Biodiversity and Conservation

Biodiversity

• Biodiversity occurs not only in the species level, but also in the macromolecular levels.

• Biodiversity as described by Edward Wilson is the combined diversity at all levels of biological organisation.

• The most important forms of biodiversity are:

  • Genetic diversity (diversity at the genetic level)

  • Species diversity (diversity at the species level)

  • Ecological diversity (diversity at the ecosystem level)

• There are close to 1.5 million plants and animals that have to be discovered and described. More species have been discovered in temperate regions as compared to tropics.

• According to an estimate made by Robert May, global species biodiversity is about 7 million.

• Of the total species discovered so far, 70% are animals and 22% are plants. Of the animals, 70% are insects.

• India has 2.4% of the world’s land and 8.1% of the total species diversity. According to May’s estimate, 78% of the biodiversity is still to be discovered.

• Applying this to India’s biodiversity figures, there still is a scope for discovery of over 1 lakh species of plants and 3 lakh species of animals.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Patterns of Biodiversity

• Latitudinal gradients − The plants and animals are not distributed evenly worldwide. The diversity of living forms decreases as we go from the equator towards the poles. A huge amount of plants and animals are concentrated in the tropical region because of the following reasons.

• Tropical environment is less seasonal and almost constant and predictable as compared to temperate environment.

• Tropics receive the major part of the solar energy, which contributes to great productivity.

• Speciation is d…