Unit VII

The Biosphere

“Man’s attitude towards nature is today critically important simply because

we have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man
is a part of nature and his war against nature is inevitably a war against
himself.” – Rachel Carson

Learning Objectives:
Learning Objectives:
Chapter Outline
7.1 Introduction • Throw light on the importance,
vastness and variety that exists in
7.2 Biosphere
the life sphere.
7.3 Ecosystem
• Describe the distribution of life
7.4 Biomes
forms and their adaptations over
7.5 Biodiversity geographical space.
7.6 Endangered Species • Sensitise the student on their role in
7.7 Conservation of biodiversity conserving the biosphere.

7.1 Introduction present biosphere that we are part of and

which we are gifted with.
The earth was formed 4.6 billion years
ago. Geographers are concerned about In the last 100 years, man has had
the earth and its various spheres. These used, overused and misused the natural
spheres did not exist on the primitive earth resources of the earth. This has disturbed
as they are today. They evolved over a long the ecological balance of the earth. The
period of time after the earth was formed. realization about the damage caused
There was no life on earth for a very long to earth by our action came when we
time. Scientists believe that the first life began to experience global warming,
forms on earth came into existence about desertification, increase in disease and
3.5 billion years ago. Which marked, ‘The distress and recurrence of severe natural
birth of the biosphere’. disasters.
Since then life has multiplied in It was in 1962 that Rachel Carson
numbers and varieties and evolved to the published the book ‘Silent Spring’ which
inspired an environmental movement that

182
led International agencies to focus their with the existence and interaction of the
attention on protecting and sustaining the three spheres of the earth (the lithosphere,
biosphere. hydrosphere and atmosphere) gives rise to
In 1971, UNESCO launched the Man the fourth sphere which is the life sphere
and the Biosphere Programme to study or biosphere (Figure 7.1). The term
our impact on nature and how it could be Biosphere was coined by Eduard Suess
minimized. Even after several decades the in 1875. Later contributions to the study
programme still continues to shape the of biosphere were from, Charles Darwin
future of sustainability of the earth. and many other scientists.
Thus, in the biosphere, life exists on
7.2 Biosphere land, water and air and life forms range
The word Biosphere originates from from microorganisms to plants, animals,
the Greek words bios = life and birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals
sphaira = sphere. Earth is the only planet including human beings.
in the solar system that supports life. The biosphere is formed of biotic
There are many reasons that contribute components. It consists of organisms,
to this and the most important being the population, community and ecosystem.
earth’s distance from the sun, the presence
of oxygen in the atmosphere and the 7.3 Ecosystem
presence of water. The above factors, along

BIOSPHERE: HYDROSPHERE:
living matter on earth the water on the surface
including all plant of the earth in oceans,
and animal life rivers, lakes, rain and mist
forms

ATMOSPHERE: LITHOSPHERE:
the thin, fragile the earth’s crust
layer of gases that including landforms,
surrounds the earth rocks and soils

Figure 7.1 Biosphere

183
 air, soil, water, climate, minerals, etc. Sun is
Organism – includes animals, plants the main source of energy for the earth.
and micro organisms.
B. Biotic Component: This includes
Population – is a group of similar a variety of living organisms such as
plants or animals living in an area. microorganisms, plants and animals. The
Community – refers to all the plants biotic component of an ecosystem can be
and animals living in an area. further divided into producers, consumers
Ecosystem – all living and non living and decomposers based on their capacity
things and their interaction within an to sustain themselves (Figure 7.2).
area.
Ecosystem
https://youtube/aYmdrJWLQ4Y

Life cannot exist in isolation. It flourishes

a. Producers: Organisms that can
in an environment which supplies
produce or manufacture their
and fulfills its material and energy
own food are known as producers.
requirements. A biotic community and
Plants that have green pigments
its physical environment in which matter
or chlorophyll, produce their own
and energy flow and cycle is called as
food in the presence of CO2 in the
ecosystem.
atmosphere, water from the soil and
The term ecosystem was first proposed sunlight through a process called
by Arthur George Tansley in 1935. Tansley ‘photosynthesis’. These green plants
defined ecosystem as, ‘the system resulting are called as ‘autotrophs’ (auto –
from the integration of all living and self; trophs – nourishing) as they
non-living factors of the environment’. manufacture their own food.
The ecosystems can vary in size. It can
b. Consumers: Consumers are
be very small, extending to about a few
organisms that cannot manufacture
square centimeters or it can extend over
their own food and get their food and
many square kilometers. Example; tropical
nutrients from producers directly or
forests.
from other organisms. They are called
7.3.1. Major components of an ecosystem as ‘heterotrophs’ (hetero – others;
trophs – nourshing).
The ecosystem is made up of two main
components: Consumers can be divided into primary,
secondary and tertiary consumers.
A. Abiotic Component and
B. Biotic Component 1. Primary Consumers
Organisms that feed on producers
A. Abiotic Component: This component
(green plants) are called primary
of the ecosystem includes the non-living
consumers. They are also called as
substance of the environment. Example; light,
‘herbivores’ or plant eating organisms.
Examples of terrestrial herbivore
184
 Biotic Component

Producers Consumers Decomposers

Organisms that get Organisms that get

Organisms that make
their food by eating their food by breaking
their own food by
producers or other down dead plants &
photosynthesis
consumers animals

Primary Secondary Tertiary

Omnivores
Consumers Consumers Consumers

Feed Directly on Plants Feed on Primary Feed on Secondary Eat both plants and
i.e. Herbivores Consumers Consumers animals

Figure 7.2 Biotic Components

are grasshopper,sheep, goats, cow, or secondary consumers. Example: an

rabbit, deer, elephant etc. Examples of owl eats a snake but an owl is eaten by
aquatic herbivores are zoo plankton, a hawk, therefore a hawk is a tertiary
krill, squid, small fish, sea urchin, etc. consumer. Tertiary consumers that
occupy the top trophic level, and are
2. Secondary Consumers
not predated by any other animals are
Animals that kill and eat the
called ‘apex predators’. However, when
herbivores or plant eating animals are
they die their bodies will be consumed
called secondary consumers. They are
by scavengers besides the decomposers
also called as ‘carnivores’, Example;
Example; alligator andhawk.
lion, tiger, foxes, frogs, snakes, spider,
crocodiles, etc. Some organisms eat both plants and
3. Tertiary Consumers animals. These animals are called
They are top predators as‘omnivores. Example; cockroach, foxes,
in a food chain. They seagull and human.
are carnivores at the Some omnivores are ‘scavengers’,
topmost level in a which eat food that other animals have
food chain that feed left behind Example; hyena and vultures.
on other carnivores
185
 Plants and animals that live on or fungi and bacteria are common
inside other plants or animals are called as decomposers.
Parasites. Example; mistletoe lives on other 7.3.2. Food Chain and Food Web
plants. Other examples are tapeworms,
Every living creature in an ecosystem has
round worms, lice, ticks, flea etc.
a role to play. Without producers, the
‘Detritivores’ are consumers that feed consumers and decomposers would not
on detritus. Detritus includes fallen leaves, survive because they would have no food
parts of dead trees and faecal wastes of to eat.
animals. Ants, termites, earthworms,
Without consumers, the populations of
millipedes, dung beetle, fiddler crabs and
producers and decomposers would grow
sea cucumbers are detritivores.
out of control. And without decomposers,
dead producers and consumers would
The earthworm is
accumulate as wastes and pollute the
called as the friend of
environment.
the farmer. Find out
All organisms of an ecosystem depend
the reason why?
on one another for their survival. Each
organism living in an ecosystem plays
4. Decomposers: Decomposers are an important role in the flow of energy
organisms that help decompose dead within the system. Organisms need energy
or decaying organisms. Decomposers for respiration, growth, locomotion, and
are also heterotrophs. Decomposers reproduction. This movement of energy is
are nature’s built-in recycling system. usually understood through food chains
By breaking down materials – or food webs. While a food chain shows
decomposers return nutrients to the one path along which energy can move
soil. They, in turn, create another through an ecosystem, food webs show all
food source for producers within the the overlapping ways that organisms live
ecosystem. Mushrooms, yeast, mould, with and depend upon one another.

