BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Biodiversity:
Definition
• Totality of genes, species and ecosystems of a
region.
• Genetic diversity- variation of genes within species.
• Species diversity- the number of different
species that constitute the entire biological
spectrum on earth.
• Ecosystem diversity- diversity of ecological
complexes or biotic communities in a given area.
 Biodiversity Hotspots
• Hot Spot concept-British ecologist,
Norman Myers (1988)
Criteria for designating an area as hotspot
• (i) richness in endemic species-1500 endemic
plant species,0.5% of global total
• (ii) impact by human activities- must have lost
more than 70% of its original habitat.
 HOT SPOTS
• 25 major hotspots together
represent 1.4 % of the earth's land
area, they contain 44% of all plant
species and 35% of all terrestrial
Novertebrate species
of Hotspots in India-3 in the world.

1. Indo-Burma ( earlier Eastern Himalayas )

2. Western Ghats and Sri Lanka.
3. Himalayas. (Newly added)
 Western Ghats (Sahyadri Hills)

• Vegetation types: scrub jungles and

grasslands at low altitudes.
• Dry and moist deciduous forests,S Montane
grasslands and Sholas.
• Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.
Contd…
• Complex topography, high rainfall and relative
inaccessibility-reasons to retain rich
biodiversity.
• 4,780 species of flowering plants.(15,000 in
India)
• Diversity of traditional crop plants and animal
life.
• Endemic species-amphibians, freshwater
fishes and invertebrate groups.
 Indo-Burma (Eastern Himalayas)
• Tropical Asia- East of the Ganges-Brahmaputra
lowlands, excluding Malesian region.
• Covers an area of 2,373,000 sq. km.
 Biodiversity Profile of India

• India is the seventh largest country in the

world.
• Second largest nation in Asia.
• land frontier- 15,200 kms
• Coastline of 7,516 km.
• One of the top twelve megadiversity countries
Contd…

• No of plant species- 49,219

(12.5% of the world)

• No of animal species- 81,251

(6.6% of world fauna.)
Contd….
• Species endemism among plants- 33%.
• Endemism among animals
1. mammals –low, only 44 species.
2. Birds-low, only 55.
3. Reptile-high,187.
4. Amphibia- high,110
• National parks-89 &
• Wild life Sancturies-497} 1.56 lkh sq.km-
• Tiger reserves-27- 37761 sq.km
 Biodiversity in India
No. Category No of species %
1 Bacteria 850 0 67
2 Algae 2500 2. 00
3 Fungi 23000 18.23
4 Lichens 1600 1.30

5 Bryophytes 2700 2.14

6 Pteridophytes 1022 0.80

7 Gymnosperms 64 0.05

8 Angiosperms 17000 13.50

9 Protozoans 2577 2.04

10 Molluscans 5042 4.00

Contd….
11 Crustaceans 2970 2.35

12 Insects 50717 40.00

Invertebrates including
13 11252 9.00
hemichordates

14 Protochordates 116 0.10

15 Pisces 2546 2.02

16 Amphibians 204 0.16

17 Reptiles 428 0.34

18 Aves 1228 1.00

19 Mammals 372 0.30

Total 126288 100.00

Source: Jaivavaividhyam (Malayalam). 1996, TBGRI.

 Comparison between
number of species in India and the World

Group No. of species No. of species (SW) SI/SW(%)

in India (SI) in the World

Mammals 372 4629 7.6

Birds 1228 9702 12.6

Reptiles 428 6550 6.2

Amphibians 204 4522 4.4

Fishes 2546 21730 11.7

Flowering plants 17000 2,50,000 6.0

Source: Jaivavaividhyam (Malayalam), 1996, TBGRI.

 Biodiversity Profile of Kerala

• Area- 38,863 sq. km, (1.2 % of the total geographical

area of India.)

• Coast line- 560 km .

• Altitudes up to 2694 m above msl.

• mountainous upland-75-2,694 m above msl- 48%

( Forest biodiversity)
Contd…
• Midlands-8-75 m above msl- 42%
(Agrobiodiversity)

• Coastal belt-0 to 7 m above msl-10%

(Aquatic biodiversity)

• Among the States located within the

Western Ghats region, Kerala is the richest in
biodiversity.
Forest types and their extent in Kerala

Sl.No. Type Area(sq. km.)

1. Moist deciduous forests 4100

2. Evergreen forests 3299

3. Shola forests 70

4. Dry deciduous forests 100

5. Grasslands 130

6. Teak, eucalyptus plantations 1701

Total 9,400
Classified list of plants recorded from Kerala

Sl. No Plant Group No. of Species

1 Algae 325
2 Fungi 4,800
3 Lichens 520
4 Bryophytes 350
5 Pteridophytes 236
6 Gymnosperms 4
7 Angiosperms 4,500

Total 10,735
Animal diversity in Kerala
S1. No. Group No. of Species

1 Insects 4,027

2 Freshwater fishes 196

3 Amphibians 85

4 Reptiles 164

5 Birds 486

6 Mammals 145
 Biodiversity/ Ecosystem Services
• Apart from fuel, shelter, medicines and other resources for
our survival, vital services like:
• Maintenance of water supply.
• Water regulation.
• Ground water recharge.
• Soil formation.
• Prevention of soil erosion.
• Reduction of soil salinity.
• Nutrient cycling.
• Waste treatment.
• Climate regulation.
• Gas regulation.
 Contd…
• Flood and drought control.
• Enhancement of water and air quality.
• Pollination.
• Biological control.
• Habitat refuge.
• Food production.
• Raw material.
• Genetic resources.
• Recreation.
• Cultural.
MONITORY VALUES OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

• Forest : Rs. 92,322 per hectare per year

• Wetland : Rs. 6,80,110 per ha per year (seven
times more) .
• Total forest value of Kerala per year:14381
crores.
• Total wetland value of Kerala per year:15797
crores.
• Wetland value of paddy fields: 7318 crores
• Total value : Rs. 37496 crores.(almost one and
a half more than the revenue receipt)
Contd…
• Values are calculated on the basis of global average
values of ecosystem services.

