar of strength in this academic venture.
May 13, 2006 Prithipalsingh
List of Contributors
• Professor A.S. Ahluwalia, Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh – 160 014. [email protected], [email protected]
• Dr. S.B. Babbar, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, [email protected] (Corresponding author)
• Professor Prasanta C. Bhowmik, Professor of Plant Sciences, Fellow of Weed Science Society of America, Department of Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences, Stockbridge Hall, Box 37245, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003-7245, [email protected] (Corresponding author)
• Dr. Renu Deswal, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, [email protected], [email protected] (Corresponding author)
• Ms. Khoisnam S. Devi, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007
• Dr Nidhi Gautam, Department of Botany, Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110 007, [email protected]
• Ms. H. Govindapyari, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007
• Dr. Promila Gupta, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Kashmere Gate, Delhi 110 006
• Ms. Vatsala Joshi, Department of Botany, Government Degree College, Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh 173 025, [email protected]
• Dr. Babeeta Chrungu Kaula, Department of Botany, Zakir Husain College, (University of Delhi), Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, New Delhi 110 002 [email protected]
• Dr. M.A. Khalid, Amity School of Natural Resources, Amity University, Sector 125, Noida 201 303, [email protected], [email protected]
• Professor S.P. Khullar, 1633 Sector 7C, Chandigarh 160 019, [email protected]
• Dr. Prithipalsingh, Department of Botany, Kirorimal College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, [email protected]
• Mr. Anupam Raina, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007 • Ms. Roshni Rajamohan, Department of Botany, Deshbandhu College
(University of Delhi), Kalkaji, New Delhi-110 019, [email protected] • Dr. Monika Ram, Department of Botany, Hindu College, University of Delhi,
Delhi-110 007 • Dr. Pooja Saigal, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007 • Professor S.K. Sawhney, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110
007, [email protected]
viii Biodiversity, Conservation, and Systematics
• Dr. Nishanth Tharayil-Shanthakumar, Department of Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003-7245
• Dr. Rajesh Tandon, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, [email protected] (Corresponding author)
• Dr. Akhilesh S. Tewari, Department of Botany, Kirorimal College, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007,
• Dr. Prem L. Uniyal, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, [email protected] (Corresponding author)
• Mr. Vikas, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007.
Contents
Preface iii List of Contributors vii
1 Facets of Biodiversity
— S. K. Sawhney 1
2 Inventorying Biodiversity
— Prithipalsingh 11
3 Prochlorophytes: From a Phylogenetic Riddle to Important Players in Global Environment
— Shashi B. Babbar, Monika Ram and Anupam Raina 21
4 Algal Diversity and Potential Applications
— A.S. Ahluwalia 43
5 Adaptive Strategies of Bryophytes
— Prem L. Uniyal, H. Govindapyari and Promila Gupta 67
6 Diversity in Pteridophytes
— S. P. Khullar 93
7 Harnessing Biodiversity in Himachal Pradesh
— Vatsala Joshi 113
8 Ethnic Knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation
— Roshni Rajamohan 127
9 Botanic Gardens and Conservation
— Akhilesh S. Tewari 141
x Biodiversity, Conservation, and Systematics
10 Plant Reproductive Biology and Conservation of Bioresources
— Vikas, Khoisnam S. Devi and Rajesh Tandon 151
11 Role of Systematics in Biodiversity Conservation
— Babeeta Chrungu Kaula 163
12 Leaf Epidermal Diversity in Grasses and its Taxonomic Significance
— Nidhi Gautam 173
13 Characteristics and Importance of Invasive Plant Species
— Prasanta C. Bhowmik and Nishanth Tharayil-Shanthakumar 183
14 Analysis of Plant Biodiversity and Evolution at Genome Level
— Pooja Saigal and Renu Deswal 207
15 Faunal diversity of Punjab with special emphasis on the Shivalik region: An Overview
— M.A. Khalid 217
16 Floristic Diversity of Punjab: An Overview
— Prithipalsingh 253