Biodiversity

The term biodiversity is made up of two words - bio and diversity. Variability among living organisms from all sources (including terrestrial, marine and other ecosystems). Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) in Rio Earth summit.
India ranks 10th among the plant rich countries of the world, 11th in terms of number of endemic species of higher vertebrates and 6th among the centers of
diversity and origin of agricultural crops

• Levels of biodiversity

Genetic diversity

 Variations among the genes of
the same species are known as
genetic diversity.
 It is this type of diversity that
gives rise to the different
varieties of rice, mangoes, dogs
etc.

Species Diversity

 Diversity which arises due to
variations among species present
in specific areas is called as
‘species diversity’.
 Horses and donkeys are distinct
species, as are lions and tigers.

Ecosystem Diversity

 Ecosystem diversity is the
diversity of habitats which
include the different life forms
within.
 The term also refers to the
variety of ecosystems found
within a bio geographical
political boundary.

      Values of biodiversity

 Productive Value

 Different products are obtained from different organisms, like silk
from silk-worm, wool from sheep, fir of many animals,
 lac from lac insects etc.
 Ecological Services
 It refers to the services provided by ecosystems like prevention of
soil erosion, prevention of floods, maintenance of soil fertility, cycling
of nutrients, fixation of nitrogen, cycling of water, their role as carbon
sinks, pollutant absorption and reduction of the threat of global
warming etc.
 Biodiversity have enormous potential and a decline in biodiversity will
lead to huge economic, ecological and socio-cultural losses.

Hotspots of biodiversity

Hot Spots of India
 The Western Ghats
 The Eastern Himalayas
 Indo-Burma
 Sundaland (Nicobar island)