Figure 7.3 Food Chain

186
A. Food Chain show a direct transfer of energy between
A food chain describes the flow of food organisms.
in an ecosystem. This flow or feeding A chain might involve a mouse eating
structure in an ecosystem is called ‘trophic some seeds on the forest floor, a snake
structure’. Each level in this structure is eating the mouse and later an eagle eating
called a trophic level. A food chain starts the snake.
the movement of energy from one trophic With each step, some of the energy
level to the next (Figure 7.3). Example; Plant from the sun, which is trapped within the
(primary producer) is eaten by a rabbit seeds, is getting passed on.
(herbivores, primary consumer), rabbit is
In a food web, the mouse might eat
eaten by a snake (carnivores, consumer or
seeds, but it also might eat some grains,
primary carnivore)and the snake is eaten
or maybe even some grass. The mouse
by a hawk (tertiary consumer).
might be eaten by a snake, or the eagle, or
Food Web even a fox. The snake could be eaten by
A Food Web is a complex network of the eagle, but also might be eaten by a fox
interconnected food chains. Food chains in the forest.

A FOOD WEB

Eagle
Python

Wolf

Thrush
Rat Dragon Fly

Frog
Butter Fly
Fruit Fly
Grasshopper

Mangoes
A Flowering plant Lavenders
Corn

Figure 7.4 Food web

187
 Since each organism can eat multiple consumers to feed on. The plant and
organisms and be eaten by multiple animal species in such an environment
organisms, a food web is a much more could become endangered or even
realistic scheme of the transfer of energy extinct. For this reason, it is vital that an
within an ecosystem (Figure 7.4). ecosystem remains balanced containing
Food chains and food webs are found an appropriate proportion of producers
in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. and consumers.
Organisms in a food chain or food web
are linked and dependent on one another 7.3.3 Energy Flow in an Ecosystem
for survival. If organisms in one trophic Energy in an ecosystem flows from
level become threatened, it impacts the producers to consumers. The available
organisms in other trophic levels. Primary energy in a food chain decreases with
consumers get less food due to loss or each step or trophic levels up in the
destruction of habitat. food chain. As such, there is less energy
This in turn means less primary available to support organisms at the top
consumers for secondary and tertiary of the food chain. That is why the tertiary

Figure 7.5 Energy Pyramid

188
 Student Activity

Give at least two examples for each level.

Trophic level Example

and quaternary consumers are far less in 7.3.5 Cycles in an Ecosystem

number in an ecosystem than organisms Nutrients move through the ecosystem
at lower trophic levels. in cycles is called ‘biogeochemical cycles’.
A biogeochemical cycle is a circuit or
7.3.4 Energy Pyramids
pathway by which a chemical element
Energy pyramids are another tool that moves through the biotic and the abiotic
ecologists use to understand the role of components of an ecosystem. All life
organisms within an ecosystem. As you processes are associated with the atmosphere
can see, most of the energy in an ecosystem by important cycles such as the Carbon,
is available at the producer level. As you Oxygen, Nitrogen cycles etc. Through these
move up on the pyramid, the amount of cycles energy and materials are transferred,
available energy decreases significantly. stored and released into various ecosystems.
It is estimated that only about 10% of the Let us discuss one of biogeochemical cycles
energy available at one trophic level gets in detail - the Carbon cycle.
transferred to the next level of the energy The Carbon Cycle
pyramid. The remaining 90 percent of Carbon is exchanged, or cycled among
energy is either utilized by the organisms all the spheres of the earth. All living
within that level for respiration and organisms are built of carbon compounds.
other metabolic activities or lost to the It is the fundamental building block
environment as heat. of life and an important component of
The energy pyramid shows how many chemical processes. Living things
ecosystems naturally limit the number need carbon to live, grow and reproduce.
of each type of organism it can sustain Carbon is a finite resource that cycles
(Figure 7.5). through the earth in many forms.

189
 Carbon is an essential element in all All producers and consumers are not
organic compounds and since there is decomposed. The organic matter of some
only a limited amount available it must be of them is preserved in fossil fuels such as
recycled continuously. This takes place in coal and petroleum for millions of years.
the biosphere. Atmospheric carbon is fixed In a carbon cycle (Figure 7.6), carbon
in green plants through photosynthesis. moves between reservoirs. Carbon
This carbon is passed on to other living reservoirs include the atmosphere, the
organisms through the food chain. The oceans, vegetation, rocks, and soil.
carbon food compound is utilized and Today, the carbon cycle is changing.
later released to the atmosphere through Human activities have added more
the process of respiration. carbon into the atmosphere. More
By-products of respiration are carbon- carbon is moving to the atmosphere when
dioxide and water which are returned to fossil fuels, like coal and oil, are burned.
the air. More carbon is moving to the atmosphere
A carbon cycle is completed by as humans destroy the forest. This increase
decomposers like bacteria and fungi in carbon in the atmosphere causes the
which break down dead plants and animal earth to warm up more than the normal
tissues there by releasing some carbon to level, leading to climate change and many
the air, water and soil. problems connected with it.

Animal
respiration

Figure 7.6 Carbon Cycle

190
 I.G. Simmons (1982) the most extensive
A
carbon sink ecosystem unit which is convenient to
is a natural or designate is called a ‘Biome’. It may be
artificial reservoir concluded that a biome is in fact a large
that accumulates and ecosystem where we study the total
stores carbon for an indefinite period. assemblage of plant and animal communities.
The process by which carbon sinks Since vegetation is the most dominant
remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from component of a biome and as vegetation and
the atmosphere is known as carbon climate are very intimately related, the world
sequestration. The main natural is divided into a number of biomes based on
carbon sinks are plants, the ocean major world climatic types (Figure 7.7).
and soil.
7.4.1. Types of Biomes
7.4 Biomes World Biomes are mega ecosystems
An ecosystem as already explained consists existing and operating over large areas.
of a biological community and an abiotic These divisions are based on climate
environment. Ecosystem may be broadly pattern, soil types, and the animals and
divided into land or terrestrial ecosystem plants that inhabit an area. Basically,
and water or aquatic ecosystem. The biomes are classified into two major
aquatic ecosystem can be further divided groups such as Aquatic biomes and
into freshwater and marine ecosystem. Terrestrial biomes.
An ecosystem becomes a biome when Wetlands are transition zones between
it extends over a large area. According to aquatic and terrestrial biomes

W E

Tundra
Boreal Forest
Temperate Forest
Temperate grasslands, savannas and shrublands
Desert and dry shrublands
Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas and shrublands Not to scale
Tropical and subtropical forests

Figure 7.7 Biomes of the World

191
 To understand the earth biomes, it is river Ganges, Brahmaputra and the
necessary to understand the following: Indus which carry huge volumes of
1. The characteristics of regional water.
climates. b. Marine Biome
2. Aspects of the physical environment. Marine biome is an aquatic biome
which is salt water biome occupying
3. The type of soil and the processes seas and oceans of the world. Marine
contributing to soil development. biome plants have various roles,
4. The distribution of flora in the area. plants such as sea grasses and macro
algae give shelter and nutrient for
5. The distribution of fauna in the
many animals.
area and their adaptation to the
environment. Marine plants are sources of nutrients
for the corals and help corals to build up
A. Aquatic Biomes reefs. The reefs are kept intact by plants
The aquatic biomes are the most like coralline algae.
important of all the biomes as, the water
forms the vital resource and is essential
for any life form. Since many types of
species live in the water, it is one of the
most important natural resources that
need to be protected.
Aquatic Biome is further divided into:

a. Fresh Water Biome and

b. Marine Biome
Coral Reefs
a. Fresh Water Biome
These biomes are spread over all Corals are marine invertebrates which live
parts of the earth and have different in compact colonies. They inhabit tropical
set of species depending on their oceans and seas. Corals cannot survive in
location and climate. Fresh water waters below 20°C but grow optimally in
biomes include areas of ponds, lakes, temperatures between 23°–29° Celsius.
streams, rivers and wetlands. Lakes Coral reefs are marine ecosystems which
and ponds are stagnant water bodies are held together by structures made of
and are smaller in their area. The calcium carbonate secreted by the corals.
diversity of life forms in river changes Coral reefs are mainly classified into three
with increasing water volume. For types – Fringing reef, Barrier reef and
example, Dolphins are found in the Atoll .

