Environmental Sciences - CHY1002

Module – 2: Biodiversity

Importance, types, mega-biodiversity; Species interaction

- Extinct, endemic, endangered and rare species; Hot-
spots; GM crops- Advantages and disadvantages;
Terrestrial biodiversity and Aquatic biodiversity –
Significance, Threats due to natural and anthropogenic
activities and Conservation methods.

Reference: Benny Joseph; Kaushik and Kaushik; S. Kannappan and Erach Bharucha,
Google, wikipedia 1
 Biodiversity

Bio = Life

Diversity = Variety

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and

the essential interdependence of all living
things among themselves and with their
environment
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 How much of Biodiversity is there on earth?
How many species?

• Scientists have identified more than 2 million species.

Tens of thousands -- remain unknown

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 1. Genetic Diversity:

Variation in Genes within same species

e.g.: Several varieties of rice, several breeds of dogs

Chihuahua Beagle Rottweilers

Chihuahuas, beagles, and rottweilers are all dogs - but they're not the same
because their genes are different.
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2. Species Diversity

Variations in organisms,
measured in a given
area.

e.g.: Flower, tree and cheetah

are all different species

Saki Monkey Golden Skimmer Meadow Beauty 6

3. Ecosystem Diversity
Variations in food webs, nutrient cycles, trophic structure etc., this diversity has
developed along with evolution
e.g.: Tropical rainforests, desserts, ponds, oceans etc.
Grasslands, Ponds, and tropical rain forests are all ecosystems.

Each one is different, with its own set of species living in it.

Paines Prairie Florida Sand hill Pond

Hoh Rain Forest 7

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 Values of biodiversity
What do we get from biodiversity?
What are the benefits of biodiversity

It has intrinsic and utilitarian values

Intrinsic Value = Something that has value in and of itself
Utilitarian Value = It is useful to others

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Values of biodiversity

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Values of biodiversity
 Values of biodiversity
• Social Values: These are the values
associated with the social life, customs,
religion and psycho-spiritual aspects of
the people

• e.g.: Certain plants are worshiped

• Tulasi (Holy besal), Palm tree in
Egypt

Dances of Tribal people are often

related to wildlife: Snake, fish, cow,
peacock etc. 15
 Values of biodiversity
Ethical value: Also known as existence value.

• It is based on the principle of ‘live and let others live’.

• Having affection for our other living beings, and feeling that All
life should be preserved.

• We do not use several of plant and animal species directly.

But we still feel that they should not go to extinction.

• We consider it our responsibility to save them

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 Values of biodiversity

Option value: Biodiversity gives us several options

❖ Option of different forms of energy
❖ Option to visit different areas
❖ Options of medicines and other products, etc.

• Ecosystem service value: Services provided by ecosystem like

• Maintenance of soil fertility,
• Cycling of nutrients and water
• Contribution to water cycle
• Pollution breakdown and absorption
• (e.g.: CO2 is absorbed by forests)
• Contribution to climate stability
• Recovery from disaster
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 Bio-geographical classification of India

• Bio = Life, Geo = land

• Bio-geographical classification refers to

• Different types of climate, topography , flora
and fauna induced by these

• India occupies 10th Place in the world in richness of

diversity

• Several different regions exist in India, like

Mountains, planes, sea-coast… 18
 Bio-geographical classification of India

1. Trans-Himalayan
2. Himalayan
3. Deserts
4. Semi-arid
5. Western Ghats
6. Deccan peninsula
7. Gangetic plain
8. North-east India
9. Islands
10.Coasts
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 Bio-geographical regions of India

• Tropical – Not much change in temperature, heavy

rain
• Tropical deciduous regions – moderate rain, hot
summer, short winter
• Arid and semi arid - deserts
• Regions of Extreme cold and extreme heat
• Oceans, rivers, etc.
• Islands
• Snow covered mountains.

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 Global biodiversity
• The biodiversity is huge
• Estimated: 8-100 million species exist on earth
• more than 10 million species are believed to exist on land alone
• Only about 2% (1-2 millions) of the existing species are identified and named scientifically
• 1,70,000 flowering plants, 30,000 vertebrates, 2,50,000 other group of species are described
• Terrestrial diversity
• Diversity in tropical forests
• 50-80% of the species exist in tropical rainforests
• Estimated 1,70,000 flowering plants
• More than 1/4th Prescription drugs are obtained from rainforests
• 70% cancer fighting drugs come from rain forest plants
• AIDS drugs
• India’s only tropical forest is in Silent Valley in Kerala
• Temperate forests have much less – but better documented
• Aquatic diversity: Marine species are considered to be much more.

The world’s diversity is decreasing very quickly due to human activity - tropical deforestation alone is reducing
biodiversity at the rate of 0.5% every year (20,000 species every year). 21
 Diversity in India

• 6% of species exist in India

• 10th among plant richness,
• 11th in terms of endemic species
• 6th place in origin of agricultural crops
• 150,000 species
• 2 of the hotspots of the world are found in India.
• One of the 12 mega-biodiverse nation

12 Mega-diversity Countries: Australia, Brazil, China, India, Colombia, Ecuador,

USA, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mexico, Peru and Democratic Republic of Congo.
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 Regional/local biodiversity
Biodiversity at local level is better understood in terms of species richness,
which is 4 types.
• Point richness: no. of species that can be found at a single point in a given
space.
• Alpha richness: no. of species found in a small homogeneous area
• Beta richness: it is the rate of change in species composition across different
habitats.
• Gamma richness: it is the rate of change across large landscape gradients.
• Alpha richness is connected to physical environment
• Beta richness increases with number of habitats considered
• e.g. Ant species in north pole regions is only 10. If we extend to equator
it is 2000

Alpha richness is a species diversity with in a habitat and it is most common diversity
measurement in ecology.
Beta richness or beta diversity measures the rate at which species change from
one habitat to another with in a region or along a gradient. 23