ABSTRACT

Biodiversity is the shortened form of two words "biological" and "diversity." It refers to
all the variety of life that can be found on Earth (plants, animals, fungi and micro-
organisms) as well as to the communities that they form and the habitats in which they
live.

Biological diversity can be defined as the variability among living organisms from all
sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the
ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species,
between species and of ecosystems.

Biodiversity is not only the sum of all ecosystems, species and genetic material. Rather,
it represents the variability within and among them. It can be distinguished from the
expression "biological resources", which refer to the tangible components of ecosystems.
Biological resources are real entities (a particular species of bird, a wheat variety
growing in a field, oak wood, etc.) while biological diversity is rather an attribute of life
(the variety of bird species, the genetic variability of wheat around the world, forest
types, etc.).

Species diversity refers to the variety of different species (plants, animals, fungi and
micro-organisms) such as palm trees, elephants or bacteria; Genetic diversity
corresponds to the variety of genes contained in plants, animals, fungi and micro-
organisms. It occurs within a species as well as between species. For example Poodles,
German shepherds and golden retrievers are all dogs, but they all look different;
Ecosystem diversity refers to all the different habitats - or places - that exist, like
tropical or temperate forests, hot and cold deserts, wetlands, rivers, mountains, coral
reefs, etc. Each ecosystem corresponds to a series of complex relationships between
biotic (living) components such as plants and animals and abiotic (non-living)
components which include sunlight, air, water, minerals and nutrients.
 INTRODUCTION

Brilliant scarlet macaws, scampering gray squirrels, towering giant sequoia trees, your
morning cup of coffee, industrious honey bees—mundane and spectacular,
economically fundamental and simply arcane—all of these are examples of biodiversity,
the dazzling variety of life on earth. Few people are familiar with the word
“biodiversity,” yet everyone is intimately connected with biodiversity in their daily life.
Humanity’s fundamental reliance on and connection with natural systems creates an
imperative to understand and protect biodiversity. To conserve biodiversity, we need to
understand what biodiversity is, determine where it occurs, identify strategies to
conserve it, and track over time whether these strategies are working. The first of these
items, knowing what biodiversity is, and therefore what to conserve, is complicated by
the remarkable diversity of living things themselves. Life on earth today is the product
of about 3.5 billion years of evolution. An estimated 1.75 million species have been
discovered and described, but this only represents a fraction of all the species on earth.
Estimates of how many species remain to be discovered range from 3.6 million to 117.7
million, with 13 to 20 million being the most frequently agreed upon by scientists. One
reason the exact number of species is still unclear is thats new species are continually
being described. Some of this uncertainty is also due to the increased information
available to scientists since the advent of genetic analyses and because the definition of
what constitutes an individual species changes.

Scientists first coined the term biodiversity, a contraction of the phrase, “biological
diversity,” in the 1980s. Most simply, biodiversity describes the entire variety of life on
earth. It can also be defined more broadly incorporating not only living organisms, but
also their complex interactions with one another and with the nonliving aspects of their
environment. Biodiversity is defined as: The variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from
genes to ecosystems, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that sustain it.

Biodiversity includes not only the world's species with their unique evolutionary
histories, but also genetic variability within and among populations of species and the
distribution of species across local habitats, ecosystems, landscapes, and whole
continents or oceans. A tree that’s used to a cool fall can’t just pack up and move to a
new location when it’s too hot in summer, and a baby bird that hatches when the air
warms up earlier than it’s supposed to in the spring can’t just make berries to eat when
flowers haven’t even blossomed yet.
 TYPES OF BIODIVERSITY

There are three interrelated hierarchical levels of biodiversity namely, genetic diversity,
species diversity and community or ecosystem diversity.

1. Genetic diversity:

It describes the variation in the number and types of genes as well as chromosomes
present in different species. The magnitude of variation in genes of a species increases
with increase in size and environmental parameters of the habitat.

The genetic variation arises by gene and chromosome mutation in individuals and in
sexually reproducing organisms and it is spread in the population by recombination of
genetic materials during cell division after sexual reproduction.

Genetic diversity has the following importance:

(i) It helps in speciation or evolution of new species;

(ii) It is useful in adaptation to changes in environmental conditions;

(iii) It is important for agricultural productivity and development.