192
 Fact File Marine biome includes fishes, whales,
crustaceans, molluscs, sea anemones,
Sea grasses are plants that live in
fungi and bacteria. Marine species are
saltwater. There are over 50 species
continuously impacted by change in climatic
of sea grasses. Sea grasses have
condition and the oceans are frequently
flowers, roots, and specialized cells
disturbed by ocean waves and currents.
to transport nutrients within a plant.
This makes them similar to land plants c. Wetlands:
and different from algae or seaweeds. A wetland is an area of land which is
permanently or periodically saturated
with water and exists as a distinct
Fringing reefs grow seaward from the ecosystem. Wetlands play many roles in the
shore along the coast forming a fringe. environment, such as water purification,
They are the common type of reefs. flood control, carbon sink and shoreline
stability. Wetlands are home to a wide range
of aquatic plants and animal life. Wetlands
can be freshwater, brackish, or saltwater.
Examples of aquatic vegetation that thrive
in wetlands are milkweed, bald cypress
trees, mangroves and cattails.
Fringing Reef

Barrier reefs also border the shoreline

but are separated from the coast by an
expanse of water or lagoon.

Mangrove
Barrier Reef Fact File
Atolls are coral reefs that are circular in Crustaceans are chiefly aquatic
shape enclosing a lagoon with absence of arthropods having a body covered
an island in the center. with a hard shell or crust and several
pairs of legs. Example: crab, lobsters,
crayfish, barnacles shrimps, krill etc.
Molluscs are organisms with
soft bodies. Often their bodies are
covered by hard shells. Example:
Atoll Reef snail, slug, squid, cuttlefish, mussel,
clams, oysters, octopuses etc.

193
 Fact File
A Bog is a type of wetland ecosystem
characterized by wet, spongy, poor-
ly drained peaty soil formed from
dead plants specially moss. Bogs have
moss, sedges, grasses, such as cotton
grass; insectivorous plants like pitcher
plants; and many orchids. The gradu-
al accumulation of decayed plant ma-
Swamp terial in a bog functions as a carbon
sink.
A Fen is a low land that is covered
wholly or partly with water. They re-
ceive nutrients from ground water and
have peaty alkaline soil. Their charac-
teristic flora are sedges and reeds.
Mangrove swamps are coastal
wetlands found in tropical and
subtropical regions. These wetlands
are often found in estuaries, where
Marshland
fresh water meets salt water. Mangrove
trees dominate this wetland ecosystem
due to their ability to survive in both
salt and fresh water. The Sundarbans
is the largest Mangrove region in the
world and a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.
Mangrove forests of Tamil Nadu:
Mangrove forests are found along the
Fen coast of Tamil Nadu in Pichavaram,
Muthupet, Ramnad, Gulf of Mannar
and Punnakayal.
B. Terrestrial Biome
Terrestrial biomes are very large
ecosystems over land and they vary i. Tropical Evergreen Rain Forest
according to latitude and climate. They Biome
can be divided into numerous sub-types.
Tropical Evergreen Rain Forest Biome
In this lesson they are broadly divided
extends between 10° North and South
into eight types.

194
of the equator (Figure 7.8). This biome by thick undergrowth and creepers. The
is seen in the Amazon Basin of South main trees in this biome are mahogany,
America, Congo Basin of Africa and the rose wood, ebony, cinchona, rubber,
Indo Malaysian Region of Southeast Asia coconut palm, cane, bamboo etc.
(Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Malaysia and This forest biome has innumerable
Guinea) insects, birds, reptiles and furless animals.
This biome receives direct sunlight At the edge of the forest animals like
throughout the year and so temperatures gorilla, and monkey are found.
are high year round. The average annual Important tribes inhabit this biome,
temperature is 20°C to 30°C. The average for example the Pygmies in the jungles
annual rainfall of the tropical evergreen of Africa and the Yanomani and Tikuna
rain forest is 200cm. tribes of the Amazon region. Traditionally
The Tropical Evergreen Rain Forest they live by hunting and gathering food.
Biome has the largest number of plant In the recent years in South East Asia, the
and animal species. Broad leaved, tall tropical evergreen rainforest has been
evergreen hard wood trees are found slowly replaced by rubber and sugarcane
in this biome. Trees grow up to 20 to 35 plantations. The human settlements in
meters high. The forest is characterized this biome are small and scattered.

N
Arctic Ocean Arctic Ocean
W E
GREENLAND
S

NORTH ASIA
AMERICA EUROPE
North Pacific North Atlantic
Ocean Ocean
North Pacific
AFRICA
Ocean

Indian
SOUTH
AMERICA Ocean
AUSTRALIA
South Atlantic
South Pacific
Ocean
Ocean

Distribution of tropical rain forests. Not to scale

Figure 7.8 Tropical Evergreen Forest Biome

195
 The forests of the
Silent Valley National
Park in Kerala on the
Western Ghats are
the last remaining tropical evergreen
forests in India. It is part of the Nilgiris
Biosphere Reserve Tropical Rain Forest

W E

Not to scale

Student Activity

1. On the outline map of the world draw the equator and colour and label the
following.
2. Show the areas of tropical rain forest, tropical grass land, and Tropical desert in
Africa and South America in both the hemispheres.
3. Colour and label the Taiga forest and it is the longest belt of distribution. Reason
out why so.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Find out why Tropical deserts are on the western margins of the continents.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Give two reasons for their pole ward distribution.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

196
ii Tropical deciduous Forest/Monsoon mahua (illupai), Mango, Wattle,
Forest Bamboo, semal (Illavamaram), sheesham
(Karuvellamaram) and banyan.
The animals of this biome are
elephant, lion, tiger, leopards, bison,
tapier, hippopotamus, wild boar, flying
squirrel along with a wide variety of bird
species. This biome faces rapid rate of
deforestation and is, therefore, one of the
most disturbed ecosystem in the world.
Large tracts of forests have been destroyed
for agriculture and urban development.
Tropical Monsoon forest Several species of precious animals have
now become endangered Example: lions,
Tropical deciduous forest is found in the
tigers, leopards, etc.
regions experiencing monsoon climate.
This biome is also called as the dry forest iii. Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome
or monsoon forest biome. The temperate deciduous forest is a biome
This is found in South and South that is always changing. This biome lies
East Asia in parts of India, Myanmar, in the mid- latitude areas of the earth,
Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and between the tropics and Arctic Circle i.e.,
southern coastal China. It is also found between 30° and 50° north and south of the
in eastern Brazil and in smaller areas equator. The temperate deciduous forest
in South and Central America, the biome can be seen in the eastern United
West Indies, southeastern Africa, and States, most parts of Europe, China, Japan,
northern Australia. North and South Korea (Figure 7.9). The
In this biome, the temperature varies average annual temperature is 10°C.
from one season to another season. In These biomes have four seasons
summer the maximum temperature ranges such as winter, spring, summer and fall.
from 38°C to 48°C. Summer season is Winters are cold and summers are warm.
warm and humid. In the dry winter season As winter approaches, the duration of day
temperature ranges between 10°C to 27°C. light decreases. In this biome, deciduous
The total amount of precipitation is 75 to trees shed their leaves in the fall. The
150 cm/year and this affects the natural production of chlorophyll in the leaves
vegetation of the tropical deciduous forest slows and eventually stops revealing leaves
biome. having bright red, yellow and orange
The plants shed their leaves during colors. These forests are also known as
the dry season. Trees here have huge broad leaved forest, because the trees have
trunks with thick rough barks. The wide flat leaves. Some important trees
plants grow at three different levels. The found here are oak, maple, beech, hickory,
common trees are teak, sal, sandalwood, cedar and chestnut. On the forest floors

