Science Fair Project on Biodiversity | Environment

Do you want to create an amazing science fair project on biodiversity ? You are in the right place. Read the below given article to get a complete idea on biodiversity: 1. Meaning of Biodiversity 2. Origin of Biodiversity 3. Types 4. Levels 5. Patterns 6. Values 7. Conservation 8. Genetic Erosion or Loss 9. Legal Coverage of Biodiversity Conservation and Use in India.

Contents:

1. Science Fair Project on the Meaning of Biodiversity
2. Science Fair Project on the Origin of Biodiversity
3. Science Fair Project on the Types of Biodiversity
4. Science Fair Project on the Levels of Biodiversity
5. Science Fair Project on the Patterns of Biodiversity
6. Science Fair Project on the Values of Biodiversity
7. Science Fair Project on the Conservation of Biodiversity
8. Science Fair Project on the Genetic Erosion or Loss of Biodiversity
9. Science Fair Project on the Legal Coverage of Biodiversity Conservation and Use in India

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Science Fair Project # 1. Meaning of Biodiversity:

Diversity in the living world or biodiversity is the occurrence of a wide variety of life forms differing in morphology, size, colour, anatomy, habitats and habits. Each different kind of plant, animal or microorganism represents a species. Currently there are some 1.7—1.8 million living organisms known to science. Out of these 1.25 million are animals. The plants number about 0.5 million.

The single group of insects, however, outnumbers all the plants and other animals. This group contains about 1.025 million species. Every year about 15000 new organisms used to be discovered. The number has increased since the launching of projects like Global Biodiversity Information Facility and Species 2000.

It is estimated that any number between 5 to 30 million species of living organisms are present on earth. Most of the unknown occur in the dense tropical rain forests and underwater reefs. Tropical rain forests are less than 8% of the total land.

Their area is shrinking due to human exploitation. It is feared that if this exploitation is not stopped forthwith, many of species will become extinct forever before coming to light. Because of this, the Silent Valley rain forest to Kerala has been saved from submergence under proposed dam across river Kuntizha.

The past organisms have also left their impressions or remains in the rocks. They are called fossils. The term microfossils are used for impressions and remains of microorganisms as well as microscopic remains of larger organisms.

It is believed that the extinct species may out-number the living ones by 50-100 times. With such a large number of living and extinct organisms, it is essential to have a proper universal system of nomenclature, identification and classification that can bring out their true relationships. They are all domains of systematic.

Biodiversity demonstrates the variety and array of life on diversity is not only the spice of life, it is essential to life. The diversity of biological life (biodiversity) exists at three scales. These range from genes to species to ecosystems.

A common measurement of biodiversity is the total number of species found in an area. Thus biodiversity can be defined as “The versatility of life on the Earth at all its levels, from genous to ecosystem, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that sustain it”.

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Science Fair Project # 2. Origin of Biodiversity:

There are two conditions that cause population diversity.

First, new genotypes are constantly cropping up in a population through mutation, recombination, and related genetic phenomena; and through immigration of individuals, their gametes or their propagules.

Secondly, diversity is the population eliminated by natural selection and lost through emigration of individuals. Every genetic variation, from gene mutations to entire species, will disappear eventually.

This loss can be a very fast process, or the variants can survive for a long period. Species that have survived for extended periods include horseshoe crabs, which have been around for 200 million years and cockroach, which originates even earlier (350 million years) in the carboniferous period.

The speed at which new variants originate in relation to the rate at which they are eliminated determines the actual diversity of the system.

Thus diversity is the result of two opposite actions:

The processes that produce new genotypes, new varieties and new species and the processes that eliminate mutations, variants and species from the system.

Natural selection is primarily responsible for the reduction of biodiversity, it acts through differential reproduction and differential mortality.

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Science Fair Project # 3. Types of Biodiversity:

Biodiversity can be broadly classified into three types.

i. Species Diversity:

The extent of the world’s species biodiversity is fewer than two million of an estimated 10-15 million species have been scientifically described. The depletion of the gene pool has serious implications as a considerable quantity (about 40 per cent) of the global economy is based on biological products and processes.

