Biodiversity and Conservation
● 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.
● 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.