197
 N
Greenland
W E

S
Asia
North
Europe
America

Africa

South
America

Australia

Not to scale

Figure 7.9 Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome

that receive very little sunlight are found fertile. This is one of the most important
mosses, azaleas and mountain laurels. agricultural regions of the world.
Inhabiting the temperate deciduous Grasslands
forest are ants, insects, flies, bees, wasps,
Grasslands are found bordering the
cicadas, walking sticks, moths, butterfly,
deserts and make up for one fourth of
dragon flies, mosquitoes and praying
the natural vegetation of the earth. Those
mantises.
that lie in the low latitudes are called
Frogs, toads, snakes and salamanders tropical grasslands and the ones which lie
are some of the reptiles in this biome. in the mid latitudes are called temperate
Common birds found in this biome grasslands.
are woodpecker, robin, jays, cardinals,
owls, turkeys, hawks and eagles. Small
mammals like rabbits, otters, monkeys,
beavers, squirrels and porcupine are also
seen in this biome along with bears, grey
fox, wolves, white tailed deer and moose.
Animals that live in this biome adapt
to the changing seasons. Some animals
migrate or hibernate in winter.
Most of this forests on the earth are
cleared for agriculture. The soil here is very Kangaroo in Australian savanna

198
iv Tropical Grassland Biome or
Savanna Biome
The tropical grass land biome is generally
referred to as the Savanna biome. A
savanna is a rolling topography that
features vast open grasslands scattered
with small shrubs and isolated trees. It is
found between the tropical rainforest and
desert biome. Tropical grassland biomes
are mainly found in Africa, South America
and Australia. Tropical grasslands in
Baobab tree
Africa is known as the savannas. Tropical
grasslands are called as llanos in Columbia In many parts of the savannas of Africa
and Venezuela and as Campos in Brazil of people have started using the grassland
South America. for grazing their cattle and goats. Due
Savanna biomes experience warm to overgrazing in this region most of the
temperature year around. It has very long tropical grasslands here are lost to the
and dry winter season and a very wet Sahara desert year after year.
summer season. The grass here is very tall
v. Temperate Grassland Biome or
often one or two metres tall scattered with
Steppe
small shrubs and isolated umbrella shaped
trees like the acacia and the baobab trees The temperate grassland biomes are
which store water in their trunks. generally found in the interior of the
Most of the animals in the savanna have continents in the mid latitudes. These
long legs, like the giraffe and kangaroo. grassland biomes are found in the
The carnivorous animals like lions, transitional zone between the humid
leopards, cheetahs, jackal and hyenas live coastal areas and the mid latitude
in this biome. Zebras and elephants are deserts.
also found in this biome. The temperate grasslands are known
as Steppes in Europe and Asia, Prairies
in North America (Canada and USA),
Pampas in South America, Veldts in
South Africa, Downs in Australia and
Puszta in Hungary. The annual range of
temperature is quite large with summer
temperature reaching as high as 38°C and
winter temperatures falling down to -40°
C. The rainfall is moderate from 25 cm to
50 cm. Grasses form a major part of the
African Savanna vegetation in the temperate grasslands.

199
The height of the grasses depends upon
the amount and distribution of rainfall.

Thar Desert

vi. Tropical Desert Biome

Bison in Prairie
A tropical desert is the hottest and
driest place on earth where rainfall is
very scanty and irregular. This biome is
typically found in the western parts of the
continents within the tropics.
In the northern hemisphere, the Afro –
Asian deserts form the longest belt which
Prairie Dogs includes the Sahara desert, Arabian desert
and the Thar deserts. In North America the
The animals in this area include the
tropical deserts cover, California, Arizona
bison, wolves of the Prairies of North
and New Mexico states of USA and it further
America. The other animals and birds are
extends to Mexico. The deserts in the southern
coyotes, prairie dog, foxes, mice, rabbits,
hemisphere are, the Atacama desert west
badgers, rattle snakes, pocket gophers,
of Andes mountains in South America, the
weasel, grasshoppers, quails and hawks.
Namibian and the Kalahari deserts in southern
Africa and the Great Australian desert in the
central and southern parts of Australia.
The tropical deserts are not conducive
for the growth of vegetation due to
shortage of water. The plants found here
are the xerophytes which have their own
moisture conserving methods such as
long roots, thick barks, waxy leaves,

Sahara Desert

200
thorns and small leaves so as to avoid
evapo-transpiration.
The main trees and bushes found in
this region are acacia, cacti, date palm,
kikar, babul etc.

Oasis in Sahara
The people in the deserts are generally
nomads living in tents and moving from
place to place. They are the Berbers of
North Africa, the Bedouins of the Arabian
deserts, the Damara in Namibia, the
Succulent Bushman of the Kalahari Desert and the
Aborigines of Australia. They practice food
gathering and hunting while some herd
cattle, goats and camel and some of them
practice very simple subsistence farming.

Cacti

The animals in this biome are limited in

number. They are able to bear the drought
Bedouin Tent in Sahara
and the heat of the desert. Animals like
the camel, antelopes, fox, spotted hyena,
fallow deer, cape hare, hedgehog etc., live
in the desert.

The tropical desert biomes are

agriculturally unproductive except
in and near the oasis. In the oasis,
cultivation is carried through
irrigation either from streams or from
underground sources. Date palms are
widely grown here. Settlement in Thar Desert
201
 Taiga is the home of some larger
One of the toughest animals like moose, deer, and bears,
foot races in the world while smaller animals like bobcats,
is held in Sahara squirrels, chipmunks, ermine, and moles
every year in April. are also found. Animals of the taiga have
This race is called The Marathon des specialised adaptation including lot of
Sables (MDS) and participants have to thick fur or feathers and the ability to
cover a distance of 250km over Sahara change colours during different seasons
desert in southern Morocco in a span example ermine.
of 7 days. About 1500 participants
aged between 16 to 79 from all over
the world participate in this race.
Source : Morocco World News

Vii. Taiga or Boreal Forest Biome

The taiga biome is the largest terrestrial
biome and extends across Europe, North
America and Asia. The taiga biome is
also known as coniferous forest or boreal
forest biome. It extends from about 50° to Coniferous forest
55° North to 65 ° to 70° North latitudes.
This region lies between the temperate
grassland in the south and the polar tundra
in the north. The taiga region is absent in
the southern hemisphere mainly because
of the narrowing of continents towards
the South Pole.
This biome has short wet summer and
long cold winters. The taiga region has
low mean annual precipitation ranging Siberian Tiger
between 35 cm and 60 cm and the rainfall
occurs mostly in summer. It receives
plenty of snow during winter. Fact File
The taiga or boreal forest biome The ermine is a small mammal, which
consists mainly of evergreen coniferous is covered with thick dark brown fur in
forests. The important coniferous trees in summer. This changes to white in the
this biome are pines, spruces, firs, maples winter, an adaptation which helps the
and cedars. During the short summer ermine to blend into its surroundings
season snow melts and this helps lichens, and makes it more difficult for the
mosses and short grasses to grow and cover predators to spot them.
the ground. These are called ‘meadows’.
202
 Arctic tundra extends southwards from
North Pole to the Taiga forest. Tundra is
also found in the high altitudes especially
in the Alpine region.
Due to long and severe cold winters,
this region is treeless and has very little
vegetation. The growing season for plants
Ermine is very short. Natural vegetation mainly
consists of shrubs, sedges, grasses, mosses
and lichens.

Moose

Lumbering is the main occupation of the Bearberry

people in areas which are easily accessible.
The softwood from the coniferous forests
is widely used in the manufacture of wood
pulp and paper, newsprint, matches,
furniture and building materials.
The hunting of fur bearing animals
like musk rats, ermine, and silver fox are
important economic activities. The taiga
forest is endangered due to logging and Lichen
mining by humans. When trees are cut
down in the taiga it takes a very long time
to restore itself because of the very short
growing season.