Loss of species also has a direct impact at the local level-par­ticularly on the 900 million people living in extreme poverty in rural areas who are highly reliant on the direct use of biodiversity for their food and livelihoods.

ii. Habitat Diversity:

Habitat modification and destruction pose the greatest threat to biodiversity around’ the world. Growing human populations lead to rising resource demands namely food, fuel wood, shelter, land, etc. and pressure to con­vert habitat to other uses, such as agriculture and livestock-raising.

iii. Ecosystem Diversity:

Ecosystem diversity can be described as the number of ecosystems within a larger geographical unit, such as a country (William, 1992). Because human ac­tivities affect whole ecological communi­ties, conservation efforts focused upon indi­vidual species alone will not adequately pro­tect the various life-forms on this planet from extinction. It is useful to consider the various reasons to protect biological diversity in gen­eral and ecosystems in particular.

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Science Fair Project # 4. Levels of Biodiversity:

Biodiversity includes three levels:

i. Genetic Diversity:

A single species show high diversity at gene level. There are more than 20,000 species of ants, 30,000 species of beetles, 28,000 species of fishes and nearby 20,000 species of Orchids. Greater the genetic diversity among organisms of a species, more sustenance it has, against environment disturbances.

Genetic diversity within the species creates different sub-species, variety, breed, forms, etc. India has more than 50,000 genetically different strains of rice and 1,000 varieties of mango. The genetic variation shown by the medicinal plant Rauwolfia vomitoria, growing in Himalayan ranges can be in terms of concentration and potency of the active chemical reserpine that plant produces.

ii. Species Diversity:

It is the measure of the variety of species and their relative abundance present within a region. e.g., Western Ghats has more amphibian species than Eastern Ghats.

Two important measures of species diversity are:

(i) Species richness refers to the number of species per unit area. Species diversity increases, if species richness is higher.

(ii) Species evenness refers to the relative abundance of species in an area. The number of individuals and variety determines the level of diversity of an ecosystem.

iii. Ecological Diversity:

It refers to the diversity of species. It is also related to the genetic diversity at ecological level. Due to presence of more variety of ecosystems and habitats, i.e., rainforest, desert, wet lands, mangroves, coral reefs and alpine meadows, etc. India has a greater ecological diversity than Scandinavian countries.

Global Biodiversity:

According to International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN, 2004), the total number of plants and animals species described, so far is more than 1.5 million for many taxonomic groups, species inventories are more complete in temperate than in tropical countries. A more conservative and scientifically sound estimate by Robert May places the global species diversity at about 7 million.

More than 70% of all the species recorded are animals, while plants comprise no more than 22% of the total. Insects are the most species rich taxonomic group in animal kingdom, making more than 70% of the total animals. It means, out of every 10 animals, are insects on the earth.

Number of fungi species in the world is more than the total number of species of fishes, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. Biologists are still not sure about the diversity of prokaryotic species.

According to May’s estimates, only 22% of the total species have been recorded so far.

These estimates do not give any figure for prokaryotes for the following reasons:

(i) The conventional taxonomic methods are not sufficient for identifying these microbial species.

(ii) Molecular and biochemical techniques would put their diversity in millions.

(iii) Most of the species cannot be cultured under laboratory conditions.

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Science Fair Project # 5. Patterns of Biodiversity:

Biodiversity is not uniform throughout the world. It varies with the changes in latitude and altitude. For many groups of animals and plants, there are specific patterns in diversity based on favourable environmental conditions. Plants and animals are more diverse in areas, which suit them best for their survival, i.e., biodiversity is more in such areas than others.

Following patterns of biodiversity are described here under:

i. Latitude Gradient:

Species diversity decreases as we move away from equator towards the poles. It means biodiversity is more at lower latitude (equator) than higher latitude (poles).

a. Tropics (latitudinal range of 23.5°N to 23.5°S) harbour more species than temperate or polar areas. e.g., Colombia located near equator, has 1400 species of birds, whereas New York at 4l°N has 105 species of birds, while Greenland 71°N has only 56 species of birds.

b. India with most of its area in tropical latitude has more than 1200 species of birds.

c. A forest of equal area in tropical region (Equator) has ten times more species of vascular plants than in temperate region (mid-West of USA).

d. Amazonian rainforest in South America has the greatest biodiversity on the earth with more than 40,000 species of plants, 3,000 of fishes, 1,300 of birds, 427 of mammals and amphibians, 378 of reptiles and of more than 1,25,000 of invertebrates.

e. About 2 million species of insects are still waiting to be discovered and named in these rainforests.

