Conservation of Plants and Animals

IMPORTANT TERMS

Species                       A group or class of animals or plants having certain common characteristics which distinguish it from other groups.           

Flora                            Species of plants found in a particular area are termed flora of that area. 

Fauna                          Species of animals living in a particular area are termed fauna of that area.

Desertification              The conversion of fertile soil into a desert, due to effect of soil erosion.

Deforestation               Continual degradation of forests due to natural or human-related causes.

Reforestation               Restocking of the destroyed forests by planting new trees.

Habitat                         The natural environment or place where an animal, plant or other organisms live naturally.

Migratory Birds             Birds which move from one place to another in groups to escape un-favourable conditions.

Botanical Garden         A place where a wide range of plants are grown for scientific and educational purposes; also displayed to the public.

Poaching                     Illegal hunting of wild animals is referred to as poaching.

 

BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity refers to the existence of a wide variety of plants, animals and microorganisms generally found in a specific area.

Ecosystem is made of all the plants, animals and microorganisms in an area, which not only interact with each other but also with their physical environment such as climate, soil etc.

Endemic Species are those species of plants and animals which are found exclusively in a particular area. They are not found everywhere.  E.g. The Giant Panda is endemic to the mountains of Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi Provinces in China.

Extinct species are those species of animals or plants which have vanished or no longer exist anywhere on the Earth. E.g. Dinosaurs

Endangered species are those species of animals and plants that are at a high risk of getting extinct in their habitat. E.g. Bengal Tiger

Vulnerable species are those species which exist in low numbers and can become endangered because of destruction of their habitat, overexploitation and various other reasons.

LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY

Some of the major causes for loss of biodiversity are deforestation, pollution, natural disasters and poaching.

 

CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION  

Deforestation or indiscriminate cutting of trees is the main factor, which can be held responsible for the loss of biodiversity. Deforestations causes destruction of the natural habitats of some species of plants and animals and this in turn leads to the loss of biodiversity.

Rapid urbanization is the major cause for the requirement of wood. Increasing population has led to an increase in the demand for wood. Forests are cleared to fulfill the needs of growing population.

Increase in the consumption of wood for various purposes is a major cause of deforestation. Wood is used for commercial purposes, making furniture etc.

 

CONSERVATION OF FOREST AND WILDLIFE   

Conservation refers to the preservation and careful management of plant and animal species in order to prevent their extinction.

Forests are the natural habitat of many species of birds and animals. Destroying the forest also destroys the habitats of these animals which creates a threat to the survival of animals.

To conserve the biodiversity, protected areas such as national parks, biosphere reserves and wildlife sanctuaries are established.  They are protected areas all across the world which aim to preserve certain animal and plant species. They provide protection and suitable living conditions to the wild animals.

Biosphere Reserve  

A Biosphere reserve is a large area of protected land for conservation of wild life, plant & animal resources & the traditional life of the tribes living in the area.

 

Wildlife Sanctuary

Wildlife sanctuaries are protected areas all across the world which aim to preserve certain animal species. They provide protection and suitable living conditions to the wild animals.

National Park

National parks are the areas reserved for the wild animals where they can use the habitats and natural resources.

Satpura National Park located in the state of Madhya Pradesh is the first reserve forest of India. It was set up in 1981.

Some other national parks are:

Kaziranga National Park, Assam, Gir National Park, Gujarat, Kanha National Park, MP etc.

Zoological Park

A zoological park or zoo is a place where animals are kept in close or open confinement for public exhibition.

RED DATA BOOK

Red data book is the source book which keeps a record of all the endangered animals and plants.

It is published by the “The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources” (IUCN). The IUCN works toward the conservation of plants and animals.

The main aim of the Red List maintained by the IUCN is to draw the attention of the conservationists towards species that are in danger of extinction.

RECYCLING PAPER

Recycling is the process by which waste materials such as plastic, paper and glass are used to make new products. E.g. most plastic that we use in everyday life such as bottles can be recycled. They are put through a process that makes it possible to create new materials out of old ones.

Recycling of paper can help in conserving the trees and the conservation of forests is an important factor for preserving the biodiversity.

 

INTERESTING FACTS

• About 1300 species of birds are found in India; among these 42 are endemic. Some of the common Indian birds are- Ringed Parrot, Green Bee Eater, Indian Roller, Koel and Blue Kingfisher.
• Every year, 22 May is celebrated as World Biodiversity Day.
• Among plants, about 30 percent of the species are endemic to India, which means that they are found nowhere else in the world.
• More than 70,000 different species of plants are used in traditional and modern medicine.