Viii Tundra Biome

Tundra is a Finnish word which means
barren land. The tundra region is a vast
bowl lying beyond the Arctic Circle (66.5°
North latitude) in the northern hemisphere
along the shores of the Arctic Ocean. The Cotton Grass
203
 The main features of this climate in
the tundra region are the general absence
of insolation and presence of very low
temperature throughout the year. The
average annual temperature is about
-12°C. The ground surface is covered with
snow for at least 8 to 9 months in a year.
In this biome, the sub soil remains
permanently frozen and is known as
permafrost. Permafrost tundra covers
Polar Bear
vast barren areas of northern Russia and
Canada. Algae and fungi are found on
the rocky cliffs and rosette plants grow
in rock and gravel beds. Spongy turf
and lichen develop in the drier inland
tundra.
Animals common to Arctic tundra are
the polar bear, arctic wolf, arctic fox, arctic
hare and arctic weasel. Large herbivores
Arctic Fox such as musk oxen, caribou and reindeer
are found. Lemmings are also found in
this Biome. Insects like moths, butterflies,
beetles, mosquitoes and black flies are
common in the Arctic tundra. Migratory
birds include tundra swans, harlequin
ducks, sand pipers, plovers, geese and
gulls.
The Antarctic region is covered with
ice sheets. It is too cold and dry to support
vegetation. However, some portions of
Caribou the continent have areas of rocky soil that
support plant life. Vegetation comprises of
mosses, lichens and liver worts. This area
is referred to as Antarctic tundra. Seals
and Penguins inhabit the shore areas of
Antarctica.

7.5. Biodiversity
The term biological diversity was used as
early as 1968 by wildlife conservationist
Musk Ox Raymond F. Dasmann. Latter in 1988,

204
entomologist E.O. Wilson used the term forests have greater species richness than
Biodiversity and this term has been used reforested areas or plantations.
since then. Biodiversity refers to the There are three types of Species:
variety of life on Earth. This includes the
number of species of plants, animals and a. Endemic species - is one whose
microorganisms along with the diversity habitat is restricted only to a
of genes in these species. Moreover, it particular area because of which it
embodies the different ecosystems on the is often endangered. It differs from
planet, for example forests, deserts, coral “indigenous,” or “native,” which
reefs and wetlands. although it occurs naturally in an
area, is also found in other areas.
Biodiversity is the variability among
living organisms. This includes diversity b. Exotic Species - is any species
within species, between species, and intentionally or accidentally
between ecosystems. The variety of transported and released by man into
biodiversity or the number of species in a an environment outside its original
given area is referred to as species richness. range. These are often the most
Normally variety of life increases with size severe agents of habitat alteration and
of area. degradation, and a major cause of the
Biodiversity can be identified at three continuing loss of biological diversity
levels: throughout the world.
c. Cosmopolitan Species – It is a species
A. Genetic diversity that is found to be distributed over
most regions of the earth example:
B. Species diversity and
cats, dogs, human beings. The killer
C. Ecosystem diversity whale is considered as the most
cosmopolitan species in the world.
A. Genetic diversity refers to the total
number of genetic characteristics in the C. Ecosystem diversity refers to the variety
genetic makeup of a species. Example: of life forms in a prescribed ecosystem.
Each human being is very different Ecosystems may be both terrestrial and
from others. Genetic diversity helps aquatic. Distinctive terrestrial ecosystems
the population to adapt to changes in include forests, grasslands, deserts, etc.
the environment or adapt to different while aquatic ecosystems are rivers, lakes,
environments. Domestication of dogs can oceans etc.
be taken as a common example. In understanding biodiversity, the
B. Species diversity is the number of most common question that arises in
different species of plants and animals our mind is how many different plant
that are present in a region. A community and animal species are there on earth?
with more number of species enjoys There can be no definite answer to this
species richness. Naturally undisturbed question. At present the conservation

205
scientists have identified over 8.7 million they contain around
species worldwide. Of this only about 50% of the world’s
2 million are known to us ranging from endemic plant species
microorganisms to giant mammals and and 42% of all terrestrial
reptiles. New species are being discovered vertebrates.
while many species are also disappearing India has 4
from the face of the earth. biodiversity hotspots: the Western Ghats,
the Himalayas, the Indo-Burma region and
7.5.1. Biodiversity hotspots
the Sundaland [includes Nicobar group of
Areas that are rich in species diversity Islands].
are called as “Hotspots”. The hottest
spots for species diversity are the tropical
rainforests. Tropical rainforests comprise
of only 7% of all land on earth, yet are home
Norman Myers (born
to nearly 50% of all the species on Earth!
24 August 1934) is a
India is among the World’s 17 nations that
British environmentalist
are exceptionally rich in species diversity.
specialising in
The British biologist Norman Myers
Biodiversity hotspots.
coined the term ‘biodiversity hotspot’ in
Professor Norman Myers was the first
1988. According to him, a biodiversity
to alert global community to tropical
hotspot is a biogeographic region
deforestation, the mass extinction
characterised both by exceptional levels
underway and environmental security.
of plant endemism and by serious levels of
habitat loss. Conservation International
(CI) adopted Myers concept of ‘hotspots’
and it made an extensive global study
Fact File
of hotspots in 1999. According to CI, to
Endemism is an ecological word
qualify as a hotspot a region must meet
meaning that a plant or animal lives
two strict criteria: (i) It must contain at
only in a particular geographical
least 1,500 species of endemic plants,
location, such as a specific island,
and (ii) It must have lost at least 70% of
habitat type, country or any defined
its original habitat. In 1999, CI’s book
zone. For example, The Asiatic Lion
‘Hotspots: Earth’s Biologically Richest and
of the Gir forest of Gujarat. The
Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions’,
Kashmir Stag known as Hangul,
identified 34 biodiversity hotspots in the
which is found in the riverine forests
different countries of the world.
of Kashmir Valley and Chamba in
Currently there are 34 biodiversity
Himachal Pradesh. The Lion Tailed
hotspots that have been identified and,
Macaque is India’s most threatened
most of them occur in tropical forests
monkey which is endemic to the
(Figure 7.10). They represent just 2.3%
Western Ghats of South India.
of Earth’s land surface, but between them

206
 N

W E

Not to scale

Figure 7.10 Biodiversity hotspots of the world

The 34 biodiversity hotspots of the World

1 The Tropical Andes 18 The Philippines
2 Mesoamerica 19 Indo-Burma
3 The Caribbean Islands 20 The Mountains of Southwest China
4 The Atlantic Forest 21 Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
5 Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena 22 Southwest Australia
6 The Cerrado 23 New Caledonia
7 Chilean Winter Rainfall-Valdivian Forests 24 New Zealand
8 Chilean Winter Rainfall-Valdivian Forests 25 Polynesia and Micronesia
9 Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands 26 The Madrean Pine-Oak Woodlands
10 The Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa 27 Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany
11 The Guinean Forests of West Africa 28 The Eastern Afromontane
12 The Cape Floristic Region 29 The Horn of Africa
13 The Succulent Karoo 30 The Irano-Anatolian
14 The Mediterranean Basin 31 The Mountains of Central Asia
15 The Caucasus 32 Eastern Himalaya
16 Sundaland 33 Japan
17 Wallacea 34 East Melanesian Islands

207
 most important inventory of the global
Conservation conservation status of biological species.
International (CI)
Species are classified by the IUCN Red
is an American non-
List into nine groups specified through
profit environmental
criteria such as rate of decline, population
organization founded in 1987 in
size, area of geographic distribution, and
Virginia. Its goal is to protect nature
degree of population and distribution
as a source for food, fresh water,
fragmentation (Figure 7.11).
livelihood and a stable climate.
CI has helped to support 1,200 • Extinct (EX) – The species has
protected areas across 77 countries, disappeared and no known individuals
safeguarding more than 601 million remaining
hectares of marine and coastal areas. • Extinct in the wild (EW) – Known
only to survive in captivity, or as a
naturalized population outside its
7.6 Endangered species historic range
Rare, endangered or threatened plants • Critically Endangered (CR) – Species
and animals are elements of our natural that have drastically dwindled and are
heritage that are declining rapidly. If we at extremely high risk of extinction in
cherish these species, like we do other the wild
rare and beautiful objects, these living
• Endangered (EN) – High risk of
organisms become treasures of the highest
extinction in the wild
magnitude.
The International Union for the • Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has endangerment in the wild
identified and classified species based on • Near threatened (nt) – Likely to become
the nature of their depleting numbers. endangered in the near future.
The IUCN’s Red List of Threatened • Least concern (lc) – Lowest risk
Species, identified in 1964, is the world’s widespread and abundant

Extinct Threatened Lower Risk

EX EW CR EN VU cd nt lc

Figure 7.11 Species Classification by IUCN

208
• Conservation dependent (cd) – This
group has now merged with near
threatened.
• Data deficient (dd) – Not enough data
to assess the risk of extinction of the
species.
• Not evaluated (ne) – Species not yet
been evaluated against the criteria.

