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| World Environment Day 5th June | Indian Biodiversity |
India is
recognised as one of the mega-diverse countries, rich in biodiversity and
associated traditional knowledge. With just 2.4% of the land area, India accounts
for nearly 7% of the recorded species even while supporting almost 18% of the human
population.
In terms of
species richness, India ranks seventh in mammals, ninth in birds and fifth in
reptiles. The varied Edaphic, Climatic and Topographic conditions have resulted
in a wide range of ecosystems and habitats such as forests, grasslands,
wetlands, coastal and marine ecosystems, and deserts in India with greater biodiversity.
India
Represent
a)
Two Realms
b)
Five Biomes
c)
Ten Bio-geographic Zones
d)
Twenty-five Bio-geographic provinces
a) Realms
The Indian
the region is composed of two realms. They are:
1)
the Himalayan region represented by Palearctic Realm
2)
the rest of the sub-continent represented by Malayan Realm
b) Biomes of
India
The term
biome means the main groups of plants and animals living in areas of certain
climate patterns. It includes how animals, vegetation and soil interact
together. The plants and animals living in the area are adapted to that environment.
The five biomes of India are:
1)
Tropical Humid Forests
2)
Tropical Dry or Deciduous Forests (including Monsoon Forests)
3)
Warm deserts and semi-deserts
4)
Coniferous forests and
5)
Alpine meadows
c)
Bio-geographic Zones
Biogeography
deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals. There are 10
biogeographic zones which are distinguished clearly in India. They are as
follows:
1) Trans-Himalayas. An extension of the Tibetan
plateau, harbouring high-altitude cold desert in Laddakh (J&K) and Lahaul
Spiti (H.P) comprising 5.7 % of the country’s landmass.
2) The Himalayas. The entire mountain chain
running from north-western to northeastern India, comprising a diverse range of
biotic provinces and biomes, 7.2 % of the country’s landmass.
3) Desert. The extremely arid area west of the
Aravalli hill range, comprising both the salty desert of Gujarat and the sand
desert of Rajasthan. 6.9% of the country’s landmass.
4) Semi-arid. The zone between the desert and
the Dec-can plateau, including the Aravalli hill range. 15.6 % of the country’s
landmass.
5) The Western Ghats. The hill ranges and plains
running along the western coastline, south of the Tapti river, covering an
extremely diverse range of biotic provinces and biomes. 5.8% of the country’s
landmass.
6) Deccan peninsula. The largest of the zones,
covering much of the southern and southcentral plateau with predominantly deciduous
vegetation. 4.3 % of the country’s landmass.
7) Gangetic plain. Defined by the Ganges river
system, these plains are relatively homogenous. 11% of the country’s landmass.
8) North-east India. The plains and
the non-Himalayan hill ranges of northeastern India, with a wide variety of vegetation.
5.2% of the country’s landmass.
9) Islands. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in
the Bay of Bengal, with a highly diverse set of biomes. 0.03% of the country’s
landmass.
10) Coasts. A large coastline distributed both to
the west and east, with distinct differences between the two; Lakshadeep
islands are included in this with the per-cent area being negligible.
d)
Bio-geographic provinces
Bio-geographic
Province is an ecosystemic or biotic subdivision of realms. India is divided
into 25 biogeographic zones.
Fauna Diversity
Floral
Diversity
In terms of
plant diversity, India ranks tenth in the world and fourth in Asia. India
represents nearly 11% of the world’s known floral diversity.
Important floral
groups found in India are described below:
1. Algae
The green
non-differentiated plants (non - differentiated into organs like root, stem and
leaf.) possessing chlorophyll are known as Algae. They usually grow in water or
moist situations.
The fresh-water
algae are generally green or blue-green, whereas the marine ones are red or
brown. These are autotrophic plants, as they can manufacture their food.
2. Fungi
Non-green
non-differentiated plants characterised by the total absence of chlorophyll are
called Fungi.
They grow
either on dead, rotten organic matters as saprophytes or live as parasites on
other living bodies, which are referred to as hosts.