• Tropical forests and wet lands are more complex

with higher biodiversity values

• Hence the ecosystems services of Kerala would be

at least 5 to 10 times more.

• Aesthetic, spiritual, cultural values – unquantifiable.

 Biodiversity conservation strategy

• Earth summit in June 1992 at Rio de

Janeiro, Brazil.
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
– Conservation of biodiversity- “A common concern of
human kind”
– Every nation has “sovereign rights” over its biodiversity.
– Calls for national strategies
– India became a party to the convention in 1994
CONSERVATION STRATEGY – NATIONAL LEVEL

• Biological Diversity Act, 2002(Central

Act No. 18 of 2003)
• Biological diversity rules, 2004
• Chapter VI section 22 to 25 of the Act calls for
the establishment of state biodiversity boards
by the state governments
• This act and rules provide guidance to union
and state governments for:
Contd..
– Conservation of biodiversity including the integrity and
diversity of genes, species and ecosystem and their
evolutionary potential.

– Sustainable use of biological resources in such a manner

and at such rates that does not lead to the long term
decline of the diversity, thereby maintaining its potential to
meet the needs and aspirations of present and future
generations.

– Equity in conservation and use, including equitable access

to biological resources and benefits arising out of the use of
biological resources.
 Conservation strategy state level

• Kerala state biodiversity board constituted in

2005
• Kerala state biodiversity rules have been
finalized by the board.
• Salient features of the rules:
– Conservation of the biodiversity of the state.
– Sustainable utilization of the biodiversity resources
– Equitable sharing of the benefits derived from
biodiversity.
Contd..
– Ensuring protection of rights including
intellectual property rights over biological
resources and associated knowledge

– Regulation of the commercial utilization of

biodiversity by any Indian or foreign national /
Institution / Corporate bodies by granting
approval or otherwise and,

– Advice the government on all matters related to

biodiversity conservation and use.
 Conservation strategy- local level

• As per rule Rule 23 subrule (1) of KSBB, all the local

bodies should form biodiversity management
committees (BMCs) within its area.

• It is an arrangement that works in co-ordination with

the three-tier Panachayat Raj System, as per the
existing regulations.

• Preparation of Peoples Biodiversity Register is the

immediate task of BMCs
 P e o p l e ’s b i o d i v e r s i t y r e g i s t e r

• An attempt to realise the rich biodiversity in

the Grama/Block/District Panchayats, state
and the whole country.
• A comprehensive database recording people’s
knowledge and insight of the status, uses,
history, ongoing changes and forces driving
these changes in the biological diversity
resources of their own localities.
Contd…
• It will provide information on current utilization
patterns of biodiversity, its economic benefits to
the local communities and future management
strategies required for the sustainable utilization of
biodiversity in a decentralized manner.

• It helps equitable sharing of benefits arising out of

commercial utilization of biodiversity resources and
knowledge of their uses.
 Strategies of KSBB for biodiversity
conservation
• Appropriate action plan is also
formulated for each strategy
– Maintain the topographic features of the State to reduce
the loss of Biodiversity.
– Documentation of the biodiversity and its traditional use
– Conservation of biodiversity rich areas outside the
Protected Areas
– Build up a strong database on the forest biodiversity of
the State
– Conservation of ecosystem, species and gene pools.
Contd…
– Prevention of habitat fragmentation and
maintenance of habitat continuity.
– Mitigation of human wildlife conflicts.
– Establish a model for sustainable utilization of
resources for livelihood and the equitable
benefits.
– Prevention of overexploitation and
encroachment
– Ensure sustained availability of raw material for
indigenous food and medicines
Contd…
– Protect and promote biodiversity in and
around plantations
– Ensure long term conservation of select
wetlands in the State
– Prevent conversion of wetlands into any other
land use and maintain their extent and
ecological status.
– Sustainable utilization of wetland resources for
the benefit of local community.
– Establish environmental flows in each river
basin
Contd…
– Institute a legal and administrative framework
for conservation and sustainable use of
wetland resources.
– Prepare a database on aquatic biodiversity
– Documentation of coastal and marine
biodiversity of Kerala
– Develop a database of agro-biodiversity and
domesticated biodiversity.
– Promote conservation of indigenous varieties
and their commercial production
 Contd…
– Prevent contamination of natural biodiversity
of the state from genetically modified
organisms.

– Conservation of sacred groves

– Create Biodiversity Technical support group

and a network of taxonomists and
conservationists

– Set up and strengthen institutions and

agencies for economic evaluation of
biodiversity
Contd….
– Implement biodiversity education and awareness
programmes for the target groups.

– Make use of the knowledge on Biodiversity as a

source of income generation.

– Establish Kerala Biodiversity Information System

(KBIS).

– Ensure sustainability of Biodiversity

conservation activities.
Thank you…..