In the context of the IUCN Red List, A Hawaiian plant species called Alula
‘threatened’ embraces the three categories locally referred to as cabbage on a stick
of Critically Endangered, Endangered, has moved from Critically Endangered
and Vulnerable. to Extinct in the Wild. It is one of the 38
According to the IUCN those species Red Listed Hawaiian plant species with
that have dwindled drastically are less than five wild individuals remaining.
called as Critically Endangered and are It used to grow on the windy sea cliffs of
included as Red List. Species that have Kauai. Alula was destroyed by hurricanes
disappeared are called as extinct species. Iwa and Inki in 1982 and 1992 leaving
In the Red List of 2012 that was released only less than 10 plants alive.
on 19 July 2012 at Rio+20 Earth Summit
19,817 species were threatened with
extinction.

Fact File
The IUCN Red
List of Threatened
Species (also
known as the
IUCN Red List or
Red Data List),
The majority of the great ape species are
founded in 1964, is the world’s most
now Critically Endangered. The Eastern
comprehensive inventory of the global
Gorilla the largest living primate is endemic
conservation status of biological
to the Eastern Democratic Republic of
species. The International Union for
Congo, south western Uganda and Rwanda.
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is
This species which was listed as Endangered
the world’s main authority on the
has moved to Critically Endangered in
conservation status of species. A series
2016 due to an ongoing population decline.
of Regional Red Lists are produced
This decline is due to illegal hunting and
by countries or organizations, which
destruction of forests for agriculture. If this
assess the risk of extinction to species
trend continues, around 93% of Eastern
within a political management unit.
Gorillas will be eliminated by 2054.
209
 The Pygmy Hog: It is the smallest • Himalayan quail
and rarest wild pig on earth and it is a • Pink-headed duck
Critically Endangered species previously
spread across Bangladesh, Bhutan, Fish
India and Nepal. but now only found in • Wayanad mahseer
Assam, India. In 1995, the Pygmy Hog
• Pondicherry shark
Conservation Programme was started by
Goutam Narayan of Ecosystems-India, • Ganges shark
with the help of the Assam government • Pookode Lake barb
and now their numbers have increased to
about 150. • Common sawfish
Insects

• Pygmy Hog Sucking Louse

Reptiles and amphibians

• Madras spotted skink

• Gharial
• Toad-skinned frog
• Charles Darwin’s frog
• White-spotted bush frog
There are many other critically
endangered species in India and some of • Munnar bush frog
them are listed below • Ponmudi bush frog

7.6.1. Critically Endangered species in • Anaimalai flying frog

India 2016 Mammals
Arthropoda • Asiatic cheetah
• Rameshwaram parachute spider • Namdapha flying squirrel
• Peacock tarantula • Himalayan wolf
Birds • Andaman shrew
• White-bellied heron • Nicobar shrew
• Great Indian bustard • Northern Sumatran rhinoceros
• Forest owlet • Chinese pangolin
• Spoon-billed sandpiper • Pygmy hog
• Siberian crane • Indian Javan rhinoceros
• Indian vulture • Malabar large-spotted civet

210
7.6.2. The Recent Red List (2017)

The plant Alliumiatrouinum of the

Mediterranean, belonging to the onion
family was added to the IUCN Red List
as Critically Endangered (CR) in 2017.
Currently this plant is known to exist only
on Mount Ochi in the southern part of Evvia
Island, Greece. It is understood that the
threat was from the numerous wind parks
and wind turbines developed in the area.

An endemic species of small trees growing

at low altitudes in New Caledonia called
Pittosporum brevispinium has declined
causing it to move from Endangered
to Critically Endangered in 2017. The
species decline has been attributed to
conversion of dry forests to pasture land
and degradation of forest by the Rusa deer.

The Red-legged Fire Millipede is

found in the rainforests of Madagascar.
It entered the IUCN Red List in 2017
as, Critically Endangered (CR).The
degradation of its habitat due to slash
and burn agriculture and cutting of trees
for firewood by local communities has
caused its decline.

The IUCN Red List in 2017 declared

the Christmas Island Whiptail-skink
endemic to Christmas island as Extinct.
The last known individual died in
captivity in 2014. This dramatic decline
and extinction was due to the impact
of the introduction of Yellow Crazy
Ant, Indian Wolf Snake and other new
species on Christmas Island along with
deforestation due to mining.

211
 The status of the Rodrigues Flying Fox
moved from Critically Endangered to
Endangered in 2017. This was due to a
number of conservation measures taken,
such as, captive breeding programme
involving 46 zoos around the world,
restoration of natural habitat, watershed
protection, and awareness rising through
education programmes. Its population
has increased from 4,000 in 2003 to about
20,000 individuals in 2016. The future
survival of this species will depend on
continued conservation efforts.

7.6.3. Causes of Extinction of Species 6. Climatic change accelerates the

Extinction is defined as the permanent competition between large mammals
disappearance of an organism from the for shelter and food.
face of the earth. In other words, all 7. Extinction of weak species during
members of a species have died. This the course of competition with more
means a loss of biodiversity. Extinction of powerful and stronger species.
species may take place (Figure 7.12) due
8. Man-induced environmental changes
to a variety of causes as given below:
also cause species extinctions.
1. Sudden and rapid changes of Between 1600 and 1900 it is estimated that
environmental conditions one species went extinct every four years.
2. The sudden outbreak of disease and In modern times, the rate is soaring.
pest infections. The graph below (Figure 7.12.) shows
how the rate of extinction of species has
3. Some sudden events like forest fires,
increased over the past 50 years. This
volcanic eruption etc.
could be attributed to the rapid increase
4. Direct hunting and persecution of in population during the same period of
species leading to ‘selective mass time.
extinction. According to IUCN the rate of
5. Ecological substitution by other extinction of mammals and birds had
species of large carnivorous animals started much earlier by 1700 itself at a
which compete for the same food much faster rate as shown in the graph
resources. below (Figure 7.13).

212
 60,000 8,000

7,000
50,000
6,000
Extinctions

Population (Millions)
40,000
Extinction Numbers

5,000
Human Population
30,000 (Millions) 4,000

3,000
20,000
2,000
10,000
1,000

0
1800

1830

1860

1890

1920

1950

1980

2010
Source : USGS Time

Figure 7.12 Species Extinction and Human Population

Cumulative extinctions as % of IUCN - evaluated species

1.60
Mammals
1.40
Birds
1.20

1.00
Vertebrates
0.80

0.60
Other Vertebrates
0.40

0.20
Background
0
1500-1600 1600-1700 1700-1800 1800-1900 1900-2014

Figure 7.13 Rate of Extinction of animals and birds

213
7.6.4. Major Threats to Biodiversity or Poaching, Deforestation etc.,
The following are some of the major can influence the life of all the
threats to biodiversity: interdependent species.
Despite rapid efforts in protecting terrestrial
a. Habitat destruction and degradation
and marine habitats, world’s diversity of
b. Invasive alien species-these can species is still dwindling. Since the 1960’s
destroy native species Example, over 100,000 ‘protected areas’ have been
lantana Camera plant in India. established. This represents 11,265,408
c. Climate Change- Example, bleaching sq.km of land and 1,609,344 sq.km of
and loss of coral reefs due to global ocean. Yet, terrestrial and marine species
warming have declined over the same period. This
suggests that the common conservation
d. Pollution of air, water and soil –
strategy of protecting areas of land and
Pollution can alter the growth and life
sea is inadequate.
of organisms in a great way.
e. Over exploitation of one resource –
Over exploitation through Hunting

