CONSERVATION OF

BIODIVERSITY AND THE NEED

FOR IT
NAME – SUYASH NATHANI

ROLL NO. – 2017UIC3009

SUBMITTED TO – DR. JITIN RAHUL

UNIVERSITY- NETAJI SUBHAS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

DIVISION – INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL ENGG.

 LIST OF CONTENTS

1.INTRODUCTION

2.What is Biodiversity and what are the threats for it

2.1 Main threats to our biodiversity are as given below

3. Biodiversity Conservation Methods

3.1 In-situ biodiversity conservation

3.1.1 National Parks

3.1.2 Wildlife Sanctuaries

3.1.3 Biosphere Reserves

3.2 Ex-Situ Conservation

3.2.1 Seed gene bank

3.2.2. Gene bank:

3.2.3 Cryopreservation

3.2.4 Tissue culture bank

3.2.5 Long term captive breeding

3.2.6 Botanical gardens

3.2.7 Animal Translocation

3.2.8 Zoological Gardens

3.3 Participating in Biodiversity Conservation

4.Why Is Biodiversity Important?

5.Why should we Conserve Biodiversity

5.1 Species depend on each other

 5.2 Interdependent marine ecosystem
5.3 Large carnivores essential for healthy ecosystems
5.4 Interdependency vs Human Intervention

5.5 Biodiversity providing lessons for scientists in

...........engineering

5.6 More important than human use or biological interest

5.7 Putting an economic value on biodiversity

6. Need for conservation of Biodiversity

6.1 Biological Resources

6.2 Ecosystem Services

6.3 Social and Spiritual Benefits

7. Conclusion

8. References
1.INTRODUCTION:
Biodiversity is central to sustainable development.It is critical for reducing poverty,creating
sustainable livelihoods and helping communities adapt to climate change.

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth.It is the lifeblood of sustainable development and green
economies.Yet it is being depleted at an unprecedented rate as human populations,and their levels
of consumption,increase.

Climate change will bring about changes in temperature and rainfall distribution,which in turn will
affect both the functioning and boundaries of ecosystems.Some ecosystems will expand into new
areas,while others will shrink,and the habitats they contain will alter.Unless species are rapidly able
to adapt there is likely to be a sharp increase in extinction rates.

Biodiversity underpins the delivery of a wide range of essentials goods and services on which we all
depend:food,fodder,fibres and medicines.Poor people in rural areas of developing countries are
disproportionately dependent on these goods and services to meet their day-to-day survival
needs.To them,biodiversity is a safety net,a natural health service and an insurance strategy.

Climate change is predicted to hit the poorest countries and people the hardest.Given that the
poorest people also tend to be those most dependent on biodiversity for their day-to-day
livelihoods,some of the world's most vulnerable people will have their lives negatively affected by
the combined loss of biodiversity and the increasing impact of climate change.

There are effective strategies to tackle biodiversity loss,the most common of which is the
establishment of protected areas.But this-and other conservation strategies-can have a negative
impact on the livelihoods of local communities unless they are well designed and implemented.

In addition,many of the targets of global conservation efforts,primarily rare or endangered species

and habitats,generate few benefits for those poor and vulnerable communities who are in need of
them most.

2.What is Biodiversity and what are the threats for it?

Biodiversity generally refers to the variety and variability of life on Earth.It is the foundation of all
types of ecosystems.Biodiversity or biological diversity is that part of nature which includes the
differences in genes among the individuals of a species,the variety and richness of all the plant and
animal species at different speciesat different space,locale and region.

In other words,we can say,Biodiversity is the biological diversity which includes the variety of the
whole species present on Earth. It includes different animals, plants, micro-organisms and their
genes, water ecosystems, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems in which they all are present.

Biodiversity is necessary for our existence as well as valuable in its own right. This is because it
provides the fundamental building blocks for the many goods and services which provides a healthy
environment to lead our life.Biodiversity include fundamental things to our health like fresh water
clean air and food products, as well as the many other products such as timber and fiber.
Biodiversity also includes various other important things and services such as cultural, recreational,
and spiritual nourishment that play an important role in maintaining our personal life as well as
social life.

