India’s Wealth in Biodiversity

Introduction

India is a rich nation in terms of animal and plant species. The country is also one of the most diverse in the world which has biodiversity intricately linked to its sociocultural practices. Many animals and plant species are considered holy and worshipped in India. As a result, there are many practices in Indian societies that make India a wealthy nation in terms of biodiversity.

India has about 10% of the world’s species whereas the land area of the country is only 2.4%. Therefore, the country is considered a megadiverse nation in terms of biodiversity in form. India is however seeing a rapid decline in the number of species, both flora, and fauna, due to the rapid growth of population and deforestation, and other causes that directly impact the extinction of species.

Flora and Fauna in India

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), India is a megadiverse country that has 7 to 8 percent of all recorded species of plants and animals on earth. The notable feature is that India has only 2.4 percent of the land area of the world. So, in terms of the concentration of species, India is very rich.

Moreover, there are many undiscovered species that have not been considered yet. If they are considered in the count of species, India will have about 10 percent of species of the planet in the nation.

• In India, the world’s 7 percent of unique plants which stands at 45,000 unique species are found. Nearly one−third or 33 percent of these species are endemic in nature.

• There are nearly 15,000 flowering species that account for 6 percent of the world’s total flowering plants that are found in India. About 1,500 of these plant species are endangered according to IUCN.

• There are about 91,000 unique animal species that are found in India which, represent about 6.5% of the world's fauna. Animal species considered in the list of IUCN include 60,000 insect species, 1,230 bird species, 2,456 fish species, 372 mammals, over 440 reptiles and 200 amphibians, and 500 mollusks. The amphibians and reptiles have the highest concentration in the Western Ghats.

• With 400 breeds of sheep, 27 cattle, and 22 goats, the diversity of livestock is high in India too.

• India is home to many of the rarest and most highly important animal species. Some of these include the Asiatic Cheetah, Bengal Fox, Marbled Cat, Indian Elephant, Asiatic Lion, Indian Rhinoceros, Asiatic Wild Ass, Gaur, Markhor, Wild Asiatic Water Buffalo, etc.

Classification of Biodiversity in India

Indian biodiversity can be categorized into the following four sections:

• Ethiopian biodiversity − The arid and semi−arid regions of Rajasthan fall in this category.

• Malayan Biodiversity − Densely forested Eastern Himalayas and the coastal regions fall in this category.

• European biodiversity − European biodiversity is prevalent in the upper areas of the Himalayas where a temperate climate exists.

• Indian biodiversity − The dense forests of the Indian plains fall in this category.

Biogeographical regions and provinces of India

India has 10 biogeographical regions which are further divided into 25 biogeographical provinces. These are as follows:

• The Himalaya − This biogeographical region contains four Provinces − West Himalaya, North−West Himalaya, Central Himalaya, and East Himalaya.

• Trans Himalaya − Three provinces, namely, Ladakh mountains, Trans− Himalaya Sikkim, and Tibetan Plateau fall in this region.

• The Semi−arid region − This region contains parts of Punjab, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.

• The Western Ghats − Malabar plains and Western Ghats Mountains are two provinces that fall in this region.

• The Indian Desert − Two provinces, Thar and Kutch, are included in this region.

• The Deccan Plateau − This region comprises five provinces, namely Central Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Chhota Nagpur, Central Plateau, and Deccan South.

• The coasts − The east and west coasts and Lakshadweep fall in this region.

• The Gangetic plains − This consists of upper and lower Gangetic plains.

• North East India − North East India consists of Brahmaputra Valley and North East Hills regions.

• Islands − There are two island provinces in India - Andaman and Nicobar. Both of these are rich in terms of biodiversity.

As mentioned above, India is a megadiverse country with a large variety of plant and animal species available in it. However, many of these plant and animal species are endangered. The wildlife act mentions 253 animal species needing adequate protection while there are 135 plant species that are endangered according to the Botanical Survey of India.

Need for the Protection of Biodiversity

It is not enough to be a rich nation in terms of biodiversity. We know that there are many species that have the threat of extinction. It is a matter of concern for all of us. Loss of biodiversity is a threat to the environment and we must do our best to protect the biodiversity of the nation.

India’s population is one of the main reasons for the stress on biodiversity and the extinction of species. As the human population is growing, we need more space for human activities and settlement. This often leads to deforestation which in turn threats the animal and plant species of the forests.

It has been observed that the human activities that are responsible for climate change are the leading causes of biodiversity loss. We must be careful in our activities so that no further biodiversity loss occurs in our nation. Being rich in biodiversity is a measure to be healthy as well as wealthy in terms of biology and economics respectively. Therefore, we should do our best to conserve biodiversity.

Measures by Government to Conserve Biodiversity

It is not true that nothing has been done by the government to conserve biodiversity. The following are some examples of what has been initiated.

• Approximately 4.7 percent of the total geographical area of the country has been earmarked for habitats and ecosystems. 89 National Parks and 492 Wildlife Sanctuaries have been created.

• A program of ‘eco-development’ for conserving biological diversity with local communities has been initiated.

These initiatives will be fruitful only with the participation of the masses, and hence mass awareness is the key.

Conclusion

There is no doubt in the fact that India is a rich nation in terms of biodiversity but it is also true that India’s biodiversity is in danger due to human activities. We must take concrete steps to conserve biodiversity in India. If we lose too much of species, it may be a real threat to all remaining living beings too. That is why environmental studies detailing biodiversity should be made accessible to the large masses.

FAQs

Q :How many native plant species are found in India?

A:India is home to about 45,000 plant species.

Q: How many unique animal species are found in India? What percentage is this to the world population of faunal species?

A: There are about 91,000 unique animal species that are found in India which, represent about 6.5% of the world's fauna.

Q: How much area of land in the country has been earmarked for natural habitats and ecosystems?

A:Approximately 4.7 percent of the total geographical area of the country has been earmarked for habitats and ecosystems.