Biodiversity and its

conservation

Mohd. Farooq Azam

farooqazam@iiti.ac.in
Which do you like better?

A B
Which do you like better?

A B
Which do you like better?

A B
Which do you like better?

A B
What do you think
biodiversity
means?
 Biodiversity is the variety of life on
Earth and the essential
interdependence of all living things

•Scientists have identified more than 1.4 million species. Tens of

millions -- remain unknown (www.thecatalogueoflife.org)
•The tremendous variety of life on Earth is made possible by
complex interactions among all living things including micro-
oganisms.
Components of biodiversity
1. Diversity of genes

Chihuahuas, beagles, and rottweilers are all the same

species —but they're not the same because there is
variety in their genes.

Chihuahua Beagle Rottweilers

Components of biodiversity
2. Diversity of number of species
For example, monkeys, dragonflies, and
meadow beauties are all different species.

Saki Monkey Golden Skimmer Meadow Beauty

Components of biodiversity

3. Variety of ecosystems
Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers are all freshwater Ecosystems.

Rocky coast, Sand Dune, Estuary, Salt Marsh, Coral Reef

are all Marine Ecosystems.
What ecosystem is this?
Within an ecosystem there can be
many HABITATS
• This is the physical and chemical
description of where a creature lives...
HABITATS might describe:

• The NAME of the place where the

creature lives.

• eg Arctic Canada is the habitat of the polar

bear
 HABITATS might describe:
• The DOMINANT VEGETATION of the
place where the creature lives.
• E.g. Heather moorland is the habitat of
the Grouse Brid (England).
 HABITATS might describe:
• The TYPE of place where the creature
lives.

• eg species of fish like Pike (Esox

lucius) are found in freshwater lakes
and ponds.
A species is difficult
to define
exactly!!
1. A group of morphologically
similar creatures which can:
• Interbreed to produce fertile offspring
• Are ‘reproductively isolated’.

• Problems with this definition include…

Creatures who breed
asexually e.g. bacteria

• Creatures who can’t be

tested ethically e.g. Man x
Chimp
2. Creatures who are related through PHYLOGENY
(evolutionary development)

• Similar DNA
• Similar proteins e.g. in blood
• Similar biochemistry
• Similar embryology
 DNA profiles of Primates

• % DNA
similar • Gibbon Orang Utan Gorilla Chimp Man
• 100
• 99
• 98
• 97
• 96
• 95 Humans share 98-99% of
• 94 their DNA with Chimps.
• 93 They are our closest
living relatives.
What do we get from
biodiversity?
Benefits of Biodiversity: Medicines
Many species can
provide novel medicines;
we don’t want to drive
these extinct without
even discovering their
uses.

Ten of our top 25 drugs

come directly from wild
plants: the rest we
developed.
 Should we be concerned about
biodiversity?
The Earth is losing species at an alarming rate
•Some scientists estimate that as many as 3 species per hour
are going extinct and 20,000 extinctions occur each year.
•When species of plants and animals go extinct, many other
species are affected.

What if Chickens

go extinct!!!!
Threats to biodiversity

Habitat destruction
Pollution
Species Introductions
Global Climate Change
Exploitation
Biodiversity Extinction rates
A background rate of 2 mammal extinctions per 10,000 species per 100 years.

Background rates

The average rate of

vertebrate species loss
over the last century is up
to 100 times higher than
background rate.

The number of species that

have gone extinct in the
last century would have
taken 800-10,000 years to
disappear.

Ceballos et al., [2015, Science Advances]

Endangered Vs Threatened
Endangered: numbers so low that extinction is imminent.
Vulnerable: likely to become endangered.
THE GREATEST THREAT!
THE GREATEST THREAT!
HABITAT FRAGMENTATION
RATES OF DEFORESTATION

1981-1990:
•0.9%/year
•53,000 sq. mi./year

•By 1988, +/- 10% of

the Amazon had been
cut down
RATES OF DEFORESTATION
Why should we worry about conservation?
A. Ethics = we know what we are doing and its negative effects  is it right to
continue this?
B. Genetic resources = end result of millions of years of evolution – unique gene
combinations for disease resistance, chemical production, etc.
D. Commercial = many of the products we rely on result from the biotic
component of the planet
E. Life support = plants produce the oxygen we need to survive, soil provides the
means for growing food, organisms/processes cycle and purify the water we
need
F. Ecosystem support = the interactions of the world are all connected  effect
one  effect it all.
How can we reduce The Species Approach
Goal
The Ecosystem Approach
Goal

biodiversity loss? Protect species from

premature extinction
Protect populations of
species in their natural
habitats

Strategies Strategy
• Identify endangered Preserve sufficient areas
2 main approaches – species of habitats in different
biomes and aquatic

species or ecosystem
• Protect their critical systems
habitats

approach.
Tactics Tactics
• Legally protect • Protect habitat areas through
endangered species private purchase or
government action
• Manage habitat
• Eliminate or reduce
• Propagate endangered populations of alien species
species in captivity from protected areas

• Reintroduce species • Manage protected areas to

into suitable habitats sustain native species
• Restore degraded ecosystems
Protection of Wild species
• CITES – Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (1975).
152 countries – 900 species regulated as endangered,
29,000 species regulated as threatened.

• CBD – Convention on Biodiversity extends CITES to

conserve biodiversity in general 172 countries
Focused on reversing trends in loss of biodiversity.
Legislations
• The Lacey Act – 1900
– Prohibits transporting living or dead wild animals or
their parts across state borders without a federal
permit.
• The Endangered Species Act – 1973
– Makes it illegal to import or trade in any product
made from an endangered or threatened species unless
it is used (1) for approved scientific purposes or (2)
to enhance the survival of the species.
Other Means of protection
• Gene banks & Seed banks
• Botanical gardens, Farms, Parks
• Zoos & Aquariums
• Captive breeding & Reintroduction programs.
 Preserves – If you save a habitat
you get all of the species
• National Parks.
• 1,100 parks in 120 countries.
• There are 166 national parks in India.
• Supplemented by state & local park systems.
Biodiversity hotspots in India
Himalaya
Western Ghats

Indo-Burma
Park Problems
• Only 1% of parks in developing countries are actually
protected, most are “paper parks”.
• Often invaded by people looking for survival or those
looking for profit.
• Often too small to sustain larger species.
• Parks are too popular  high traffic, pollution.
• Lack of funding – overworked, underpaid staff, Less
facilities.
• Nearby activities including logging, mining, grazing,
power production, water diversion.
How much land should be protected?
• Need a worldwide network of supported,
connected refuges
• Conservationist view: At least 20% of earth’s
land area should be preserved
– Areas vital to sustaining life on earth and continuing
adaptation & evolution
• Developer view: Less than current 10% should
be preserved –
– Areas contain valuable resources to aid in economic
growth