So, it is an important task for all of us to take care of our Biodiversity and we should try to maintain
it. Over the last 200 years Australia has suffered the largest ocumented decline in biodiversity of any
continent. Despite efforts to manage threats and pressures to biodiversity in Australia, it is still in
decline.

2.1 Main threats to our biodiversity are as given below:

• Degradation, fragmentation and loss of habitat

• Spreading of invasive species

• Unsustainable use of natural resources

• Change of Climate

• Inappropriate fire regimes

• Changes within aquatic environment and water flows

3.Biodiversity Conservation Methods

Conservation can broadly be divided into two types:

1. In-situ conservation

2. Ex-situ conservation

3.1In-situ biodiversity conservation

In-situ conservation means the conservation of species within their natural habitats, this way of
conserving biodiversity is the most appropriate method for biodiversity conservation. In this strategy
you have to find out the area with high biodiversity means the area in which number of plants and
animals are present. After that,this high biodiversity area should be covered in the form of natural
park/sanctuary/biosphere reserve etc. In this way biodiversity can be conserved in their natural
habitat from human activities.

In other words,we can describe In-situ conservation as on site conservation or the conservation of
genetic resources in natural populations of plant or animal species, such as forest genetic resources
in natural populations of tree species.

It is the process of protecting an endangered plant or animal species in its natural habitat, either by
protecting or cleaning up the habitat itself, or by defending the species from predators.

It is applied to conservation of agricultural biodiversity in agro forestry by farmers, especially those

using unconventional farming practices. In-situ conservation is being done by declaring area as
protected area.

In India following types of natural habitats are being maintained:

1.National parks

2.Wildlife sanctuaries

3.Biosphere reserves

INDIA has over 600 protected areas, which includes over 90 national parks, over 500 animal
sanctuaries and 15 biosphere reserves.

3.1.1 National Parks:

A national park is an area which is strictly reserved for the betterment of the wildlife and where
activities like forestry, grazing on cultivation are not permitted. In these parks, even private
ownership rights are not allowed.

Their boundaries are well marked and circumscribed. They are usually small reserves spreading in an
area of 100 Sq. km. to 500 sq. km. In national parks, the emphasis is on the preservation of a single
plant or animal species.

3.1.2 Wildlife Sanctuaries:

A sanctuary is a protected area which is reserved for the conservation of only animals and human
activities like harvesting of timber,collecting minor forest products and private ownership rights are
allowed as long as they do not interfere with well-being of animals. Boundaries of sanctuaries are
not well defined and controlled biotic interference is permitted, e.g., tourist activity.

3.1.3 Biosphere Reserves:

It is a special category of protected areas where human population also forms a part of the system.
They are large protected area of usually more than 5000 sq.km. A biosphere reserves has 3 parts-
core, buffer and transition zone:

1. Core zone is the inner zone; this is undisturbed and legally protected area.
2. Buffer zone lies between the core and transition zone. Some research and educational activities
are permitted here.

3. Transition zone is the outermost part of biosphere reserves. Here cropping, forestry, recreation,
fishery and other activities are allowed.

Advantages of In-situ conservation:

 The flora and fauna live in natural habitats without human interference.
 The life cycles of the organisms and their evolution progresses in a natural way.
 In-situ conservation provides the required green cover and its associated benefits to our
environment.
 It is less expensive and easy to manage.
 The interests of the indigenous people are also protected.

3.2Ex-Situ Conservation:
Ex-situ conservation is the preservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural
habitats. This involves conservation of genetic resources, as well as wild and cultivated or species,
and draws on a diverse body of techniques and facilities. Such strategies include establishment of
botanical gardens, zoos, conservation strands and gene, pollen seed, seedling, tissue culture and
DNA banks.