Figure 7.14 Causes of Animal extinction

214
7.7. Conservation of Biodiversity In-situ conservation means the
conservation of species within their
Conservation of bio-diversity is the
natural habitats. This strategy involves
proper management of the biosphere
identification of species rich areas and
by human beings in such a way that
adopting methods to protect it in the form
it gives maximum benefits for the
of National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary
present generation and also develops its
or Biosphere Reserve etc. In this way
potential to meet the needs of the future
biodiversity can be conserved in their
generations.
natural habitat from human activities.
The three basic objectives of
Ex-situ conservation involves
biodiversity conservation are :
maintenance and breeding of endangered
(a) To maintain essential ecological plants and animals under partially or
processes and life supporting systems. wholly controlled conditions in specific
(b) To preserve the diversity of species. areas like zoo, gardens, nurseries etc.
Other examples of ex-situ conservation
(c) To make sustainable utilization of
include:
species and ecosystems.
(i) Seed gene bank
There are two types of conservation
methods (Figure 7.15) namely in-situ and (ii) Field gene bank
ex-situ conservations. (iii) Botanical gardens
Biodiversity
conservation

In-situ Ex situ

Protected Area Sacred plants home

Network gardens

National
Biosphere Seed banks
Sacred groves parks Wildlife
reserves field gene banks
sanctuaries
cryopreservation

Botanical
gardens Arborata
Terrestrial Marine Zoological gardens
Aquaria

Figure 7.15 Biodiversity Conservation methods

215
7.7.1. Biodiversity conservation in India Table.7.1 Specialised projects in India
India is one of the 17 mega bio-diverse
Sl.No Name of the Project Year
countries of the world (according to
1 Project Tiger 1973
Conservation International). With only
2.4% of the world’s land area, 16.7% of 2 Operation Crocodile 1975
the world’s human population and 18% 3 Project Rhinoceros 1987
of livestock, it contributes about 8% of 4 Project Snow Leopard –
the known global biodiversity. India has a
5 Project Elephant 1988
number of globally important endangered
species like Asiatic lion, Asian elephant, 6 Project Sea Turtle 1999
one-horned rhinoceros, Gangetic river
dolphin, snow leopard, Kashmir stag,
dugong, gharial, great Indian bustard, 5. Specialised projects: To save the
lion tailed macaque etc. The following endangered species of animals,
steps have thus been taken to protect and specialised projects are being
manage the wildlife of the country. implemented with international
cooperation (WWF, UNDP, UNEP,
1. The Government of India enacted IUCN) as well as on a stand-alone basis
the Wild Life (Protection) Act like the following: (Table 7.1)
1972 with the objective of effectively
protecting the wild life of this country More recently, the Black Buck (chinkara)
and to control poaching, smuggling the Great Indian Bustard and the snow
and illegal trade in wildlife and its leopard have been given full or partial
derivatives. legal protection against hunting and trade
throughout India.
2. The National Board for Wildlife
(NBWL) chaired by the Prime 6. The Protected Areas of India
Minister of India, provides for policy
framework for wildlife conservation Protected areas are those in which human
in the country. occupation is small and exploitation
of resources is limited. These are
3. The National Wildlife Action
defined according to the categorization
Plan (2002–2016) was adopted
(Table 7.2.).
in 2002, emphasizing the people’s
There are 4 categories of the Protected
participation and their support for
Areas in India.
wildlife conservation.
4. The Indian Constitution lays the • National Parks,
subject of forests and wildlife in • Wildlife Sanctuaries,
the Concurrent list thus laying the
• Conservation Reserves, and
responsibility of wildlife conservation
on both the Centre and the State. • Community Reserves.

216
 Figure 7.16 Biosphere reserves in india

Table 7.2 Protected Areas of India (Jan 2017)

Protected Areas Number Total Area in sq Km % of the Country
National Parks (NPs) 103 40500 1.2
Wild life Sanctuaries (WLSs) 537 118005 3.6
Conservation Reserves (CRs) 67 2350 0.1
Community Reserves 26 47 0.01
Total Protected Areas (PAs) 733 160902 4.91
Source: ENVIS Centre on Wildlife & Protected Areas
(http://www.wiienvis.nic.in/Database/ConservationAreas_844.aspx)

217
National Park buffer zones between established
national parks, wildlife sanctuaries
1. National parks in India are IUCN
and reserved and protected forests of
category II protected areas.
India.
2. A National park is an area with
2. They are called as ‘Conservation
ecological, geomorphological and
Reserves’ if they are uninhabited and
natural significance with rich fauna
completely owned by the Government
and flora, designed to protect and to
of India but used for subsistence by
develop wildlife or its environment.
communities.
3. Activities like grazing, hunting,
forestry or cultivation etc. are They are called ‘Community Reserves’ if
strictly prohibited. a part of the land is privately owned.

4. No human activity is permitted inside 7. Biosphere Reserves: A biosphere

the national park. reserve is an area of land or water that
is protected by law in order to support,
5. India’s first national park was
sustain and conserve ecosystems.
established in 1936 as Hailey National
Park, now known as Jim Corbett Biosphere Reserves of India protect
National Park, Uttarakhand. very large areas of natural habitat that
are much bigger than national parks
6. There are 103 national parks in India
or wildlife sanctuaries. Biosphere
(National Wildlife Database, April
reserves may cover multiple national
2015).
parks, sanctuaries and reserves which
Wildlife Sanctuary are contiguous.example, the Nilgiri
Biosphere covers: Bandipur National
1. The difference between a Sanctuary Park, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve,
and a national park lies mainly in Silent Valley National Park, Nagarhole
the rights of people living inside. National Park and Mukurthi National
In a Sanctuary, certain rights are Park.(Figure 7.16)
allowed but in a national park, no
rights are allowed for grazing of any • Biosphere reserves are traditionally
livestock. In a wildlife Sanctuary, the organized into 3 interrelated zones,
Chief Wildlife Warden may regulate, known as: Core area, Buffer zone, and
control or prohibit certain activities. Transition zone.

2. There are a total of 537 wildlife • Presently, there are 18 notified

sanctuaries in India. biosphere reserves in India. Ten out
of the eighteen biosphere reserves
Conservation reserves and community are a part of the World Network
reserves in India: of Biosphere Reserves, based on
UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere
1. These terms denote the protected
(MAB) Programmed list.
areas of India which typically act as

218
8. Some Other Important Conservation Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri declaring
Sites their own set of rules and regulation
which do not allow hunting, and are
1. Tiger Reserves – Project Tiger
protecting the wildlife against any
was launched by the Government
outside encroachments.
of India in the year 1973 to save
the endangered species of tiger in 3. Bishnoi villages: In and around
the country. Starting from nine (9) Bishnoi villages in Rajasthan, herds
reserves in 1973 the number has now of blackbuck, nilgai and peacocks
grown to fifty (50) in 2016. Table 7.2. can be seen as an integral part of the
gives a list of conservation sites and community and nobody harms them.
their numbers in India.
7.7.2. The Role of GIS in Conservation of
9. Role of communities: Communities Nature
are playing a vital role in the Recently Geographic Information System
conservation and protection of wildlife (GIS) has been used as a tool to identify
in India, example: new areas that need to be conserved. In
1. Sariska Tiger Reserve: In Sariska the last 15 years Remote Sensing and GIS
tiger reserve Rajasthan villagers have has been used to developed gap analysis
fought against mining by citing the as a method to identify biodiversity
wildlife protection act. In many areas, (i.e., species, ecosystems and ecological
villagers themselves are protecting processes) that is not adequately
habitats and explicitly rejecting conserved within a protected area network
government involvement. or through other effective and long-term
conservation measures. Gap analysis
2. Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri: The is a method of comparison of actual
inhabitants of five villages in the performance with potential or desired
Alwar district of Rajasthan have performance. It was thus developed in
declared 1200 hectares of forests as the response to recognition, that protected
Table7.3 Important Conservation Sites In India ( Dec 2016)
Reserves/Conservation Sites Numbers Total Area in Sqkm.
Tiger Reserves 50 71027
Elephant Reserves 32 69583
Biosphere Reserves 18 87492
RAMSAR Wetland Sites 26 12119
Natural World Heritage Sites 07 11756
Important Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Areas 107 10773
Marine Protected Areas 131 9801
Potential/ Important Bird Areas 563 –
Source: ENVIS Centre on Wildlife & Protected Areas (http://www.wiienvis.nic.in/Database/
ConservationAreas_844.aspx)
219
areas of all types and in all parts of the Biodiversity is necessary for our
world do not fully protect biodiversity. existence as well as valuable in its own
Gap analysis is usually applied to fairly right. This is because it provides the
large areas of study. fundamental building blocks for the goods
and services that provide us with a healthy
Activity environment.Biodiversity includes
fundamental things to our health like
Identify community conserved areas fresh water clean air and food products, as
in Tamil Nadu and prepare a poster. well as many other products like timber,
medicine and fibre.
Highlight: Biodiversity also includes various
other important things and services such
In 1798, in a small village called
as cultural, recreational and spiritual
Vedanthangal near Chennai, the
nourishment that play an important role
British soldiers shot some storks
in maintaining our personal life and social
in the local wetland. The villagers
life.
stormed the Collector’s office and
made him issue an order not to harm It is therefore the duty of every citizen
the nesting birds. This took place long to conserve this valuable life on earth, the
before the concept of conservation most precious gift we can pass on to the
of biosphere entered our thoughts. future generations.
India has experienced many such
incidents only some of which have
been recorded.

