Biodiversity and Conservation

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on May 09, 2022 05:29 PM IST

The term “biodiversity” refers to the diversity of life on earth. The earth is surrounded by an amazing variety of living things, including both zooplankton and phytoplankton. The name Biodiversity was coined by Thomas Lovejoy in 1985. There is a huge diversity of living things in nature and all living things depend on one another. The number of species of each species varies from place to place depending on the various aspects of the atmosphere and environment. These are the major factors that determine the density of living organisms in any environment. This shows the richness of biodiversity in any area.

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As well as the importance of the environment, it also has economic value. As biodiversity is a source of food, housing, fuel, clothing and any other resources. Some of the most famous natural resources are also advertised as tourist destinations for the benefit of the economy.

Biodiversity Conservation

Protecting and managing biodiversity resources is essential to maintaining environmental balance in order to protect future generations so that they can spend their lives in the most healthy way possible. Biodiversity conservation is important as humans have destroyed biodiversity and if we continue to do so in the same way, our future generations will pay for this loss.

Objectives of Biodiversity Conservation

There are various biodiversity conservation objectives, some of the key objectives are listed below:

Keeping a variety of species present in the ecosystem.
For proper flow of the food chain and food web.
Maintaining the right mixture of air in the atmosphere, as the release of oxygen, carbon dioxide and many other gases depends entirely on the concentration of biodiversity.
Saving resources such as wood, coal, etc. for the benefit of future generations.
Equilibrium equation is in both zooplankton and phytoplankton.

Method of Biodiversity Conservation

Since countless species of living things exist in the ecosystem, depending on their existence and density, they are preserved in various ways. Some of these methods are discussed below:

→In Situ conservation

→Ex Situ conservation

In situ Conservation

In-situ conservation forms are conserved in their natural habitat. All in-situ conservation is maintained according to the natural habitat of the organism. There are many positive aspects to in-situ conservation and some of the benefits are discussed below.

1. It does not require so much expense in care, it is very easy to save a variety of different types.

2. A large number of species can be kept in one place as they have an environment.

3. Protected areas under in-situ conservation are known as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and wildlife sanctuaries.

Types of In Situ Conservation:

In particular there are three types of in situ conservation, namely:

1.Wildlife Sanctuaries: These are natural areas where wildlife can only be preserved by providing natural habitat. Some of the human activities allowed in the district such as harvesting firewood, planting crops, collecting firewood by local people and tourist activities are also allowed in the area. All of these activities are allowed only if they do not create barriers to the conservation program.

Few examples of some wildlife sanctuaries are ...

Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan
Keoladeo Ghana National Park - Bharatpur, Rajasthan
Sariska National Park, Rajasthan,
Corbett National Park,Uttarakhand
Bandipur National Park, Karnataka
Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka
etc.

2.National Park: National park is usually a small area which is usually maintained and controlled by the government.

In such regions,various human activities that cause disruption such as farming, forestry, pasture, etc. are not allowed.

Few examples of national parks are ...

Kanha National Park
Kaziranga National Park
Ranthambore National Park
Gir National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park
Nagarhole National Park
Periyar National Park
Sundarbans National Park
etc.

NCERT Notes Subject Wise Link:

Ex Situ Conservation

Under this process the conservation of endangered species is preserved to prevent extinction. In this ecosystem, an artificial environment is created depending on the living environment. Other examples of ex-situ conservation are zoos, kindergartens, botanical gardens (endangered plants), genetic banks (to preserve seeds of any genetic material), etc.

In this type of conservation competition between biodiversity is often avoided.

Benefits of Ex Situ Conservation

1. There is very little competition between living things.

2. Various new methods are being used to preserve endangered species.

3. Species that are endemic to the reserve can be reintroduced into the wild to increase population density in the ecosystem.

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Biodiversity Conservation Strategies

Too many strategies can be implemented for biodiversity conservation. Some of the major strategies are discussed below:

1. Endangered species must first be protected as they are at high risk of extinction.

2. Poaching should be restricted in order to avoid a significant decline in biodiversity.

3. Pollution must be minimised so that animals do not become infected.

4. Deforestation should be stopped and serious action taken against those who do so for their own benefit.

5. Various national parks and wildlife sanctuaries should be established for biodiversity conservation.

6. Different environmental laws should be applied to preserve biodiversity.

7. Endangered species must always be given extra care with safe environmental conditions.

8. High-risk ecosystems should be given priority.

9. Resources should be consumed or used with extreme caution.

10. Public awareness programs should be introduced to spread the importance of the ecosystem within humans.

Reason for Conservation of Biodiversity

The stability of the ecosystem is the result of biodiversity. In addition to the diversity of biodiversity, the stability of the ecosystem will increase. We all depend directly or indirectly on biodiversity to meet our needs. If we continue to destroy biodiversity in the same way then one day our next generation will pay for this loss.

There are many reasons that include environmental abuse: over-exploitation of resources, climate change, environmental pollution, invasive species, diseases, hunting, etc. As a result of these factors, living things lose their habitat which leads to the extinction of an organism.

NCERT Solutions Subject wise link:

NCERT Exemplar Solutions Subject wise link:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How does the loss of biodiversity affect humans?

The loss of biodiversity can have a significant direct impact on human health if ecosystem resources are not enough to meet the needs of society. Indirectly, changes in ecosystem services affect livelihoods, income, migration and, in some cases, may cause or exacerbate political conflicts.

2. Can biodiversity conservation benefit the poor?

We identified a few notable studies that document the role of biodiversity in supporting important ecological processes and then came to conclusions about how these processes affect the lives of poor people. Overall, the evidence strongly suggests a positive contribution to biodiversity in eradicating poverty.

3. Is biodiversity conservation important?

Biodiversity conservation, the practice of protecting and conserving resources and biodiversity, habitats, environment, and genetic diversity in the world, are essential to our health, wealth, food, fuel and the services we rely on. Conservation of biodiversity is essential for economic growth and poverty reduction.

4. How does conservation affect biodiversity?

Benefits of biodiversity conservation:

Maintaining genetic diversity ensures the continued existence of disease-resistant plant species, as well as biochemicals that may be as useful as those used in health care. It also means the discovery of pollen species and pest control.

5. Explain about In-Situ and Ex-Situ Conservations?

In-situ conservation: These forms are conserved in their natural habitat. All in-situ conservation is maintained according to the natural habitat of the organism. There are many positive aspects to in-situ conservation

Ex-situ conservations: Under this process the conservation of endangered species is preserved to prevent extinction. In this ecosystem, an artificial environment is created depending on the living environment. Other examples of ex-situ conservation are zoos, kindergartens, botanical gardens (endangered plants), genetic banks (to preserve seeds of any genetic material), etc.

In this type of conservation competition between biodiversity is often avoided.