2. Species diversity:

It describes the variety in the number and richness of the spices with in a region. The
species richness may be defined as the number of species per unit area. The richness of
a species tells about the extent of biodiversity of a site and provides a means for
comparing different sites.

The species richness depends largely on climatic conditions. The number of individuals
of different species with in a region represents species evenness or species equitability.
The product species richness and species evenness give species diversity of a region.
When a species is confined entirely to a particular area, it is termed as endemic species.

3. Ecosystem diversity:

It describes the assemblage and Interaction of spices living together and the physical
environment a given area. It relates varieties of habitats, biotic community’s ecological
processes in biosphere. It also tells about the diversity within the ecosystem. It is
referred as Land escape diversity because it includes placement and size of various
ecosystems. For example, the landscapes like grass lands, deserts, mountains etc. show
ecosystem diversity. The ecosystem diversity is due to diversity of niches, trophic levels
and ecological processes like nutrient cycling, food webs, energy flow, role of dominant
species and various related biotic interactions. Such type of diversity can generate more
productive and stable ecosystems or communities capable of tolerating various types of
stresses e.g. drought, flood etc.

According to R.H.Whittaker, the community diversities are of three types:

(i) α-Diversity:

It tells the species diversity in a given community.

It depends upon species richness and evenness.

(ii) β-Diversity:

It describes a range of communities due to replacement of species which arises due to

the presence of different microhabitats, niches and environmental conditions.

(iii) γ -Diversity:

It describes diversity of habitat over a total land escape or geographical area.

BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS

A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of

biodiversity that is under threat from humans. A hotspot is an area which faces serious
threat from human activities and supports a unique biodiversity (endemic, threatened,
rare species) with representatives of evolutionary of speciation and extinction.

The concept of biodiversity was given by Norman Myers (1988).

To qualify as a biodiversity hotspots on Myers 2000 edition of the hotspot map, a region
must meet two strict criteria:

1. It must contain at-least 0.5% or 1500 species of vascular plants of the world.

2. It has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation.

Myers originally recognised 25 hotspots but recently the Conservation International has
added 10 more biodiversity hotspots which make the present number to 35. These sites
support nearly 60% of the world’s plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species,
with a very high share of endemic species.
 World’s 35 Biodiversity Hotspots

Africa Europe and Central Asia

 Cape Floristic Region  Caucasus

 Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa  Irano-Anatolian
 Eastern Afromontane  Mediterranean Basin
 Guinean Forests of West Africa  Mountains of Central Asia
 Horn of Africa
 Madagascar and the Indian Ocean
Islands
 Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany North and Central America
 Succulent Karoo
 California Floristic Province
 Caribbean Islands
Asia-Pacific  Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands
 Mesoamerica
 East Melanesian Islands
 Himalaya
 Indo-Burma
 Japan South America
 Mountains of Southwest China
 New Caledonia  Atlantic Forest
 New Zealand  Cerrado
 Philippines  Chilean Winter Rainfall-
 Polynesia-Micronesia Valdivian Forests
 Southwest Australia  Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena
 Forests of Eastern Australia (new)  Tropical Andes
 Sundaland
 Wallacea
 Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
 HOTSPOTS IN INDIA

India has two major hotspots. The rate of deforestation in these areas is very high and
ecosystems have reached at a fragile stage.

1. The Western Ghats:

About the region: The Western Ghats are a chain of hills that run along the western
edge of peninsular India. They are also known as Sahyadri Mountains. They receive
high rainfall. It run parallel to the west coast of India and constitute more than 1600 km
strip of forests in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Flora: These regions have moist deciduous forest and rain forest. The region shows high
species diversity as well as high levels of endemism. There are over 6000 vascular plants
belonging to over 2500 genera in this hotspot, of which over 3000 are endemic.

Much of the world’s spices such as black pepper and cardamom have their origins in
the Western Ghats. Many economically important plants such as banana, rice, ginger
etc. have spread to other parts of the country from here.

Fauna: Nearly 77% of the amphibians and 62% of the reptile species found here are
found nowhere else. The region also harbours over 450 bird species, about 140
mammalian species, 260 reptiles and 175 amphibians. Over 60% of the reptiles and
amphibians are completely endemic to the hotspot. Remarkable as this diversity is, it is
severely threatened.