Moulds and
mushrooms are familiar examples of saprophytic fungi. The maximum diversity of
fungi is in the Western Ghats followed by the eastern Himalaya and the western
Himalaya.
3. Bacteria
Non-chlorophyllous
micro-organisms which lead saprophytic or parasitic existence. Many of them are
pathogenic; Saprophytic bacteria are rather beneficial. They are soil-borne and
many of them are used in industries.
4. Lichens
A lichen is
a peculiar combination of an alga and a fungus the two live deriving mutual
benefit.
They are a group
of greyish green plants which grow on rocks, tree-trunks, dead wood, etc.
The algae
manufacture food which becomes available to the fungus, and the absorbs and
retains water and thus keeps the algal cells moist. An example of symbiosis.
They are
most common in wetlands, rare in rivers and streams and are not found in groundwater.
5. Bryophytes
The plant
body is differentiated into a small stem and simple leaves, but true roots are
absent.
They usually
grow in moist places. E.g. Liverworts, mosses. They are the second-largest group
of green plants in India distributed largely in Eastern Himalaya, North-eastern
India, Western Himalaya and the Western Ghats
Mosses
constitute the major component of Indian bryoflora followed by liverworts and
hornworts.
6. Pteridophytes
The
pteridophytes have well-differentiated plant bodies, consisting of roots, stems
and leaves. Moreover, they possess vascular bundles.
Most of them
are terrestrial plants flourishing well in moist and shady places, and some of they are aquatic.
This group
includes vascular cryptogams like club-mosses, horse-tails and ferns which are
universally distributed all over the world.
The
north-eastern region (including Eastern Himalaya) is rich in pteridophytic
diversity, followed by south India (including Eastern and the Western Ghats)
and north India (including Western Himalaya).
7. Gymnosperms
Gymnosperms
(gymnos=naked, sperma=seed) are the naked-seeded plants. They have
very simple flowers without accessory whorls and stamens and carpels remain
aggregated in cones.
Ovules are
present on the surface of the carpels and are directly pollinated by the pollen
grains.
There is
nothing like ovary, style and stigma, and naturally, there is no fruit.
e.g. Cycas,
Pinus, Gnetum.
Pine is the
largest family. Gnetum and Cycas are mostly confined to North Eastern region,
Eastern and the Western Ghats, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
8. Angiosperms
Angiosperms
(angeion=a case) are the closed-seeded plants.
These are
the most highly developed plants which bear flowers having conspicuous accessory
and essential whorls. Carpels have the ovary, style and stigma.
With the
stimulus of fertilization, the ovary usually develops into the fruit and the
ovules into seeds. Thus the seeds remain within the fruits.
India has
more than 7% of the world’s known flowering plants.
Floral
endemism - order
1)
peninsular India including western and Eastern Ghats (about 2,600
species)
2)
Eastern Himalaya and north-eastern region (about 2,500 species)
3)
north-western Himalaya (about 800 species)
4)
Andaman & Nicobar Islands (about 250 species)
Crop Genetic
Diversity
Agriculture
remains one of the dominant drivers and mainstay of economic growth in India.
The large mosaic of distinct agro-ecosystems, characterized by variations in
edaphic, climatic and geographic features, has contributed to diverse cropping
patterns and systems across the country.
India stands
seventh in the world in terms of contribution of species to agriculture and
animal husbandry.
The national
gene bank at National Bureau Of Plant Genetic. Resources (NBPGR), Delhi is
primarily responsible for the conservation of unique accessions on a long-term
basis, as base collections for posterity, predominantly in the form of seeds.
Livestock Genetic
Diversity
India has
vast resources of livestock and poultry, which play a vital role in rural livelihood
security. In terms of population, India ranks first in buffaloes, second in
cattle and goats, third in sheep, fourth in ducks, fifth in chicken and sixth
in camels in the world.
The genetic
resources of farm animals in India are represented by a broad spectrum of
native breeds of cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep, swine, equines, camel and
poultry.
Over the
years, animal husbandry has intensified in India with the widespread introduction
of exotic breeds. This has led to the reduction in total genetic variability
and population size of many local breeds. The majority (85%) of the domestic
livestock in India is reared under low input production systems.
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