3.2.1 Seed gene bank:

These are cold storages where seeds are kept under controlled temperature and humidity for
storage and this is easiest way to store the germ plasma of plants at low temperature. Seeds
preserved under controlled conditions (minus temperature) remain viable for long durations of time.

3.2.2. Gene bank:

Genetic variability also is preserved by gene bank under normal growing conditions. These are cold
storages where germ plam are kept under controlled temperature and humidity for storage; this is
an important way of preserving the genetic resources.

3.2.3 Cryopreservation:

This is the newest application of technology for preservation of biotic parts. This type of
conservation is done at very low temperature (196°C) in liquid nitrogen. The metabolic activities of
the organisms are suspended under low temperature, which are later used for research purposes.

3.2.4 Tissue culture bank:

Cryopreservation of disease free meristems is very helpful. Long term culture of excised roots and
shoots are maintained. Meristem culture is very popular in plant propagation as it’s a virus and
disease free method of multiplication.

3.2.5 Long term captive breeding:

The method involves capture, maintenance and captive breeding on long term basis of individuals of
the endangered species which have lost their habitat permanently or certain highly unfavorable
conditions are present in their habitat.

3.2.6 Botanical gardens:

A botanical garden is a place where flowers, fruits and vegetables are grown. The botanical gardens
provide beauty and calm environment. Most of them have started keeping exotic plants for
educational and research purposes.

3.2.7 Animal Translocation:

Release of animals in a new locality which come from anywhere else.

Translocation is carried in following cases:

 When a species on which an animal is dependent becomes rare.

 When a species is endemic or restricted to a particular area.
 Due to habit destruction and unfavorable environment conditions.
 Increase in population in an area.

3.2.8 Zoological Gardens:

In zoos wild animals are maintained in captivity and conservation of wild animals (rare, endangered
species). The oldest zoo, the Schonbrumm zoo which exists today also, was established in VIENNA in
1759.

In India, the 1st zoo came into existence at BARRACKPORE in 1800. In world there are about 800
zoos. Such zoos have about 3000 species of vertebrates. Some zoos have undertaken captive
breeding programmes.

Advantages of Ex-situ preservation:

 It is useful for declining population of species.

 Endangered animals on the verge of extinction are successfully breeded.
 Threatened species are breeded in captivity and then released in the natural habitats.
 Ex-situ centres offer the possibilities of observing wild animals, which is otherwise not
possible.
 It is extremely useful for conducting research and scientific work on different species.
Another way of conservation is that we can participate in biodiversity conservation by increasing our
knowledge of environmental issues, increasing our awareness of the impacts of biodiversity loss, and
increasing support for government policies and actions that conserve our valuable ecosystems. We
can become educators and role models as stewards of the environment by aiding in the recovery of
species at risk and preventing other species from becoming at risk. Habitat Stewardship consists of
activities that range from enhancing the quality of soil, water, air and other natural resources to
monitoring and conserving wildlife species and their habitat by donating the property to a land trust.

