NAME : DEWARD DIONGSON COURSE BSEE-3 SUBJECT ; EE327 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING INSTRUCTOR : ENGR.AURAJOY VERDIDA ACTIVITY NO. 4 1. Write the definition of the Biogeographically Classification of India in words. The division of India according to biogeographic characteristics is the biogeographical classification of India. India harbours nearly 10% of the world's floral diversity comprising Over documented flowering plants, 6200 endemic species, 7500 medicinal plants and 246 globally threatened species in Only 2.4% of world's land area. Bio-geographers have classified India into ten Bio-geographic zones with each zone having characteristic climate, soil and Biodiversity. There are ten biogeographic zones in India: I. Trans Himalayan zone. The Trans Himalayan regions of the states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are a moonscape land — an arid high altitude desert unlike any other part of the Indian subcontinent. The stark landscape is a panorama of high snowcapped peaks and bare multihued hills sculpted by the forces of nature. The high dusty valleys strewn with rock have altitudes ranging from 2,500m to 4,500m. 2. Desert zone. This includes Rajasthan, Haryana, Cujrat and Kachha. The climate is dry. The common animals which are found here are Donkey, Deer, Cheetal, Neelgai. Different types of snakes and lizards are also very common. The Indian part of the Thar Desert occupies 170,000 km2 (66,03 sq mil. The climate is characterized by ven,' hot and dry summer and cold winter. Rainfall is less than 70 Cm. Babul, Kikar, and wild date palm grow in areas of moderate rainfall. 3. North east zone North-east India is one of the poorest regions in the country. It has several species of orchids, bamboos, ferns and other plants. Here the wild relatives of cultivated plants such as banana, mango, citrus and pepper can be grown. 4. Islands. The two groups Of islands, i.e., the Arabian Sea islands and Bay Islands differ significantly in Origin and physical characteristics. The Arabian Sea Islands (Laccadive, Minicoy, etc.) are the foundered remnants of the old land mass and subsequent coral formations. On the other hand, the Bay Islands lay only about 220 km. Away from the nearest point on the main land mass and extend about 590 km. With a maximum width of 58 km the island forests of Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea have some Of the best-preserved evergreen forests of India. 5. Himalayan zotie Himalayas was originally part Of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. In 2004, a hotspot reappraisal classified the region as part of two hotspots: Indo-Burma and the newly distinguished Himalaya. The Eastern Himalaya includes Bhutan, southern, central and eastern Nepal, and northeastern India, and comprises 11 Key Biodiversity Areas (occupying 750,000 hecta res) 6. Western ghat zone. It supports the life of 7,402 species of flowering plants, 1814 species Of non-flowering plants, 139 mammal species, 508 bird species, 179 amphibian species, insects species and 290 freshwater fish species. And many are still to be discovered. Western Ghats is a mountain range that runs through the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. 7. Gangetic plain zone. The thickness in the alluvial sediments varies considerably with its maximum in the Ganga plains. In the North is the Cangetic plain extending up to the Himalayan foothills. This is the largest unit of the Creat Plain of India. Ganga is the main river after whose name this plain is named. The aggradation Great Plains cover about 72.4mha area with the Ganga and the Brahmaputra forming the main drainage axes in the major portion. 8. Deccan plateau zone. This is the largest unit of the Peninsular Plateau of India. The highlands of the plateau are covered with different types of forests, which provide a large variety of forest products. The Deccan plateau includes the region lying south of the Satpura range-it extends up to the southern tip of peninsular India. Anaimudi is the highest peak of this region. The Deccan plateau IS surrounded by the western and the Eastern Chats. These ghats meet each other at the Nilgiri hills. The Western Ghats includes the Sahyadri, Nilgiris, Anamalai, and cardamom hills. Semiarid zone. Adjoining the desert are the semi-arid areas, a transitional zone between the desert and the denser forests of the Western Ghats. The natural vegetation is thorn forest. This region is characterized by discontinuous vegetation cover with open areas of bare soil and soil-water deficit throughout the year. Thorny shrubs, grasses and some bamboos are present in some regions, 9. 10.Coastal zone. The west coast is narrow except around the Gulf of Cambay and the Gulf of Kutch. In the extreme south, however, it is somewhat wider along the South Sahyadri. The backwaters are the characteristic features of this coast. The east coast plains, in contrast are broader due to depositional activities of the east-flowing rivers Owing to the change in their base levels. 2) Write the Value Of Biodiversity in the Concept Of Global. Biodiversity provides a variety of environmental services from its species and ecosystems that are essential at the global, regional and local levels. Biodiversity is essential for preserving ecological processes, such as fixing and recycling of nutrients, soil formation, circulation and cleansing of air and water, global life support, maintaining the water balance within ecosystems, watershed protection, maintaining stream and river flows throughout the year, erosion control and local flood reduction. Food, clothing, housing, energy, medicines are all resources that are directly or indirectly linked to the biological variety present in the biosphere. Consumptive use value: A straight consumptive use is the direct utilization of timber, food, füelwood and fodder by local communities. The diversity of organisms provide food, clothing, shelter, medicines, prote• ns, enzymes, papers, sports goods, musical instruments, beverages, narcotics, pets, zoo specimens, tourism and raw material for business prospects. Productive use value; This category comprises of marketable goods. The biotechnologist uses bio-rich areas to prospect and search for potential genetic properties in plants or animals that can be used to develop better varieties of crops for use in fanning and plantation programs orto develop better live stock. TO the pharmacist, biological diversity is the raw