Reasons for Greater Biodiversity in Tropics:

Following are the reasons for greater biodiversity in tropics:

(i) Temperate regions were subjected to frequent glaciation in the pasts but the tropics have remained undisturbed and hence, had evolved more species diversity.

(ii) Tropical environment are less seasonal, relatively more constant and predictable than temperate region. Such constant environments have promoted niche specialisation and greater species diversity.

(iii) More solar energy is available in tropics, which contributes to higher productivity and indirectly to greater species diversity.

ii. Species-Area Relationships:

Alexander Von Humboldt, a German naturalist and geographer observed that within a region, species richness increased with the increasing explored area, but only up to a limit.

The relationship between species richness and area turns out to be a rectangular hyperbola.

On a logarithmic scale, the relationship is a straight line described by the equation.

log S = log C + Z log A

Where, S = Species richness, A = Area,

Z = Slope of the line (regression = coefficient),

C = Y — intercept.

The value of Z lies between 0.1-0.2, regardless the taxonomic groups in the region.

For species area relationship among very larger areas like continents, the slope of the line will be much steeper, i.e., Z values in the range of 0.6-1.2.

For fruit eating birds and mammals in tropical forest of different continents, the slope is found to be 1.15.

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Science Fair Project # 6. Values of Biodiversity:

Biodiversity is so widely accepted as being valuable that the reasons why it is valued are rarely carefully analysed.

Though not all levels of variation are equally valuable for all reasons, yet the values can be accounted for various reasons as stated below:

It is estimated that it would cost around 30 billion per year to expand this to 10% of the terrestrial surface, properly protected and with compensation to indigenous people. It is further noted the fact that 1% of global GWP is needed to ensure the continuing delivery of ecosystem services.

Now time has come to assess the valuation of benefit of biodiversity from utilitarian stand point. Currently, 25% of the drugs on the shelves in the pharmacy derive from a mere 120 species of plants.

But throughout the world, the traditional medicinal plants used by the native peoples is around 25.000 species (about 10% of the total number of plant species)—we have much to learn. In addition, there are ecosystem values or ethical arguments too.

It is a general belief that species diversity is essential for the proper functioning of communities and for the emergence of community level properties.

Just as many different DNA encoded enzymes are needed for a complex organism to function properly, so, scientists believe, are many kinds of species necessary to maintain community structure. But is any diversity sufficient, or are specific mixes of species necessary tor the communities and ecosystems to function?

There is a very old question in ecology, and two opposing views exist. One view is that a community is formed by the species that happened to arrive first—that the mix of species in a community is a matter of chance. The vegetation of an area is merely the resultant of two factors—the fluctuating and fortuitous immigration of plants—and an equally fluctuating and variable environment.

According to the opposite view:

“In any family limited area, only a fraction of the forms that could theoretically do so actually form a community at any one time. Thus the community really is an organised association of species in that it has a limited membership.”

Communities with high species diversity may cope with long term environmental fluctuations better than communities with few species. But this is not always true! Terrestrial communities in the climatically variable mid-latitudes are less diverse than tropical communities in more uniform environments.

We often derecognised the values of biodiversity in many tiny ecosystems, but as the time passes we realised its multifaceted values. An example is given below with respect to estimated economic benefits of soil organisms (Table 6.3).

 

Hotspot Regions of the World:

Based primarily on the degree of ende­mism in species composition, Myers, in 1988, identified 12 such endemic species-rich localities in tropical regions of the world which required urgent conservation attention.

These localities were:

1. Hawaii islands

2. Columbian chako

3. Western Ecuador

4. Uplands of Western Amazonia

5. Atlantic forest area of Brazil

6. Eastern Madagascar

7. Eastern Himalayas

8. Peninsular Malaysia

9. Northern Borneo

10. Philippines

11. Queensland, Australia

12. New Caledonia.

The above 12 hotspot areas are spread over only 2,92,000 sq. kms. which barely rep­resent 0.2% of the earth’s total land surface. Of the total 8.34 million sq. kms. of primary forests present in the world, these hotspot area represent only 3.5%. However, these spots are very rich in biological diversity, possessing 34,400 endemic plant species which is about 27% of all tropical forest species or 13% of the total plant species found on the earth.

