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Biodiversity and its Conservation: AHSEC Class 11 Env.
Get summay, questions, answers, solutions, notes, extras, PDF, competency-based questions of chapter- 3/unit I, Biodiversity and its Conservation: AHSEC Class 11 Environmental Education, which is part of the present syllabus. These solutions, however, should only be treated as references and can be modified/changed.
If you notice any errors in the notes, please mention them in the comments
Summary
Biodiversity is the variety of all living things on Earth. This includes plants, animals, and tiny microorganisms. It also includes the genes they carry and the different environments they live in. Biodiversity is looked at on three levels: genetic, species, and ecosystem. Genetic diversity is the variety of genes within a single species. For example, different types of rice, like basmati and joha, exist because of genetic differences. These differences can create variations in size, color, or taste.
Species diversity refers to the number of different species on Earth. A species is a group of living things that can create fertile offspring. Horses and donkeys are different species, just as lions and tigers are. Ecosystem diversity is the variety of different habitats, like forests, deserts, and oceans. An ecosystem is a community where living things interact with each other and with non-living things like soil, air, and water.
Biodiversity is valuable to humans in many ways. It provides us with food, fuel, medicine, and clothing. About 90 percent of the world’s food comes from plants. Many medicines are also derived from nature, such as penicillin from a fungus and aspirin from a plant. This is called consumptive use. Productive use involves commercial products from nature, like silk from silkworms and wood for paper. Biodiversity also has social and cultural value. In India, many plants and animals are part of religious traditions. Some forests, called sacred groves, are protected because they are considered holy. There is also an ethical reason to protect biodiversity, as every species has a right to exist. The beauty of nature, or its aesthetic value, brings joy to people who visit parks and wild areas.
However, biodiversity is facing many threats. One major threat is habitat destruction, which happens when forests are cut down for farming, roads, or cities. Poaching, the illegal hunting of animals like rhinos and tigers for their horns or fur, is another serious problem. Overgrazing by livestock can damage grasslands and lead to soil loss. Climate change and global warming can harm species that cannot adapt to new conditions. Biopiracy, the act of taking natural resources or traditional knowledge from a place without permission to make money, is also a threat.
To protect biodiversity, conservation efforts are made. In-situ conservation means protecting species in their natural habitats, such as in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Kaziranga National Park in Assam is an example where rhinos are protected. Ex-situ conservation involves protecting species outside their natural homes, in places like zoos and botanical gardens. Countries also create laws to protect their natural wealth. India has several laws, like the Wildlife Protection Act, to prevent hunting and protect forests.
Textual/Exercise
1. Define the term biodiversity.
Answer: The term ‘biological diversity’ commonly shortened to biodiversity refers to the number, variety, and variability of all life forms on earth. These include millions of plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they contain, and the intricate ecosystems of which they are a part. Biodiversity is usually described at three levels: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity.
2. Explain with suitable examples – genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity.
Answer: Genetic diversity is the diversity of genes within a species, which are passed down the generations. This type of diversity gives rise to the varieties of species. For example, basmati rice is distinct from joha rice. Some variations are easy to see, such as, size or colour.
Species diversity is explained by the fact that species is the unit used to classify the millions of life forms on earth. Each species is distinct from every other species. For example, horses and donkeys are distinct species, as are lions and tigers. What unites members of a species is that they are genetically so similar that they can produce fertile offspring.
Ecosystem diversity is the diversity of habitats which include the different life forms within itself. An ecosystem is a set of life forms like plants, animals, and micro-organisms interacting with one another and with non-living elements like soil, air, water, and minerals.
3. What are value of biodiversity?
Answer: The value of biodiversity is that it touches almost every aspect of our life. This diversity meets the food, medicinal, clothing, shelter, spiritual as well as the recreational needs of millions of people around the world. It also ensures that ecological functions such as the supply of clean water, nutrient cycling and soil protection are maintained. The values of biodiversity can be categorized as:
- Consumptive use
- Productive use
- Social use
- Ethical use
- Aesthetic use
4. What is consumptive value?
Answer: Consumptive value relates to biodiversity products like fuel, food, drugs, and fibres that have been used by man from time immemorial. About 90 per cent of the world’s food comes from plant species. About 80 per cent of the people in developing countries depend for primary healthcare on traditional medicine, most of which is derived from plants, and some from animal and mineral sources. Fuel wood, fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, natural gas, and minerals have been used by all of us.
5. What is productive value?
Answer: Productive value refers to the commercial products manufactured or prepared from the different resources of biodiversity. Many industries depend largely on plant materials, for example, the paper and pulp industry, sugar industry, plywood industry, and railway sleeper industry. Products obtained from animal diversity include the tusks of elephants, silk from silk worms, wool from sheep, and lac from lac insects.
