CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY

 We can say by the degree of dependency on environment that conservation of biodiversity is necessary.  As an area with higher species abundance has a more stable environment compared to an area with lower species abundance. As a human, we depend directly on various species of plants for our various needs. As well as, we also depend on various species of animals and microbes for different reasons.

Biodiversity is being lost due to various reasons like Pollution, Over-grazing, Deforestation, Over-population, Hunting and poaching, climate change, etc. So, as we are more depended on this environment it's our duty to conserve our biodiversity.

Laws Governing Biodiversity Conservation in India

 (i) The Madras Wild Elephant Preservation Act, 1873. 

(ii) All India Elephant Preservation Act, 1879. 

(iii) The Indian Fisheries Act, 1897. 

(iv) Wild Birds and Wild Animals Protection Act, 1912. 

(v) The Indian Forest Act, 1927. 

(vi) Bengal Rhinoceros Act, 1932. 

(vii) Haily National Park Act.. 1936. 

(viii) Bombay Wild, Animals and Wild Birds Protection Act, 1951. 

(ix) Assam Rhinoceros Protection Act, 1954. 

(x) The Cruelty Against Animals Act, 1960. 

(xi) The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. 

(xii) The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. 

(xiii) Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act; 1991.

(xiv) Conservation of Forests and National Ecosystems Act, 1994.

In-situ & Ex-situ Conservation of Biodiversity 

In-situ Conservation

In-situ conservation is defined as the conservation of plants and animals in their natural ecosystem or even man made ecosystem, where they naturally occur. This type of conservation is applicable to wild flora and fauna as conservation is achieved through the protection of populations in their natural habitat. The concept of protected areas falls under these categories e.g. National Parks, Sanctuaries and Biosphere reserves etc.

• National Park

The history of National parks in India begins in 1936 when the Hailey (now Corbett) national parks of United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) was created. The area is declared for the protection and preservation for all time of wild animal life and wild vegetation for the benefit and advantage and enjoyment of the general public. In this area hunting of fauna or collection of flora is prohibited except under the direction of park authority. 

According to the Indian Board for Wild Life (IBWL), “a National Park is an area dedicated by statute for all time to conserve the scenery, natural and historical objects, to conserve the wild life there in and to provide for enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means, that will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations with such modification as local conditions may demand”.

• Sanctuary

The Indian Board for Wild Life has defined a sanctuary as, ‘An area where killing, hunting, shooting or capturing of any species of bird or animal is prohibited except by or under the control of highest authority in the department responsible for the management of the sanctuary and whose boundaries and character should be sacrosanct as far as possible. By June 1992 India had 416 sanctuaries. The Board has further clarified the position by stating that while the management of sanctuaries does not involve suspension or restriction of normal forest operation, it is desirable to aside a completely sacrosanct area within a sanctuary to be known as ‘Abhyaranya’. It has also indicated that sanctuaries should be made accessible to the public.

In India sanctuary is usually created by an order or gazette notification of State government. So the weakness of a sanctuary is that it can be desanctuarized merely by another order or gazette notification of a State government because it is not safeguarded by any proper legislation.

• Biosphere Reserves

Biosphere Reserves have been described as undisturbed natural areas for scientific study as well as areas in which conditions of disturbance are under control. These serve as the centre for ecological research and habitat protection, The “Biosphere consists of two main zones as; Buffer Zone I & Buffer Zone II.

The main objectives of biosphere reserve is to:

• Conserve biological diversity 

• Safeguard genetic diversity 

• Provide areas for basic and applied research 

• Opportunity for Environmental Science and training 

• Promote international cooperation 

• Promote management of biotic resources.

Ex-situ Conservation

It can he defined as the conservation of plants and animals away from their natural habitats, which includes collection of samples of genetic diversity and their treatment in the laboratory, where they are cultured. The concept of ‘gene banks’ has primarily become the talk for ex-situ conservation as it is important for conservation of agricultural crops and forestry based afforestation programme. Genetic resource centre fall under this category and include botanical gardens, zoos etc.

(a) National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) 

The set up was established in 1976 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) New Delhi for “Ex-Situ” conservation of plant genetic resources for agri-horticultural and agri-silvicultural activities. Built- in long term cold storage (Gene Banks) have been installed in New Delhi to conserve genetic resources at low temperature of 20°C. At present, NBPGR holds about 48.5 thousand accessions of diverse species of economically important plants (Khanna & Singh 1987). A number of scientific organizations dealing with storage of genetic material of various crop plants have been established in India after independence. They are “Rice Research Institute”, Cuttack, “Potato Research Institute”, Shimla & “Indian Institute of Horticultural Research”, Bangalore.

(b) National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) 

It was established in the 1980’s in Kamal, Punjab: for preservation of germless of improved varieties of cattle’s-cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, camels and oxen and their various breeds found in different parts of India. Other organizations for “ex-situ” conservation of animal germplasm are “National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources”.