Later, Myers, in 1990, identified, in other climatic regions of the world, a further eight hotspots of endemic species diversity, which are:

1. California, Western Floral Province

2. Central Chile

3. Ivory Coast

4. Cape Floral Province, Africa

5. Western Ghats, India

6. Sri Lanka

7. South-west Australia

8. Eastern Arc Province, Tanzania

The above eight hotspot areas of bio­diversity account for a further 4,54,400 sq. kms. or only 0.3% of world’s total land surface. However, these areas possess 15,555 endemic species of plants representing 6% of the total number of species of plants World-wide. So, in total, about 49,955 endemic species of plants occur in an area of 7,86,400 sq. kms or only 0.5% of the world’s total land area.

In 1998, Myers further added 5 more hotspot regions making it 25 hotspots areas. These in total support nearly 1,22,935 ende­mic area. The 5 hotspot areas are: Northern Indochina, Khasi Manipur, Succulent Karoo, New Zeeland, Western Tundra’s, Wallacea.

Recently (2006), Conservation Inter­national (CI) updated the list with 9 new hotspots, although these new hotspots are still questionable. The total list of 35 biodi­versity hotspots of the world is given in Table 4.45 and depicted in Fig. 4.73. However, the list of authors for this new scientific assess­ment lacked the original author of the hotspot idea.

The Conservation International focus on biodiversity hotspots is similar to World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Global 200. Both are scientific initiatives that try to quan­tify species diversity and both target many of the same regions. The main differences are in the scale of the regions. CI’s focuses as terres­trial Eco regions, while WWF scheme includes aquatic Eco regions as well.

Hotspots of India:

India, being a mega diversity country, has a number of endemic species (Table 4.41). However, the rate of extinction of species in our country is extremely high as our wilder­ness areas are rapidly sinking. Our globally accepted hotspots are in the forests of the Himalayas and the Western Ghats, recog­nized as the world’s most bio-rich areas.

Western Ghats:

The Western Ghats (Fig. 4.74A) are a chain of highlands running along the western extremity of the Indian subcontinent, from Mumbai south to the southern tip of the peninsula. It runs through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

It covers an area of 1,59,000 sq. kms. The Western Ghats, due to its excep­tional biological diversity and conservation interest, are termed as “one of the major Tropical Evergreen Forest regions in India”.

This zone has been losing a large part of its original forest cover through timber extrac­tion. The small remaining extent of natural forest, coupled with exceptional bio-richness and ever-increasing levels of threat (agricul­ture, reservoir, flooding plantation, logging etc.) has necessitated major conservation plans. This has led to the global declaration of this area as a major hotspot zone in 1990. The Western Ghat currently has 7 national parks and 39 wildlife sanctuaries covering an area of 2,073 and 13,862 sq. kms., respectively.

Himalayas:

The Himalaya hotspot (Fig. 4.74b) comprises of world’s highest moun­tain ranges including Mt. Everest. This immense mountain range covers nearly 7,50,000 km², divided into two regions – the Eastern Himalaya and the Western Himalaya.

The abrupt rise of the Himalayan Mountains from less than 500 meters to more than 8,000 meters results in a diversity of ecosystems that range from alluvial grasslands (among the tallest in the world) and subtropical broadleaf forests along the foot-hills to temperate broadleaf forests in the mid-hills, mixed conifer and conifer forests in the higher hills and alpine meadows above the tree line.

Vascular plants have been recorded even at more than 6,000 metres. This hotspot is home to important popu­lations of numerous large birds and mam­mals, including vultures, tigers, elephants, rhino’s, wild water buffaloes etc.

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Science Fair Project # 7. Conversation of Biodiversity:

Conservation can be defined as the scientific management of our natural resources to the best benefit of all life, inclu­ding human-kind, present in the biosphere, so that these natural resources are protected from destructive influence, misuse and decay. While yielding sustainable benefit to the present generation, its potentiality to meet the needs and aspirations of the future generations should also be maintained.

