Unit 1- Biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety of living organisms, incl. their genetic diversity and the assemblage they form. Species Evenness/Equitability is the no. of individuals of different species. Direct Values o Consumptive : Direct utilisation of forest products o Productive: Sale of forest products Indirect Values o Non-Consumptive: Benefits of tourism, research, protection of resources. o Social: M&M use of resources by affluent societies. o Ethical & Moral: morel right of every species to live; sacred groves etc. o Aesthetic: beauty in diversity. o Existence: idea of knowing that a species exists & hence we have to protect it. o Option: potential of a species to provide economic benefit to humans in future.
Types of Bio-Diversity A. Species diversity: Variety of diff. types of living beings present in nature. B. Genetic diversity: Variety of genes within a species. C. Ecosystem Diversity: Assemblage & interaction of species living together & the physical environment present.
Ecological Ethical reasons Fishery Food security Genetic Diversity Health & Healing Pollution Control Religious & Cultural reasons Survival Timber Hypertension Malaria Analgesic Anti-cancer Anti-Biotic Heart stimulant Anti-Biotic Wound Healer Leukaemia
Rauwolfia Cinchona Poppy Rosy periwinkle Penicillin Foxglove Bacterium Blowfly Larva Sparge
A PHENOMENON IN WHICH TWO ORGANISMS WHICH ARE PHYLOGENETICALLY UNRELATED CO-EXIST OVER AN ENTIRE PERIOD OF TIME IS KNOWN AS PARASITISM.
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Economic potential of biodiversity Food Medication Industry Tourism & recreation Marine producers
Causes/Human activities causing extinction & loss of biodiversity Deforestation Pollution Human settlements Indiscriminate hunting Introduction of exotic species Over-Exploitation of exotic resources International trade Highways Migratory route disturbance Lack of education Official lethargy in implementation of Wildlife Protection Act
Strategies for conservation All possible should be conserved Critical habitats should be protected Development of reserves International trade in wildlife should be regulated Pollution reduction Priority list protection to be provided Protection of economically important species Public awareness Unique Ecosystems should be protected
IN-SITU Conservation
It involves conservation of species on their own habitat. Factors harmful to existence of species are eliminated. Advantages Cheap & Convenient as only a supportive role is played Covers a large no. of unknown organisms too Natural Growth provides for adaptation to calamities Best for long term protection Page 3 of 15
Disadvantages Requires large areas for conservation Protected areas are not always well maintained Tourism is permitted so interference occurs a little. Strategies/Areas National Parks & sanctuaries o Small & meant for 2 or 4 species o Well marked boundaries(not legislative) o Controlled biotic interference Biosphere reserves o Large protected o Legislated boundaries o Biotic interference only in outskirts Buffer Zones o Keeps 2 or more areas different from each other o Used for educational research o Protect the residential areas from natural disasters
Selection of sites for IN-SITU conservation I. Overall species density II. Endemic species diversity III. Critical faunal analysis
EX-SITU Conservation
It involves maintenance and breeding of endangered species under partially or wholly controlled conditions in areas like zoos, gardens, laboratories. Advantages It gives longer life span & breeding activity since animals are constant human care Genetic technique scan be utilised on these species Species can be re-introduced in the wild Disadvantages Turns out to be a quite costly affair. Not possible to maintain the favourable conditions always Technique adopted only for a few species Loss of genetic diversity due to inbreeding Strategies Long-Term captive Breeding o Used for species who have lost their habitat permanently o Only way to pre4serve species present in zoos etc. o Equus przewalskii, is regularly bred in captivity Short-Term propagation & release o Used when population declines due to some temporary setback in conditions Animal Translocation & release Animal Reintroduction Page 4 of 15
o Used to increase population somewhere else o Involves rehabilitation Advanced tech in service o Chemical immobilisation and anaesthesia o Nutrition, maintenance & healthcare o Identification, data collection & IT Advances in reproductive technology Establishment of botanical gardens & zoos o Serve as repositories of threatened animals Gene-Bank o Promote broad utilisation of plant genetic resources.
Areas used for EX-SITU conservation Zoos Game farms Aquaria Arboreta Seed banks Botanical gardens Mitigating people & wildlife conflict Fences or trenches around communities Building water holes around forests Providing foods for animal during drought Maintain a buffer zone between animal & human habitation Preventing human encroachment in forests Preventing poaching Involving local people in conservation
o Ethical o o o Social o
Firms have to be financially & physically responsible for such products Take up responsibility themselves or extend to a third party For example, Nokia , which takes up its Ni-Cd batteries after their useful life is over. Tradable Discharge Permits It is the application of ethics to environmental management Involves Inter and Intra Generational equity Gender equity Due to uneven distribution of resources we must manage them carefully.