material from which new drugs can be identified from plant or animal products. To industrialists, biodiversity is rich storehouse from which to develop new products. For the agricultural scientist, the biodiversity is the basis for developing better crops. Social values: Social value of biodiversity prospecting motivated habitat conservation in some areas, as traditional societies valued it as a resource. Ecosystem people value biodiversity as a part of their livelihood as well as through cultural and religious sentiments. A great variety of crops have been cultivated in traditional agricultural systems and permitted a wide range of produce to be grown and marketed throughout the year and acted as an insurance against the failure of one crop. In recent years, farmers have begun to receive economic incentives to grow cash crops for national or international markets, rather than to supply local needs. This has resulted in local food shortages, unemployment, endlessness, and increased Vulnerability to drought and floods. Ethical and moral values: Ethical values related to biodiversity conservation are based on the importance of protecting all forms of life against illegal activities like cloning of animals, smuggling of valuable biodiversity instances, bio-piracy, illicit trade etc. In India, several generations have preserved nature through local traditions. However, immediate benefit rather than ethics appears to be modern man's objective. Aesthetic value: Biodiversity is a direct source of pleasure and aesthetic satisfaction —its contribution to quality of life, outdoor recreation and scenic enjoyment. They provide opportunities for recreational activities such as hiking, canoeing, bird watching, river rafting, rock climbing, trekking. parasailing, bird watching and nature photography. The designing of thousands of new horticultural Species, wild life conservation, landscape luxury, national parks, zoological and botanical gardens, snake, crocodile, butterfly parks, and biotechnologically manipulated novel curios species added to the existing aesthetics. Option value: Keeping future possibilities open for their use is called 'option value'. It is impossible to predict which of our species or traditional varieties of crops and domestic animals Will be of greatest use in the future. Important ecosystem services and uses for plants and animals are still unknown and await discovery. It becomes valuable if targets are based on policy of obtaining wealth from wastes. 3. What do you understand by the India as a Mega? Explain in your own Words. India is very rich in the diversity of plants and animals, 50 it is called as mega diversity center. Mega means large So mega diversity means a large number and wide range of species present in an ecosystem. As India is very rich in the diversity of plants and animals, So it is called as mega diversity center. 4.What is Diversity Nation? Megadiverse country refers to anv one of group6f nations that harbor the majority of Earth’s species and high numbers of endemic species. Conservation International identified 17 megadiverse countries in Many of them are located in, or partially in, tropical or subtropical regions. Megadiversity means exhibiting great biodiversity. The main criterion for megadiverse countries is endemism at the level of species, genera and families. A megadiverse Country must have at least 5,000 species of endemic plants and must border marine ecosystems. 5. Write short notes on Conservation of Biodiversity in India in 300 words. India is signatory to several major international conventions relating to conservation and management of wildlife, Some of these are Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) etc. India is one among the 17 mega diverse countries of the world- gut many plants and animals are facing threat of extinction. To protect the critically endangered and other threatened animal and plant species, Government of india has adopted many steps, laws and policy initiatives. India is one among the 17 mega d 'verse countries of the world. But many plants and animals are facing threat of extinction. To protect the critically endangered and other threatened animal and plant species Government of India has adopted many steps, laws and policy initiatives Project Tiger: Project Tiger was launched by the Government of India with the support of WWF• International in 1973 and was the first such initiative aimed at protecting this key species and all. its habitats. Crocodile Conservation.• Crocodiles have been threatened as their skin is used for making ether articles. This led to the near extinction of crocodiles in the wild in the 1960s in India. A Crocodile Breeding and Conservation Program was initiated in 1975 to protect the remaining population of crocodilians in their natural habitat and by creating breeding centers, It is perhaps one of the most successful ex situ conservation breeding protects in the country, Project Elephant: Project Elephant was launched in 1992 to ensure the long-term survival of a Viable population of elephants in their natural habitats in north and northeastern India and south India. It is being implemented in 12 States Orissa— Olive Ridley Turtles: Every yea r at Gahirmatha and two other sites on the Orissa coast, hundreds of thousands of Olive Ridley turtles congregate on the beach, between December and April, for mass nesting. This was the largest nesting site for the Clive Ridleys in the world. In 1999 by the end of March it was estimated that arou nd 200,000 turtles had nested at the Gahirmatha beach.Marine biologists believe that only one out of every 1000 eges actually matures into an adult. There are severe threats to these nesting sites. Shrinking nesting sites, construction of roads and buildings c ose to these rookeries, and other infrastructure development projects hamper nesting. Ex-Situ Conservation." There are situations in which an endangered species is so close to extinction that unless alternate methods are instituted, the species may be rapidly driven to extinction. This Strategy is known as eGitu conservation, outside its natural habitat in a carefully controlled situation such as a botanical garden for plants or zoological park for animals where there is expertise to multiply the spec 'es under artificially managed conditions. There is also another form of preserving a plant by preserving its germ plasm in a gene bank so that it can be used if needed in future. This is even more expensive.
