Biodiversity: Definition, Levels, Measures, Services, Threats and Conservation Methods

Biodiversity: Definition, Levels, Measures, Services, Threats and Conservation Methods.

What is the definition of Biodiversity?

The word “Biological Diversity” referred to as the variety of all life forms-unicellular fungi, protozoa, bacteria, and multicellular organisms such as plants, animals, their genes and the ecosystems of which they are a part of. The term “biodiversity” was popularised by socio-biologist Edward Wilson in 1988. He came to be popularly known as the Father of Biodiversity.

Different levels of Biodiversity

There are several levels of biodiversity, each indicating how diverse the genes, species and resources are in a region. Some of them are-

Species Diversity: Every ecosystem contains a unique collection of species, all interacting with each other. Some ecosystems may have many more species than another.

Genetic Diversity: Genetic diversity describes how closely related the members of one species are in a given ecosystem. In simple terms, if all members have many similar genes, the species has low genetic diversity.

Ecosystem Diversity: A region may have several ecosystems, or it may have one. Wide expanses of oceans or deserts would be examples of regions with low ecological diversity.

Functional Diversity: The way species behave, obtain food and use the natural resources of an ecosystem is known as functional diversity. In general a species-rich ecosystem is presumed to have high functional diversity, because there are many species with many different behaviors.

Measurement of Biodiversity

Measurement of Biodiversity is done with the help of two major components which are Species Richness and Species Evenness. Paul Williams, Decair Right and Chris Humpreger made very first attempt to measure Biodiversity as they developed a software called world map to gauge the Biodiversity. H. Whittaker gave the idea of Alpha, Beta and Gama Diversity to describe the spatial component of species diversity.

Alpha Diversity: Alpha Diversity shows the total no. of species found in a region and helps in the analytical study of the Biodiversity in various regions. In another word, it is diversity within a particular area.

Beta Diversity: This is associated with the comparison of biodiversity between ecosystem, usually measured as the amount of species change between the ecosystem.

Gama Diversity: It is the measure of overall diversity for different ecosystem within a particular region i.e it is diversity in the overall landscape. The Alpha diversity and Beta diversity are the independent components of the Gama Diversity.

Different services provided by Biodiversity

Biodiversity provides that humans obtain to upgrade their lifestyle. These include-

• Maintenance of the water cycle
• Soil formation, soil protection and maintenance of soil fertility
• Nutrient Storage and Cycling
• Degradation of waste, pollution breakdown
• Carbon sequestration and Regulation of global climate
• Control of potential pest and disease-causing species
• Detoxification of soil and sediments, Stabilization of land against erosion

What is the Biodiversity loss?

The term Biodiversity loss is the decline or disappearance of biological diversity, understood as the variety of living things that inhabit the planet, its different levels of biological organisation and their respective genetic variability, as well as the natural patterns present in ecosystems.

Main causes of Biodiversity Loss

Biodiversity has declined at an alarming rate in recent years, largely as a result of human activity. Let's take a look at some of the main causes:  

Climate change: Climate change impacts biodiversity at various levels: species distribution, population dynamics, community structure and the functioning of the ecosystem.

Pollution: When we talk about pollution, we may think of car exhaust fumes billowing into the atmosphere, but biodiversity is not only affected by this type, it is also affected by noise pollution and light pollution.

Destruction of habitats: Soil pollution and changes in its uses due to activities such as deforestation have a negative impact on ecosystems and the species that make them up.

Invasive alien species: Invasive alien species are the second biggest cause of loss of biodiversity in the world, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). They act as predators, compete for food, hybridise with native species, introduce parasites and diseases, etc.

Overexploitation of the natural environment: The overexploitation of natural resources, that is, their consumption at a speed greater than that of their natural regeneration, has an obvious impact on the planet's flora and fauna.

Effects of Biodiversity Loss

Biodiversity loss has many consequences, not only for the environment, but also for human beings at the economic and health level. Some of them are-

Extinction of species: The alteration and destruction of habitats puts thousands of species in danger of extinction.

Threat to human beings: Biodiversity loss endangers human well-being by affecting soil and water, which are fundamental to food production.

Proliferation of pests: For example, imbalances in ecosystems can lead to the emergence of pests that damage crops.

Increase in CO2 emissions: The capacity of forests and oceans to absorb CO2 decreases if their ecosystems are adversely affected.

Different methods of Biodiversity Conservation

The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, urged action with these words: "We can no longer destroy the diversity of life. It is our responsibility to future generations". There are two major methods of Biodiversity Conservation:

1. In-situ Conservation (on-site conservation): when the conservation of species is done in their own ecosystem or habitat where they survive, it is called In-Situ conservation. It is done through establishment of protected areas- such as- National Park (Jim Corbett National Park), wildlife sanctuaries (Wayanad Wildlife sanctuary), Biosphere reserves (Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve), reserved/protected forests, protection of sacred groves, wetlands etc.
2. Ex-Situ Conservation (off-site conservation): The conservation of species outside their habitat in scientifically managed facilities is termed as Ex-Situ Conservation. The species are protected in an artificial environment. It can be done through various methods such as:

• Zoological gardens or Zoos: Delhi Zoo, Alipore Zoo
• Botanical gardens: Indian Botanical Garden in West Bengal
• Gene Banks- places where genes of organisms are stored in frozen vaults- i.e. they are cryopreserved
• Home gardens
• Aquariums