Environment Protection Act, 1986 EIA, 1994 Air PCP Act, 1981 Water PCP Act, 1974
Ozone depleting substances (R&C) Rules, 2000 Regulation of production & consumption of ODS Prohibition on IE to non-schedule VI countries Regulation on o Sale o Purchase o Use o Complete Prohibition on new ODS investments o IE or sale of products made with or containing ODS. Recycled Plastics manufacture and usage rules, 1999 Thickness not less than 20 microns Carry bags of virgin or natural plastics to in white or black Recycling strictly according to BIS
Restore through natural restoration the forest cover of the country Restore fuel wood, fodder & other NTFP Sponsor research to spread new tech Create general awareness & help foster peoples movement Co-ordinate & monitor the Action Plans for the purpose
ECOMARK, 1991
Salient features Cradle to grave approach Awarded to goods which meet the specified environmental criteria Aims Provide an incentive for manufacturers to reduce adverse environmental impact Reward genuine initiatives to reduce adverse environmental impact Assist consumers to become environmentally responsible Encourage citizens to purchase products having less impact Ultimately to improve the quality of the environment
Interception & diversion of works to capture raw sewage. STP to treat diverted sewage Low cost Sanitation works to prevent open defecation Electric crematoria to conserve use of water River Front Development works such as improvement of water baths.
Focuses on providing Info to decision makers, policy makers, etc. Decentralised with a network of Distributed Subject Oriented Centres. Long-Term Objectives o Build up a repository in E.Sc and Engineering o Gear up the modern tech of acquisition, processing, storage, and retrieval of information o Support and promote R&D&I in environmental tech. Short-term Objectives o promote national & international cooperation & exchange of information o PSA education & personnel training programmes o Promote exchange of info between developing countries o Disseminate capabilities
Broader form of income & welfare accounting Highlights important aspects such as environmental concerns Links environmental activities to economic ones Satellite account designed on principles of SNA Page 7 of 15
Sustainable Development
FSI, BSI, ZSI not dealt with.
Sustainable Development
Consumption pattern to have: 1. Sustainable 2. Strengthening 3. Shared 4. Socially responsible Major Obstacles towards Sustainable development Lack of finance Absence of participation of locals Dependence of governance Widespread politically motivated subsidies
Deals with interaction between product & environment Systematically analyses describes all flows to & from nature 2 Steps involved: o Inventory Step: Describe which emissions will occur & which RMs are used. o Impact Assessment Step: Assess the impacts of these emissions & RMs are.
The ability to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising on the needs of the future generations is sustainable development.
Support Base for Sustainable Development Barefoot College SWRC Social Work & Research Centre
5 Feb, 1992 in Tilonia Result of practical experience, started groundwater survey & health & education programme Concentrated on: Groundwater Education Medical care Women Agricultural extension Rural Animal husbandry Communication
Promotes self-sustenance in rural communities o Seed banks o Grameen bank Model Page 8 of 15
o Cultivation of millets Strategy to evolve a self-sufficient farm if 5 persons Green School in Manchar Village Community gene fund progamme Conc. On poor, groups and women. Demo various functions of nature
Steps taken o CBWE, 1958 is working in +ve direction. o 4300 ITIs in India o Vocational Education has ben inbtegrated in school level Problems Associated o ITIs need restructuring of courses at a faster rate o Ibndustry Institute inrteraction is weak o Modification according to needs of manpower
Global Vision, Local Focus Documentation & info dissemination facilities Research activities Formatting national level strategies
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1. Establish dialogue bween Govt. and NGOs which serves to: a. Consider the rights & responsibilities of NGOs b. Channel integrated inputs to NGOs c. Facilitate NGO co ordination 2. Encourage partnership & dialogue bween NGO & local authorities 3. Involve NGOs in national mechanism 4. Take into account the finding of NGOs 5. Review govt. education systems to find ways to spread public awareness through NGOs 6. Make available to NGOs the data necessary
NGOs in India
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Dasholi gram Swarajya Sangh, Gopeshwar, chameli, UP, 1964, Forest Conservation, Chipko Mvmt. Development Alternatives, Delhi, 1983, MCSD Friends of the Doon, 1983, afforestation, stop mining, EVED Ladakh Ecology Development group, 1983, Leh, Kargil, MCSD, Village Outreach Project, plastic ban Srishti, 1988, Delhi, MCSD, bird count, Delhi Ridge Vanarai, Pune, 1992, chulhas, GGas plants, MH,GJ,RJ also Konkan region activities
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Threats to sustainable agriculture Fallen commodity prices Bureaucratic nature of policy framework sustainable agriculture hindering policies too much transition costs to sustainable agriculture
Green Revolution