3.3 Participating in Biodiversity Conservation:

 Identify locations of critical wildlife habitat for species at risk and the threats to these areas.
Where possible, eliminate threats and maintain natural areas. Leave critical wildlife habitat
undisturbed, especially nesting and denning sites. Promote wildlife use by setting up bird
and bat houses.
 Eradicate and control introduced weeds on your property. Keep vehicles on main roads to
reduce the spread of weeds and disturbance to wildlife.
 Leave native plants undisturbed, and landscape using native trees and vegetation. Native
plants are well adapted to local conditions and provide a low maintenance, drought resistant
garden and can prevent local flooding. Attract “good” insects by planting pollen and nectar
plants.
 Maintain wetlands by conserving water and reducing irrigation. Avoid draining water bodies
on your property.
 Construct fences to protect riparian areas and other sensitive habitats from trampling and
other disturbances.
 Manage livestock grazing to maintain good quality range conditions. Leave some areas
ungrazed to determine range characteristics to manage for.
 Maintain old standing dead trees and mature forest stands. Large dead trees provide nest
cavities for many species and the mature forest will be replaced by old growth over time.
 Consider donating property to land trusts, or placing a conservation covenant on your
 property. This process allows you to protect your land and benefit from potential tax breaks.
Under Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Ecological Gifts program, a gift of land
provides the greatest tax benefit of any charitable gift.
 Use natural products and methods for pest control such as BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) for
caterpillar infestation; use pesticides that have minimal residual effects such as pyrethrins,
insecticidal soaps, and dormant oil sprays; use a high-pressure water stream from a hose to
control aphids; use barriers and collars around plants to keep pests away.
 Monitor and assess your pets’ impact on biodiversity. Some domestic animals, especially
cats, are predators of wild animals and can devastate local population of native species. Cats
have been estimated to kill tens of millions of birds each year in North America.
 Learn as much as you can about nature and share your knowledge with others. Visit
ecological interpretation centres, natural history museums, and native fish hatcheries to
study local ecosystems. Volunteer at an organization that focuses on conservation or
restoration of habitat.
 Encourage and support local government initiatives that protect habitat and decrease
threats to biodiversity.
 Use environmentally friendly products. Dispose of hazardous material safely. Chemicals that
enter the sewer system can contaminate freshwater and ocean ecosystems.
 Recycle, reuse and reduce. Recycling decreases pollution by decreasing energy, electricity,
and water consumption and the need for landfills.
 Drive less, walk, ride or carpool more. Learn about low emission vehicle research and
availability.

4.Why Is Biodiversity Important?

"At least 40 per cent of the world’s economy and 80 per cent of the needs of the poor are derived
from biological resources. In addition, the richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for
medical discoveries, economic development, and adaptive responses to such new challenges as
climate change."

Also,Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have
an important role to play.

For example,

 A larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops

 Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms
 Healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.
 And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.

5.Why should we Conserve Biodiversity?

5.1 Species depend on each other

While there might be survival of the fittest within a given species, each species depends on the
services provided by other species to ensure survival. It is a type of cooperation based on mutual
survival and is often what a balanced ecosystem refers to.

Soil, bacteria, plants; the Nitrogen Cycle

The relationship between soil, plants, bacteria and other life is also referred to as the nitrogen cycle:

As an example, consider all the species of animals and organisms involved in a simple field used in
agriculture. As summarized from Vandana Shiva, Stolen Harvest (South End Press, 2000):

 Crop byproducts feed cattle

 Cattle waste feeds the soil that nourish the crops
 Crops, as well as yielding grain also yield straw
 Straw provides organic matter and fodder
 Crops are therefore food sources for humans and animals
 Soil organisms also benefit from crops

Bacteria feed on the cellulose fibers of straw that farmers return to the soil

Amoebas feed on bacteria making lignite fibers available for uptake by plants

Algae provide organic matter and serve as natural nitrogen fixers

Rodents that bore under the fields aerate the soil and improve its water-holding capacity

Spiders, centipedes and insects grind organic matter from the surface soil and leave behind
………enriched droppings. Earthworms contribute to soil fertility.

5.2 Interdependent marine ecosystem

An example from the seas (originally mentioned here years ago but removed because the link to the
story no longer worked), was described by National Geographic Wild in a program called, A Life
Among Whales (broadcast June 14, 2008).

It noted how a few decades ago, some fishermen campaigned for killing whales because they were
threatening the fish supply and thus jobs.

A chain of events eventually came full circle and led to a loss of jobs:

 The massive reduction in the local whale population meant killer whales in the region
(usually preying on younger whales) moved to other animals such as seals;
 As seal numbers declined, the killer whales targeted otters;
 As otter numbers were decimated, the urchins and other targets of otters flourished;
 These decimated the kelp forests where many fish larvae grew in relative protection;
 The exposed fish larvae were easy pickings for a variety of sea life;
 Fishermen’s livelihoods were destroyed.

5.3 Large carnivores essential for healthy ecosystems

Three quarters of the world’s big carnivores are in decline. A study in the journal Science, notes that
these large animals — such as lions, leopards, wolves and bears — are in decline, due to declining
habitats and persecution by humans..

