1st SEM B.TECH CSE VIT VELLORE

1. 1
“THREATS AND CONSERVATION OF
TERRESTIAL AND AQUATIC BIO-DIVERSITY”
ASSIGNMENT-1
Submitted for the course – Environmental Science (CHY1002)
By
SAHIL JAIN
16BCE0372
Slot- G1
Name of faculty – AKHILA MAHESHWARI M-SAS
(SCHOOL OF ADVANCED SCIENCES)
August, 2016

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BIODIVERSITY-
The number and type of plants, animals and different organisms that exist is known as
multifariousness or normally it is the total variety of life on earth. it's an important part of nature
and it ensure the survival of human species by giving food, fuel, shelter, medicines
and different helpful resources to human race. The abundance of biodiversity depends on
the weather conditions and space of the region. All species of plants taken together are known
as flora and regarding 70,000 species of plants are identified so far. All species of animals
taken together are known as fauna which includes birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, insects,
crustaceans, molluscs, etc.
.
Rapid environmental changes usually cause mass extinctions. Over 99 of all species, amounting
to over 5 billion species that ever lived on Earth are calculable to be extinct. Estimates on the
amount of Earth's current species vary from ten million to fourteen million, of which about 1.2
million are documented and over 86 % haven't yet been described. Most recently, in May 2016,
scientists reported that one trillion species are estimated to be on Earth presently with only one-
thousandth of 1 % described.

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AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY-
Aquatic diverseness may be outlined a variety of life and the ecosystem that frame the fresh,
tidal, and marine regions of the globe and their interactions.
Aquatic biodiversity encompasses freshwater ecosystems, includinglakes, ponds, reservoirs,
rivers, streams, groundwater, and wetlands. It additionally consists of marine ecosystems,
including oceans, estuaries, salt marshes, ocean grass beds, coral reefs, kelp beds,
and mangrove forests. Aquatic diversity includes all distinctive species, their habitats and
interaction between them. It consists of phytoplankton, zooplankton, aquatic plants, insects, fish,
birds, mammals, and others.
IMPORTANCE OF AQUATIC BIO-DIVERSITY-
Aquatic biodiversity has enormous economic and aesthetic value and is largely responsible for
maintaining and supporting overall environmental health. Humans have long depended on
aquatic resources for food, medicines, and materials as well as for recreational and commercial
purposes such as fishing and tourism. Aquatic organisms also rely upon the great diversity of
aquatic habitats and resources for food, materials, and breeding grounds.
Factors including overexploitation of species, the introduction of exotic species, pollution from
urban, industrial, and agricultural areas, as well as habitat loss and alteration through damming
and water diversion all contribute to the declining levels of aquatic biodiversity in both
freshwater and marine environments. As a result, valuable aquatic resources are becoming
increasingly susceptible to both natural and artificial environmental changes. Thus, conservation
strategies to protect and conserve aquatic life are necessary to maintain the balance of nature and
support the availability of resources for future generations.

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THREATS OF AQUATIC BIO-DIVERSITY-
Human activities are causing species to disappear at an alarming rate. Aquatic species are at a
higher risk of extinction than mammals and birds. Losses of this magnitude impact the entire
ecosystem, depriving valuable resources used to provide food, medicines, and industrial
materials to human beings. Runoff from agricultural and urban areas, the invasion of exotic
species, and the creation of dams and water diversion have been identified as the greatest
challenges to freshwater environments.
Following factors affect the aquatic biodiversity directly or indirectly. Excessive mortality of
organisms due to any of these factors may lead to two types of effects.
1) Extinction of the species / populations 2) reduction of population size.
1) Overexploitation of species - Overexploitation of species affects the loss of genetic diversity
and the loss in the relative species abundance of both individual and /or groups of interacting
species. The population size gets reduced because of disturbances in age structure and sex
composition. Efficient gears remove quick growing larger individuals. Consequently, the
proportion of slow growing ones increases and the average size of individuals in a population
decreases. Over-fishing causes change in the genetic structure of fish populations due to loss of
some alleles. Thus, genetic diversity gets reduced.

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2. Habitat modification - Physical modification of habitat may lead to species extinction.
This is mainly caused due to damming, deforestation, diversion of water for irrigation and
conversion of marshy land and small water bodies for other purposes. Construction of dams
on river impedes upstream migration of fishes and displaces populations from their normal
spawning grounds and separates the population in two smaller groups. Deforestation leads
to catchment area degradation due to soil erosion which results into sedimentation and
siltation. This not only affect the breeding ground of aquatic organisms but cause gill
clogging of small fishes also.
3. Pollution load — Four forms of pollutants can be distinguished
Poisonous
pollutants
Suspended solids Sewage and organic
pollutants
Thermal pollution
Agrochemicals,
metals, acids and
phenol cause
mortality, if present
in a high
concentration and
affect the
reproductive
functionality of fish.
It affects the
respiratory processes
and secretion of
protective mucus
making the fish
susceptible to
infection of various
pathogens.
They cause
deoxygenation due
to eutrophication
causing mortality in
fishes.
They cause
deoxygenation due
to eutrophication
causing mortality in
fishes.