It is the term used to describe the revolution to significantly increase crop productivity & diversity Elements of Sustainable Agriculture 1. Increase in crop area 2. Double Cropping on existing land 3. Using seeds with superior genetics Impacts of Sustainable agriculture 1. Drain of vital nutrients due to soil eating crops 2. Use of chemical fertilizers 3. Soil fertility decrease 4. Soil deficiency & diseases 5. Loss of genetic diversity 6. Shift in cropping pattern 7. Intensive irrigation 8. Desertification 9. Salinization 10. Use of pesticides a. Birth-defect , feto-toxic defect, genetic changes, nerve disorders b. Numbness, heart rate changes, muscle weakness, c. Endocrine disruptors, reproductive failure. 11. Use of DDT a. Concentrates in body Page 11 of 15
b. Toxic to embryo & egg shells c. Highly toxic to aquatic life d. Carcinogen
Soil management
Soil: 1. Sustains crop productivity 2. Maintains environmental quality 3. Provide for plant, animal, and env health Soil Health refers to ability to perform these functions SOM affects: 1. Infiltration rate 2. Bulk density 3. Aggregate stability 4. Cation exchange stability 5. Biological activity Soil management techniques 1. Tillage 2. Organic matter maintenance a. Crop rotation b. Cover cropping 3. Nutrient supply 4. Soil Pollution control 5. Pesticide residues 6. Soil acidity adjustment 7. Mechanical control of erosion i. Minimize summer fallow ii. Reduce tillage iii. Adopt permanent conservation measures iv. Management 1. Pesticides 2. Fertilizers 3. Irrigation 4. Grass cover 5. Crop residues 6. Wind barriers like SHELTERBELTS
Irrigation Systems
The artificial watering of land to sustain plant growth is Irrigation
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Types of systems 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Flood for close grown crops like wheat where water is abundant Basin for orchards Sprinkle for less water, better control, circular flooding Furrow for crops grown in rows where flooding cant be done Drip trickle uses tubes to deliver till plants
Standalone points/definitions
Benefits of bio fertilizers 1. Control plants insects & weeds 2. Ensure human & environment safety 3. Provide IPM where pesticides cant be used due to resistance 4. No toxic residues 5. Generally harmless to beneficial insects Limitations of bio fertilizers 1. Non target specific 2. Effective only in some soils 3. Slow & hence cause economic loss 4. Not effective against all pests 5. Applied only when ETL 6. Have to be applied at the right time & place Advantages of mixed cropping 1. Provides food other than cash for animals 2. Increase in yield due to complementary effect of other crop 3. Legumes aid fertility 4. Variety reduces chances of pests occurring 5. Risk bearing capacity increases Advantages of Crop-Rotation 1. Reduced insect & disease problems 2. Residual herbicide carrier beneficial 3. Soil fertility increasers 4. Soil tilth & aggregate fertility 5. Phytotoxic effect reduces Problems in propagating bio-fertilizers 1. Organised industrial backup 2. Powerful agricultural extension services 3. Active research support 4. Awareness 5. Appreciation of bio fertilizers 6. Trained personnel 7. Shelf life period 8. Quick Delivery System 9. Inefficient QC system Page 13 of 15
Advantages of tissue culture 1. Production of exact replicas 2. Quick production of mature plants 3. Production of plants without seeds 4. Regeneration of GMO plants 5. Greatly reduced chances of diseases while transportation 6. From seeds which cant germinate Applications of tissue culture 1. Micro propagation to produce large no. in less time. USED for Conservation of rare/endangered 2. Breeders used cells for screening 3. Large scale production for pharmacies 4. Cross distantly related species 5. Tissue for transformation follows by short testing
WRI: World Resources Institute UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme, 1992 NTFP: Non-Timber Forest Products WWF: World wildlife fund OECD: organisation for Environmental Development UNCED: United Nations Conference on environment & development UNFCCC: United Nations framework convention on climate change. UNCBD: United Nations Convention on biological diversity EPR: Extended Producer Responsibility ERA: Environmental Resources Accounts EIA: Environmental Impact Assessment MoEF: Ministry of environment & forests PIL: Public Interest Litigation NET: National Environment Tribunal BIS: bureau of Indian standards CPCB: Central pollution control board ADI: accepted daily intake MPI: maximum permissible intake PS: Primary/Product standards EDS: Emission & discharge Standards EU: European Union NAEB: national afforestation eco development board Page 14 of 15
NRCD: national river conservation directorate UNCCD: UN convention to combat desertification CNAD: comprehensive national action programme NGC: national green corps NEAC: National environment awareness campaign FSI: forest, botanical, zoological survey NRA: national resource accounting SNA: system of national accounting LCA: life cycle assessment DDS: Deccan development society SWRC: Social work & research centre BC: barefoot college CBWE: central board of workers education HYV: High yielding variety DDT: IRRi: International rice research institute EDC: Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ETL: Economic threshold level
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