This also has a negative impact on the environment, perhaps partly formed by outdated-views that
predators are harmful for other wildlife. As the study notes, human actions cannot fully replace the
role of large carnivores because these large carnivores are an intrinsic part of an ecosystem’s
biodiversity.

As a simple example, the loss of a large carnivore may mean in the short term the herbivores they
prey on may increase in numbers but this can also result in a deterioration of the environment as the
herbivores can graze more, largely unchecked. Human intervention to perform the same services
would be more costly.

5.4 Interdependency vs Human Intervention

Nature can often be surprisingly resilient, often without the need for human interventions. For
example, a documentary aired on the BBC (I unfortunately forget the name and date, but in the
1990s) described two national parks in Africa where elephant populations had grown quite large
within those artificial boundaries. The usual way to deal with this was to cull the population to try
and keep the ecosystem in balance. Without this, elephants were stripping vegetation bare,
affecting other animals, too.

A scientist pleaded with park management not to cull and let nature take its course. Being against
prevailing thought, they would not agree. In the end they agreed to let one park have its elephants
culled, while the other would be left alone.

A few years later, they found the park with the culled population had remained in poor condition.
The park where things were left alone has naturally regenerated; the large elephant populations
eventually reduced in number as they undermined their own resource base. The natural pace at
which this happened allowed vegetation to grow back. Other wildlife grew in numbers and the
ecosystem was generally back in balance.

5.5 Biodiversity providing lessons for scientists in engineering

For a number of years now, scientists have been looking more and more at nature to see how
various species work, produce, consume resources, trying to mimic the amazing feats that millions of
years of evolution has produced.

As just one small example, some spiders can produce their silk with a higher tensile strength than
many alloys of steel even though it is made of proteins. So biologists are looking at these processes
in more depth to see if they can reproduce or enhance such capabilities.

5.6 More important than human use or biological interest

Many people may support environmental causes to help preserve the beauty of Nature. However,
that is in a strange way, not really a justifiable excuse as it is a subjective, human or
anthropomorphasized view.

For many decades, various environmentalists, biologists and other scientists, have viewed the entire
earth as a massive living organism or system due to the interdependent nature of all species within
it. Some cultures have recognized this kind of inter-relationship for a very long time. Some have
termed this Gaia.

While there are disagreements and differences on how this works, it suggests that ecological balance
and biodiversity are crucial for all of earth, not just humans.

5.7 Putting an economic value on biodiversity

It was noted earlier that ecosystems provide many services to us, for free.

Although some dislike the thought of trying to put an economic value on biodiversity (some things
are just priceless), there have been attempts to do so in order for people to understand the
magnitude of the issue: how important the environment is to humanity and what costs and benefits
there can be in doing (or not doing) something.

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is an organization — backed by the UN and
various European governments — attempting to compile, build and make a compelling economics
case for the conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity.

In addition, it is estimated that implementing REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and
Forest Degradation) could help

 Halve deforestation by 2030, and

 Cut emissions by 1.5 Gt of CO2 per year.
 From a cost perspective (p.18), it is estimated that
 It would cost from US$ 17.2 – 33 billion per year
 The estimated benefit in reduced climate change is US$ 3.2 trillion
 The above would be a good return on the initial investment. By contrast, waiting 10 more
 years could reduce the net benefit of halving deforestation by US$ 500 billion.

In addition, they cited another study that estimated that 3,000 listed companies around the world
were responsible for over $2 trillion in environmental externalities (i.e. costs that have to be borne
by society from ignored factors, or social costs). This is equivalent to 7% of their combined revenues
and up to a third of their combined profits.

6. Need for conservation of Biodiversity:

Human should conserve biodiversity because of its benefit, for example,services and biological
resources which are essential for us to live our life on Earth. However, it also provides spiritual
benefits as well as social benefit.