220
The Asiatic Cheetah of India Becomes Extinct
Cheetah is found in Africa and Asia. It is the fastest land animal on Earth. The
Asiatic cheetah, is slightly smaller than the African cheetah. It has a fawn-coloured
body with black spots and distinctive black “tear marks” running from the corner of
each eye down the side of its nose.
The Asiatic cheetah also known as the Iranian cheetah is a Critically Endangered
subspecies surviving today only in Iran. It was once found in the Arabian Peninsula,
Near East, Kyzyl-Kum desert, Caspian region, Pakistan and India.

Asiatic cheetahs were once widespread across the continent but were eradicated in
India, where they were hunted for sport. The spread of farming also greatly reduced
their numbers in the 19th and 20th centuries. Eventually the animal was wiped out in
Asia to which it was once native.
Cheetah has been known to exist in India for a very long time. They were kept
by Kings and princes, but hunting led to their extinction in the country. In 1948,
Maharajah Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo shot three of the last cheetahs in India, in
Surguja, State of Madhya Pradesh which is present day Northern Chhattisgarh.
The Indian government had plans to reintroduce cheetahs back in India in 2009
but this project has not yet been taken up.

221
 involves conservation of genetic resources
using many techniques and facilities.
Habitat: The natural home or environment
Boreal: Relating to the region of the earth of an animal, plant, or other organism.
just south of the Arctic, especially its Lagoon: A stretch of salt water separated
plants and animals. from the sea by a low sandbank or coral
Coral polyps: Tiny, soft-bodied organisms reef.
related to sea anemones and jellyfish. At Oasis: A small area in a desert that has supply
their base is a hard, protective limestone of water and is able to support vegetation.
skeleton called a calicle, which forms An oasis forms when groundwater lies close
the structure of coral reefs. Reefs begin enough to the surface to form a spring or to
when a polyp attaches itself to a rock on be reached by wells.
the sea floor, then divides, or buds, into Permafrost: A thick subsurface layer of
thousands of clones. soil that remains below freezing point
Ecologist: A person who studies the throughout the year, occurring chiefly in
natural relationships between the air, Polar Regions.
land, water, animals, plants, etc. Poaching: Trespassing, especially on
Endemic: Native or restricted to a certain another’s game reserve, in order to steal
place.eg. Lion-tailed macaque endemic to animals or to hunt.
the Nilgiris. Sedges: Any grass like plant, typically
Entomologist: A person who studies growing on wet ground and having
or is an expert in the branch of zoology rhizomes, triangular stems, and minute
concerned with insects. flowers. Sedges are found to grow in cold
Ex-Situ Conservation: Ex-situ conservation regions,
is the preservation of components of biological Vulnerable: Exposed to the possibility of
diversity outside their natural habitats. This being attacked or harmed or destroyed;

222
Evaluation a. Savannah b. Desert
I. Choose the best answer c. Tropical rain forest d. taiga
8. The Temperate grasslands of North
1. Who first proposed the term America.
‘Ecosystem’ ? a. Prairies b. Steppes
a. E.O. Wilson c. Pampas d. Downs
b. I.G. Simmon 9. The Taiga biome extends over the
c. A.G. Tansley latitudes -------------------------------- .
d. Raymond F Dasmann a. 0° to20° North and South
2. What is the main source of energy for b. 30° to 50° N
the earth ? c. 50° to 65° N
a. Moon b. Stars d. beyond 65° N
c. Sun d. Tides 10. Which of the following is not covered
3. What is the position of a rabbit in a by the Nilgiri Biosphere?
food chain? a. Bandipur National Park
a. Primary consumer b. Nagarhole National Park
b. secondary consumer c. NamdaphaNational park
c. tertiary consumer d. Mukurthi National park
d. Quaternary consumer
II. Give short answers:
4. Which organism eats both plants and
animals?
11. What is a Biosphere?
a. Herbivores
12. What is meant by biogeochemical cycle?
b. Carnivores
13. Mention the types of biomes.
c. Omnivores
14. Name the different types of coral reefs.
d. Detritivores
15. How many Biodiversity Hotspots are
5. Which of the following is found in there in India? Name them.
the desert biome?
a. Eucalyptus b. Pine III. Give answers in a paragraph:
c. Teak d. Cacti
16. What are Consumers? Explain the
6. Which of the following are native types of consumers.
tribes inhabiting the tropical
17. Write a short note on energy pyramids.
evergreen forests of Africa?
18. What is meant by Species Diversity?
a. Yanomani b. Pygmies
Explain
c. Tikuna d. Aborigines
19. Describe how the Asiatic Cheetah
7. The largest number of plant became extinct in India.
species are found in ------------------------------
20. Write a note on National Parks with
biome.
examples.
223
IV. Give detailed answers:

21. Mark the areas of the Tropical Rain forest Biomes on the given world map and mention
any four characteristics of them.
22. Distinguish between the Tropical Desert and the Tundra biomes.
23. Explain how species are classified in the Red List of the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Project

1. Observe life forms in your local area and draw a food web.
2. Complete the following table
Plants and their Animals and
Sl No Biome Location Climate Adaptation to their Adaptation to
Environment Environment
1. Tropical
Evergreen Rain
Forest
2. Tropical
Monsoon
Forests
3. Temperate
Deciduous
Forests
4. Tropical
Grasslands
Or Savannah
5. Temperate
Grasslands or
Steppe
6. Deserts
7. Taiga or Boreal
Forests
8. Tundra

3. Collect pictures of endangered species of Tamil Nadu and prepare a poster.

224
 Reference Websites

1. Arumugam, N. and V. Kumaresen; 1. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/

Environmental Studies natural-sciences/environment/
ecological-sciences/man-and-
2. Bharatdwaj, K;(2006); Physical
biosphere-programme/
Geography: Biogeography. Discovery
Publishing House, New Delhi 2. http://www/wildlifeindia.com/forest-
of-india, html
3. Carson, Rachel (1962); Silent Spring.
Indian Edition. Goa: Other India 3. www.ramsar.org
Press 4. http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/
4. Radha, Environmental Studies ( Based forestry/types-html
on UGC Syllabus). Prasana PD 5. https://en.unesco.org/events/4th-
5. Rajagopalan, R. (2005); Environmental world-congress-biosphere-reserves
Studies : from Crisis to Cure. Oxford 6. www.iucnredlist.org/
University Press, New Delhi
7. www.biodiversityhotspots.org/
6. Environmental Studies (E.V.R
8. www.envis.nic.in
University Book)
9. www.uep-wcmc.org
7. Bharucha, Erach; Text Book
For Environmental Studies.
UGC New Delhi and Bharathi
VidyapeethInstitute for
Environmental Education And
Research, Pune
8. Publication division (2004) – Indian
forest
9. BBC documentary, the state of the
planet, - David Attenborough

225
 ICT CORNER
Biosphere Facing Surface

Explore and evaluate

yourself in World’s
biosphere.

Steps
• Use the URL or scan the QR code to download and install “Geography Learning
Trivia Quiz” app in smartphone.
• Click on the ‘clock’ to watch the timeline.
• Enter your name,Select Difficulty level and continents to be evaluated in the quiz.
• Answer the quiz by pinning the balloon on the map, complete the quiz and review the
answers. Check your progress in biosphere using achievement tab and leaderboard tab.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4

Website URL:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yamlearning.
geographylearning&hl=en

Pictures are indicative only.

226