Conservation biology emphasised the need for conserving species and habitat. However, a ‘No Fishing’ sign on a water- body or a over-exploited resource are both not good from’ the conservation point of view. Thus, conservation biology focuses on the big ecological picture, not on biological resources as commodities. It has also brought into light the recent advances in population ecology, genetics and computer modelling.

Aims of Conservation:

1. To preserve biological diversity involving prevention of species extinction and preservation of characteristic ecosystems and landscapes.

2. Avoiding unplanned development which would lead to breakdown of ecologi­cal as well as human laws.

3. To ensure that a continuous produc­tion of useful plants, animals and materials is available by establishing a balanced cycle of harvest and renewal.

4. To maintain essential ecological pro­cesses and life support system.

5. To carry out well-planned and scien­tific exploitation of natural resources.

6. To ensure that any utilisation of species and ecosystems is sustainable.

7. To maintain the preservation of aesthetic and recreational environment.

8. To preserve the genetic resources which can be used in breeding new forms of plants and animals with desirable characte­ristics like disease resistance, high producti­vity, higher ecological amplitude etc.

Conservation Strategies:

Conservation of biodiversity is usually necessary to establish protected areas, to reintroduce some species, to restore ecosys­tems and to manage or eradicate previously introduced plants and animals. Strategies on conservation exist at a range of different levels to accommodate the markedly diffe­rent political scales at which conservation objectives are directed.

Global and national strategies meet the needs of national government. Local strategies are required for local authorities such as the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), who establish strategies at a variety of scales according to their individual priority and apply pressure on the concerned govern­ment. International strategies are aimed at con­servation of globally threatened ecosystems.

Some of these are listed:

1. The World Conservation Union, previously known as IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), is an international and independent organisation that provides leadership and a common approach to conservation. It provides a link between nongovernmental campaigning organisations, government agencies and sovereign states.

2. The Convention on the Internatio­nal Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) successfully deals in preventing the illegal import and export of many rare species and animal products. They have been credited with saving the elephant from extinction.

3. The Antarctic Treaty sets aside all sovereignty, bans all military activities and nuclear waste disposals. It gives complete freedom for scientific investigation. Mining has been banned. Antarctic seals and other marine life have been given specific protec­tion. The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (1992), includes, among other things, how environ­mental damage should be monitored.

At the national level, objectives of con­servation are laid by governmental organisa­tions and implemented through legislation.

Conservation Strategies in India:

The conservation strategies are principally aimed at ensuring ecological balance through conser­vation of biological diversity, soil and water management, increase of free cover, meeting the requirements of the rural and tribal popu­lation, increase in the productivity, efficient utilisation of forest produce and people’s involvement for achieving these objectives.

The conservation strategies are:

1. Under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, stringent provisions are taken for preventing diversion of forest land for any other purpose.

2. Setting up of the National Wasteland Board to guide and manage the wastelands development program by adopting a mission approach for enlisting people’s participation, harnessing the inputs of science and techno­logy and achieving interdisciplinary coordi­nation in programme planning and implementation.

3. Formation of a National Wildlife Action Plan.

4. Preparation of a National Forestry Action Programme.

5. Establishment of National Parks and Sanctuaries covering about 4% of the coun­try’s area.

6. Eco-development plans for sanctuar­ies and National Parks.

7. Identification of biogeographic zones in the country for establishing a net­work of protected areas including setting up of Biosphere Reserves.

8. Management plans for identified wetlands, mangrove areas and coral reefs.

9. Formulation of a National River Action Plan.

10. Eco-Task Forces of ex-servicemen for ecological restoration through afforestation and soil conservation.

11. National Environmental Awareness Campaigns for creating environmental awareness through NGOs.

12. Survey and Research studies.

13. Training programmes, workshops and seminars for building up professional competence and for creation of awareness, even among children.

14. Mass education through (i) cinemato­graphy on wildlife, (ii) pleasure and enjoy­ment in visiting zoo gardens, botanical gardens, and (iii) excursion to national parks, sanctuaries, forests etc.

15. Ecotourism has gained much impor­tance. It is a mean of gaining economic bene­fit from biodiversity and can help to meet the cost of conservation.