6. What are major threats to biodiversity?
Answer: The major threats to biodiversity are:
a) Habitat destruction
b) Overgrazing
c) Poaching
d) Natural calamities
e) Climate change and global warming
f) Biopiracy
7. What are Ex-situ and In-situ conservation of biodiversity? Give examples of each.
Answer: In-situ conservation is the conservation of wild species of flora and fauna in their natural habitat, which means on-site preservation. Examples include biosphere reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and reserve forests.
Ex-situ conservation is the conservation of plants and animals away from their natural habitat. This could be in zoological parks and botanical gardens or through forestry institutions and agricultural research centres.
8. What is biopiracy?
Answer: Biopiracy is a kind of procurement of biological resources from a country or a place and the subsequent patentisation of their products. Agents of some companies or other middle persons collect knowledge and valuable living materials from indigenous people and then proceed for patentisation on their own. Through such unethical means, they acquire the rights to market these products.
9. Mention two conservation strategies in our country.
Answer: Two conservation strategies in our country are:
- Environment Protection Act, 1986: This act relates to general measures to protect the environment, such as restriction on industrial and other processes or activities in specified areas.
- Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980: This act primarily focuses on prohibiting or regulating non-forest use of forest lands.
10. In which year the Earth Summit was held?
Answer: The Earth Summit was held in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro.
Extra/additional questions and answers
1. Describe in detail the three levels of biodiversity.
Answer: Biodiversity is usually described at three levels: genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity.
Genetic biodiversity is the diversity of genes within a species, which are passed down through generations. This type of diversity is what gives rise to the different varieties of a species. For instance, basmati rice is distinct from joha rice. Some of these genetic variations are easy to see, such as differences in size or colour, while other variations like taste or flavor can be perceived by other senses.
Species biodiversity refers to the variety of different species on earth. A species is the basic unit used to classify the millions of life forms. Each species is distinct from every other species; for example, horses and donkeys are distinct species, just as lions and tigers are. Members of the same species are united by the fact that they are genetically similar enough to produce fertile offspring. Species diversity is typically measured by the total number of species found within a specific, defined area.
Ecosystem biodiversity is the diversity of habitats that contain different life forms. An ecosystem is a community of life forms like plants, animals, and micro-organisms that interact with one another and with non-living elements such as soil, air, and water. Therefore, ecosystem diversity refers to the variety of these habitats and the different life forms within them. The term can also be used to describe the variety of ecosystems found within a larger biogeographical or political boundary.
2. Describe genetic biodiversity with a suitable example.
Answer: Genetic biodiversity is the diversity of genes within a single species, which are passed down through generations. This type of diversity is what gives rise to different varieties within a species. For example, basmati rice is distinct from joha rice because of genetic differences. Some of these genetic variations are easy to see, like differences in size or colour, while others, like taste or flavor, can be perceived by other senses.
3. What is species biodiversity? Give example?
Answer: Species biodiversity refers to the variety of different species on earth, where a species is the basic unit used to classify life forms. Each species is distinct from every other.
For example, lions and tigers are distinct species. What unites members of the same species is that they are genetically similar enough to produce fertile offspring. Since lions and tigers are distinct species, they cannot produce fertile offspring together, which is what separates them.
4. How is species diversity typically measured?
Answer: Species diversity is usually measured in terms of the total number of different species that are found living within a specifically defined area.
5. Define an ecosystem. How does it relate to ecosystem diversity?
Answer: An ecosystem is a set of life forms, such as plants, animals, and micro-organisms, that interact with one another and with non-living elements like soil, air, and water. Ecosystem diversity is the diversity of these habitats and the different life forms within them. It also refers to the variety of different ecosystems that can be found within a specific biogeographical or political boundary.
6. Discuss the consumptive and productive use values of biodiversity with suitable examples.
Answer: The consumptive use value of biodiversity relates to products that are directly consumed and have been used by humans since ancient times. These include resources like fuel, food, drugs, and fibres. About 90 percent of the world’s food comes from plant species, and genetic diversity is very important for breeding new crop varieties that can resist pests and diseases. About 80 percent of people in developing countries rely on traditional medicine, which is mostly derived from plants. Examples include penicillin from the fungus penicillium, tetracycline from a bacterium, aspirin from the plant Filipendulaulmaria, and quinine from the bark of the cinchona tree. Other consumptive uses include fuel wood, fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, natural gas, and minerals.
Productive use value refers to commercial products that are manufactured or prepared from the resources of biodiversity. Many traditional communities depend on surrounding natural resources for their daily needs, including food, shelter, clothing, household goods, and medicines. Products obtained from animal diversity include the tusks of elephants, silk from silkworms, wool from sheep, and lac from the lac insect. Many industries also depend heavily on plant materials. For example, the paper and pulp industry, the sugar industry, the plywood industry, and the industry that produces railway sleepers all rely on plant-based resources from our biodiversity.