6.1 Biological Resources

A biological resource means any product that is harvested from nature is the part of biological
resources. These resources come under several categories such as medicine, food, wood products,
fibers etc. For example under one category, i.e., Food more than 7,000 species of plants are
involved, although we dependent mainly on only 12 major crops for food.

For Medicinal field human population is dependent on plants. It is true that in the developed
country, many of our medicines are produced by chemicals in pharmaceutical companies, but the
original formulas come from plants. For example, aspirin comes from willows, opiate which is a pain
relievers is derived from poppies and quinine which is used for the treatment of malaria produced by
the Cinchona tree.

Fibers which is used for ropes, clothing, webbing, netting, sacking, and other materials are obtained
by plants mainly for example cotton plants, Agave plants (sisal), flax plants (linen), Corchorus plants
(jute), bamboo, palms and Agave plants (sisal).

A healthy biodiversity provides a number of biological resources for everyone,such as:

 Food
 Medicinal resources and pharmaceutical drugs
 Wood products
 Ornamental plants
 Breeding stocks, population reservoirs
 Future resources
 Diversity in genes, species and ecosystems

6.2 Ecosystem Services

Ecosystem services means processes provided by the nature to support human life. For
example,pollination, decomposition of waste, water purification, renewal of soil fertility and
moderation of floods. Ecosystem processes are often overlooked, and are not generally valued as
part of the economy until they cease to function. When economic value is assigned to these services,
it becomes very high. For example, insect pollinators help produce many commercially important
fruits such as almonds, melons, blueberries, and apples. The global economic value of pollination
services performed by insects has been valued at $217 billion per year.

Similarly in other ecosystem service,water purification just involves filtering of rain water by soil and
by microbes that can break down nutrients and contaminants, and reduce metal ions, slowing their
spread into the environment. Wetland and riparian plants absorb nitrogen, and trap sediments that
decrease water quality.

But human construction and development will disrupt natural environments as well as all activity
and services related to this environment. So finally we have to be dependent on artificial man made
services like for filtration we used different–different types of water filters and purifiers. For these
artificial services we need to pay more while the natural ecosystem services are free of cost.

A healthy biodiversity provides a number of ecosystem services for everyone,such as:

 Protection of water resources

 Soils formation and protection
 Nutrient storage and recycling
 Pollution breakdown and absorption
 Contribution to climate stability
 Maintenance of ecosystems
 Recovery from unpredictable events

6.3 Social and Spiritual Benefits

Most of the time in human history, conservation means protecting nature for the spiritual gifts it
provides, and protecting sacred places in the local landscape. The biodiversity effects on cultural
development can be shown by heterogeneity of the world’s mythology, folk dances and folk art
which contribute to the richness of literature and global arts. In different landscapes, different
cultures are present which influenced our language, diet, occupation and various types of activity.

Uniqueness of each habitat is presented by their animals and plants,reason why each country and
state have their flagship animals as well as plants. Even during traveling,motivation of the people is
to see biological diversity,different cultural and landscape. Ecotourism is travel with the aim to view,
support and sustain the local cultures and its natural ecosystem. Support from ecotourism can be
very helpful to reduce habitat destruction as well as to preserve endangered species.

A healthy biodiversity provides a number of social benefits for everyone,such as:

 Research, education and monitoring

 Recreation and tourism
 Cultural values

7. Conclusion
Having reached the end of this assignment, we can conclude that biodiversity is a concept that has
no general definition. Usually it is used in a context that stresses the need for attention on our living
environment and the sustainable use of natural resources and that biodiversity can be divided in
different types such as habitat, species and genetic diversity. Also,through this assignment, we come
to know that the problems and benefits of biodiversity are many. They focus on the need for
sustainable development and adequate use of coastal resources.Loss of biodiversity and biodiversity
conservation are concepts that provide the basis for biodiversity management.

And last but not the least,after seeing so many points on why should we conserve biodiversity,it can
be safely concluded that biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species,no matter
how small, has an important role to play.

8. References
http://www.biologydiscussion.com

http://www.aboutbioscience.org

http://www.environmentalpollution.in

https://www.omicsonline.org