However, ecotourism has its own pit­falls. ‘Spearheading’, the degradation of the previously pristine areas take place. For example, the virgin area of Reshap (West Bengal), has now lost its serenity. Moreover, the income generated does not always bene­fit the local people and can Teak’ away to be absorbed by others. Over-expansion and modernisation are other major threats.

16. When endangered biological species cannot be conserved in situ then their DNA is conserved by ex-situ methods in museums, herbaria or zoos. Such collections of living material in the form of zoo animals, botanical collections and seeds, together with DNA collections have been termed gene banks. Plant species and crop varieties are also con­served in seed banks.

Conservation of Biodiversity includes in-situ and ex-situ methods:

1. In-situ conservation:

This is the conservation of genetic resources through their maintenance within natural or even human made ecosystem in which they occur. This is an ideal system for genetic resources conservation.

This type include a system of protected areas of different categories, managed with different objectives to bring benefit to the society. National Parks, Sanctuaries, Nature reserves, Natural Monuments, Cultural land­scape, Biosphere reserves etc. belong to this type of conservation.

2. Ex-situ conservation:

This is the conservation outsides their habitat by perpetu­ating sample population in genetic resources centers, zoos, botanical garden, culture collection etc.

In this type of conservation, seed bank, botanical garden, pollen storage, tissue culture and genetic engineering have been playing an important role.

Diversity is a characteristic of biological system.

The vast pool of genetic diversity contain within wild population of plants is of enor­mous value for the continuing research and development of agriculture, industry, medicine.

Plant diversity helps in maintaining a stable and healthy ecosystem.

The loss of genetic diversity through the monoculture of crops is another serious cause of concern.

Natural variations occurs among genes, species, population community ecosystem, land­scape.

The conservation of biodiversity encompasses genetic diversity of species, populations, richness of species in biological communities, process where the species interact with one another in the ecological system and the abundance of species, communities and ecosystem at large geographic scales. Biodiversity has great importance of both aesthetic as well as practical.

Biodiversity can be divided into four levels:

(i) Genetic – Variety of building blocks found within individual of a species.

Genetic diversity and plant diversity on the levels of biological diversity. Biologi­cal diversity represents a valuable genetic resource for membership.

(ii) Species – The number of different kinds of organisms found at a particular place.

(iii) Ecosystem – Distinctive assemblage of species that live together in the same area and interacts with the physical environment.

(iv) Lasscapic – Placement and size of ecosystem, sum total of various life forms such as unicellular fungi, protozoa, bacteria, plants, animals.

Diversity originates at the genetic level of and it extends to higher level of organization through population.

Reasons for Conserving Biodiversity:

There are many reasons for conservation of biodiversity. All reasons are equally important.

They can be grouped into three categories:

i. Narrowly Utilitarian:

These are based on obvious reasons. Humans derive countless direct economic benefits from nature like food (cereals, pulses and fruits), firewood, fibre, construction material, industrial products (tannins, lubricants, dyes, resins and perfumes) and products of medicinal importance.

More than 25% of the drugs currently sold in the market worldwide are derived from plants and 25,000 species are used in traditional medicines. Biodiversity rich country reaps more benefit thus, biodiversity conservation is crucial.

ii. Broadly Utilitarian:

According to this argument, biodiversity plays major role in ecosystem services. Amazon forest produce 20% of the total oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere via photosynthesis.

There are many other intangible benefits of biodiversity like:

(i) Pollination of flowers without which fruits and seeds are not produced.

(ii) Production of oxygen.

(iii) Aesthetic pleasures like bird watching, watching spring flower in full bloom walking through thick forest, listening to bulbul’s song, etc.

iii. Ethical Argument:

Every species has an intrinsic value even if it is not of any economic value to us. It is our a moral duty to care for their well-being and pass on our biological legacy in good order to future generations.

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Science Fair Project # 8. Genetic Erosion or Loss of Biodiversity:

Biological diversity is an important natural resources which is an insurance for food and ecological security provided it is not threatened by encroachment on natural ecosystem by the unmindful activities of the exploding human population.

Urban expansion, shifting cultivation and development projects such as dams, big industrial and power generating plants needs land area which is thoughtlessly provided by cleaning forest area leading to deforestation. This results in large scale destruction of natural habitats of plants and animals which ultimately ends in genetic extinction.