2. The Eastern Himalayas:

About the region: The Eastern Himalayas is the region encompassing Bhutan,
northeastern India, and southern, central, and eastern Nepal. The region is geologically
young and shows high altitudinal variation. Together, the Himalayan mountain system
is the world’s highest, and home to the world’s highest peaks, which include Mount
Everest and K2.

Flora: There are an estimated 10,000 species of plants in the Himalayas, of which one-
third are endemic and found nowhere else in the world. Five families —
Tetracentraceae, Hamamelidaceae, Circaesteraceae, Butomaceae and Stachyuraceae —
are completely endemic to this region. Many plant species are found even in the highest
reaches of the Himalayan Mountains, For example, a plant species Ermania
himalayensis was found at an altitude of 6300 metres in northwestern Himalayas.
Fauna: Few threatened endemic bird species such as the Himalayan Quail, Cheer
pheasant. Western tragopan are found here, along with some of Asia’s largest and most
endangered birds such as the Himalayan vulture and White-bellied heron. The Eastern
Himalayan hotspot has nearly 163 globally threatened species including the One-
horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), the Wild Asian Water buffalo (Bubalus
bubalis) and in all 45 mammals, 50 birds, 17 reptiles, 12 amphibians, 3 invertebrate and
36 plant species. The Relict Dragonfly (Epiophlebia laidlawi) is an endangered species
found here with the only other species in the genus being found in Japan.

THREAT TO BIODIVERSITY
The fewer animals we have, the fewer humans we will have. That's why biodiversity is
important. The wide variety of species on Earth, whether they're plants, animals or
microscopic organisms, are vital to keep the world's many ecosystems healthy, balanced
and thriving — growing plants we can eat, trees we can shade under, and landscapes to
use for everything from vacations to computer screensavers.

In other words, biodiversity ensures natural sustainability for all life on the planet —
think more abundant crops and fresher air, for example. More than 3 billion
people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity, while more than 1.6 billion
people rely on forests for their livelihoods. The loss of biodiversity affects the lives of
more than 1 billion people living in drylands.

But there are a number of issues threatening our planet's biodiversity, from climate
change to invasive species. Below, some of the biggest threats facing biodiversity today
have been discussed

1. Climate change

Changes in climate throughout our planet's history have, of course, altered life on Earth
in the long run — ecosystems have come and gone and species routinely go extinct. But
rapid, manmade climate change speeds up the process, without affording ecosystems
and species the time to adapt. For example, rising ocean temperatures and diminishing
Arctic sea ice affects marine biodiversity and can shift vegetation zones, having global
implications. Overall, climate is a major factor in the distribution of species across the
globe; climate change forces them to adjust. But many are not able to cope, causing
them to die out.
2. Deforestation and habitat loss

Deforestation is a direct cause of extinction and loss of biodiversity. An estimated 18

million acres of forest are lost each year, due in part to logging and other human
practices, destroying the ecosystems on which many species depend.
Tropical rainforests in particular, such as the Amazon, hold a high percentage of the
world's known species, yet the regions themselves are in decline due to humans.

3. Overexploitation

Overhunting, overfishing and over-harvesting contribute greatly to the loss of

biodiversity, killing off numerous species over the past several hundred years. Poaching
and other forms of hunting for profit increase the risk of extinction; the extinction of an
apex predator — or, a predator at the top of a food chain — can result in catastrophic
consequences for ecosystems.

4. Invasive species

The introduction of non-native species into an ecosystem can threaten endemic wildlife
(either as predators or competing for resources), affect human health and upset
economies.

5. Pollution

From the burning of fossil fuels (releasing dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere
and, in some cases, depleting ozone levels) to dumping 19 billion pounds of plastic into
the ocean every year, pollution completely disrupts the Earth's ecosystems. While it
may not necessarily cause extinction, pollutants do have the potential to influents
species' habits. For example, acid rain, which is typically caused by the burning of fossil
fuels, can acidify smaller bodies of water and soil, negatively affecting the species that
live there by changing breeding and feeding habits.