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Conservation Approaches-
1) Aquatic areas that have been damaged or suffered habitat loss or degradation can be restored.
Even species populations that have suffered a decline can be targeted for restoration.
2) An aquatic bio- reserve is a defined space within a water body in which fishing is banned or
other restrictions are placed in an effort to protect plants, animals, and habitats, ultimately
conserving biodiversity. These bio-reserves can also be used for educational purposes,
recreation, and tourism as well as potentially increasing fisheries yields by enhancing the
declining fish populations.
3) Watershed management is an important approach towards aquatic diversity conservation.
Rivers and streams, regardless of their condition, often go unprotected since they often pass
through more than one political jurisdiction, making it difficult to enforce conservation and
management of resources. However, in recent years, the protection of lakes and small portions of
watersheds organized by local watershed groups has helped this situation.
4) Plantation of trees in the catchment area of water body prevent soil erosion and subsequently
reduce the problem of siltation in water body resulting in better survival of aquatic organisms.
5) Avoid the establishment of industries, chemical plants and thermal power plants near the
water resources as their discharge affect the ecology of water body resulted in loss of
biodiversity.
6) Increasing public awareness is one of the most important ways to conserve aquatic
biodiversity. This can be accomplished through educational programs, incentive programs, and
volunteer monitoring programs.

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TERRESTRIAL BIO-DIVERSITY-
Terrestrial biodiversity can be defined as the variety of life forms on the land surface of the
Earth. High biodiversity is often used as an indicator of ecosystem health and has been shown to
have direct links to human health. Climate change will affect terrestrial biodiversity and
ecosystems through both gradual and sudden changes in response to the average climate (e.g.
increased temperatures, decreased rainfall, changes to seasonality), and extreme events
(increased hot days, fire, increased frequency and severity of cyclones, heat waves, intensified
wet seasons).
THREATS OF TERRESTIALBIO-DIVERSITY-
Biodiversity is under serious threat as a result of human activities. The main dangers worldwide
are population growth and resource consumption, climate change and global warming, habitat
conversion and urbanization, invasive alien species, over-exploitation of natural resources and
environmental degradation.

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The table below summaries the main threats occurring in world.
Main threats Some underlying causes
Degradation, destruction and fragmentation
of natural habitats.
Spread of the urbanized areas, road network and
industrial areas and associated problems (noise,
pollution); abandon of former agricultural
practices that were favorable to biodiversity
Decrease in the capacity of the agricultural
areas to host wildlife
Intensification of agricultural practices (yielding
pollution and disturbance) and disappearance of
landscape elements that provide food and shelter
that are exploitable by wildlife (such as hedges,
trees, ponds, etc.)
Pollution of soils, air and water Excess of heavy metals (industry, roads),
manure and pesticides (agriculture) and other
pollutants.
Epidemics affecting wildlife Arrivals of pathogens that are favored by the
introduction of exotic species, pollution and the
destruction of habitats
Climate change Carbon emissions, deforestation and other land
use changes due to human activities
Desiccation of soils and wetlands Excess pumping of underground water tables
Recreation and leisure Overuse of green open spaces and wild areas,
little respect for nature, mountain biking and
motor sports in fragile areas, dogs not on leash

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CONSERVATION APPROCHES-
Re-write
1) Clear cutting of forests should be prohibited. This may curb total depletion of the
forest cover. It a practical solution and is extremely possible.
2) Land skinned of its tree cover for urban settlements should be urged to plant trees in
the neighborhood and replace the cut trees. Also the cutting should get replaced by planting
young trees to interchange the older ones that were cut.
3) Monitor and assess your pets’ impact on biodiversity. Some domestic animals,
particularly cats, are predators of wild animals and might devastate local population of native
species. Cats have been calculable to kill tens of millions of birds annually in North America.
4) Encourage and support local government initiatives that shield habitat and reduce threats
to biodiversity.
5) Recycle, reuse and reduce. Recycling decreases pollution by decreasing energy, electricity,
and water consumption and the need for landfills.
6) Use environmentally friendly product. Drive less, walk, ride or carpool more.
7) Each exams (Board exam, CAT & FAT test etc) should be conducted online that
may save numerous paper. this may facilitate in saving trees.
8) Hunting of animal should be prohibited and strict laws should be created for animal
hunter. Because GOD gave everybody equal right to live.

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In-situ conservation: Conservation of a species is best done by protecting its habitat along with
all the other species that live in it in nature.
Ex-situ conservation: However, 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.
• In situ
• Sacred groves and lakes • Biosphere Reserves • Terrestrial • Marine • National parks, wildlife
sanctuaries
• Ex situ
• Sacred plant home garden • Seed Bank, Gene bank, Cryopreservation • Botanical garden,
Zoological garden, Aquaria
THANK YOU