The decrease in biodiversity results in many adverse effects such as:

(a) Degradation of land

(b) Species extinction

(c) Acid rain

(d) Carbon dioxide build up and

(e) Depletion of ozone layer.

At least 1.5 million identified species of plants, animals and micro-organisms constitute the genetic diversity (variety of genes) which is used in the improvement of domesticated species of plants, animals etc.

Genetic erosion or loss of biodiversity is the loss of genes from a gene pool (gene pool is the sum total and variety of all the genes present in a population or species).

Vanishing forests and eroding soils have led to more than 1500 species of plants, animals and microorganisms becoming categorized as “endangered species” in India alone.

The importance of preserving biodiversity is:

1. To maintain ecological balance.

2. To economically use species and genetic material.

3. To properly maintain life system.

4. To preserve aesthetic and religious values.

5. To know the socio-economic value of the particular area.

6. To preserve culture and nature of particular area.

The biotic component of an ecosystem may be composed of a number of species of plants, microbes of animals which interact with each other on one hand and interact with the abiotic factors of the environment another.

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Science Fair Project # 9. Legal Coverage of Biodiversity Conservation and Use in India:

Each country needs to assess the legal coverage of biodiversity conservation and use within its boundaries. Such an assessment has been broadly carried out for India. This assessment first provides a conceptual framework within which to examine each law, and deals not only with conventional conservation laws but also other laws relating to development, use and distribution of resources.

For the sake of the analysis, Kothari and Singh (1992) categorized biodiversity components under five headings:

a.Wild fauna,

b. wild flora,

c. domesticated fauna (livestock),

d. domesticated flora (crops and other cultivated plants), and

e. genetic materials (seeds, eggs, germplasm, semen).

They also distinguished 11 distinct aspects of biodiversity:

i. Identification:

The process of locating, and thereafter establishing the identity, distribution, occurrence, status, and value of biodiversity components. Relevant to both wild and domesticated fauna and flora.

ii. Protection in situ:

Efforts to protect and conserve biodiversity, including the habitats within which biodiversity components survive and evolve. Applies especially to wild fauna and flora, but also to domesticated fauna and flora at the sites of their use, in so far as these may need to be protected from disease/infestation, displacement by new varieties and destruction from human activities.

iii. Protection ex-situ:

Attempts at preserving living species or genetic material in gene banks, zoological parks, botanical gardens and sites other than their natural habitats. Relevant to all biodiversity components.

iv. Access/Extraction:

Controls on the kind and amount of access to fauna and flora in the wild, to ex situ collections, and to genetic material; also the modes of extraction of these components, relevant especially to in-situ stock. Overlaps with intellectual property rights.

v. Use:

Attempts at utilizing biodiversity for subsistence, commercial, scientific or other purposes. Relevant to all biological components.

vi. Breeding/Cultivation/Multiplication:

Artificial or induced measures for regenerating flora-fauna populations in captive or closed conditions. Relevant to both wild and domestic fauna and flora.

vii. Trade:

Activities relating to the barter, sale, import, export and other forms of exchange of biodiversity components.

viii. Introduction/Augmentation/Re-introduction:

Measures to deliberately stock an ecosystem or area with species that did not previously exist there (introduction) or where they have declined or need to be increased in number (augmentation) or where they have died out (reintroduction). Relevant to both wild and domesticated fauna and flora, as also to genetic material (e.g., seeds) used for the purpose.

ix. Release:

Disposal of biodiversity components, without the specific purpose of introducing, augmenting, on reintroducing them, into the environment. Relevant to all biodiversity components.

x. Movement:

Measures to transport, by human means, biodiversity components from one location to another, especially relevant in cases of transportation across ecosystems or bioregions, involving the possibility of accidental release of components. Does not include natural or voluntary movement of animals, or movement of seeds or other floral parts by natural means. Relevant to all biodiversity components.

xi. Intellectual property rights:

Measures pertaining to the rights of the state, organisations, or individuals over biological and biotechnological knowledge, including patents, royalties, intellectual property rights, farmers, rights and breeders’ rights.

Over 40 National Acts were then assessed with respect to their coverage (or lack of it) of each of the 11 aspects listed above for each of the five biodiversity categories (i.e., wild flora, wild fauna, domesticated flora, etc.).

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