7. From what fungus is the antibiotic penicillin obtained?
Answer: The antibiotic penicillin is obtained from a type of fungus called penicillium. This is an example of how traditional medicine and modern drugs are derived from natural sources.
8. Name the plant from which aspirin is derived.
Answer: Aspirin is derived from the plant known as Filipendula ulmaria. This is one of the many medicines that originate from plant sources.
9. From which tree’s bark is quinine obtained?
Answer: Quinine is a medicine that is obtained from the bark of the cinchona tree. It is another example of a significant medical product derived from biodiversity.
10. Name two products obtained from animal diversity for commercial use.
Answer: Two products obtained from animal diversity for commercial use are silk, which comes from the silkworm, and wool, which is obtained from sheep. Other examples include elephant tusks and lac from the lac insect.
11. What are sacred groves?
Answer: Sacred groves are pockets of forests that have been traditionally set aside in India and other countries because they are believed to be the home of a particular god. Local communities have protected these areas for ages, preserving them as areas of rich biodiversity.
12. Why is genetic diversity important for breeding crops and livestock?
Answer: Genetic diversity is very important for breeding crops and livestock because it provides a range of genetic material for breeders to work with. Crop breeders need a diversity of crop varieties to breed new types that can resist evolving pests and diseases. The loss of this diversity can have serious effects on global food security, as a single pest or disease could wipe out an entire standing crop or a particular type of livestock.
13. Name any four major threats to biodiversity.
Answer: Four major threats to biodiversity are habitat destruction, overgrazing, poaching, and natural calamities. Other serious threats also include climate change, global warming, and biopiracy.
14. How does habitat destruction occur? How does it threaten biodiversity?
Answer: Habitat destruction occurs through activities such as the commercial felling of trees, the encroachment of forests for settlement and agriculture, and jhum cultivation on hill slopes. Various developmental activities like the construction of roads, railways, industries, and mega-dams also cause habitat destruction. These activities put a serious threat to biodiversity and have an immense impact on it by destroying the natural homes of countless species.
15. Explain how overgrazing is a major problem for biodiversity.
Answer: Overgrazing is a major problem for biodiversity, especially on grasslands. It happens when there is uncontrolled grazing by livestock. Since many grasslands are confined to small areas, the pressure from grazing is significant. This activity accelerates the erosion of topsoil, which in turn destroys the biodiversity of the area by making it difficult for native plants to grow and for the ecosystem to support its wildlife.
16. Why is poaching considered a major threat to biodiversity? Give examples.
Answer: Poaching is considered a major threat to biodiversity because it involves the illegal hunting and killing of wildlife, often for international trade. Species like elephants, rhinos, and tigers are regularly poached. For instance, a large number of rhinoceros in Assam have been killed for their horns. Despite bans on trade, the smuggling of wildlife items such as fur, hides, horns, and tusks continues in full swing, pushing many species closer to extinction.
17. Name two natural calamities that cause loss to biodiversity.
Answer: Two natural calamities that cause irreparable loss to biodiversity are floods and earthquakes. Other examples include tsunamis and storms, which can severely damage ecosystems and wipe out populations of various species.
18. How do climate change and global warming affect biodiversity?
Answer: Climate change and global warming are serious threats to biodiversity. As the climatic pattern changes, many species cannot tolerate the new conditions and die. Global warming, in particular, adds a catastrophic threat of mass extinction of global biological diversity. It is estimated that the extinction threat from these changes ranges from 15 to 30 per cent of all species over the next 50 to 60 years.
19. Explain the concept of biopiracy. How is it a threat to biodiversity?
Answer: Biopiracy is the act of obtaining biological resources from a country or a place and then patenting products derived from them, often without permission. Agents from companies may collect knowledge and valuable living materials from indigenous people and then patent them on their own.
This is a threat to biodiversity because it involves unethically acquiring the rights to market high-value bioresources, which can exploit local communities and harm conservation efforts.
20. Describe In-situ conservation. What efforts has India made in this regard?
Answer: In-situ conservation is the conservation of wild species of flora and fauna within their natural habitat, which is also known as on-site preservation. Examples include biosphere reserves, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries. India has a long tradition of this type of conservation and has established a network of protected areas. Today, India has over 533 national parks and sanctuaries, which cover about 4.5 per cent of the country’s territory and help in conserving habitats and their biodiversity.
21. Give two examples of In-situ conservation sites.
Answer: Two examples of In-situ conservation sites are national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Other examples include biosphere reserves and reserve forests, which are all part of a network of protected areas.
22. Which animals are protected in Kaziranga National Park?
Answer: Kaziranga National Park is involved in the protection of the Asiatic Rhino. The park is also the home of other protected animals, including the swamp deer, hog deer, and elephants.
23. What is Ex-situ conservation? Mention some institutions involved in this work.
Answer: Ex-situ conservation is the conservation of plants and animals away from their natural habitat. This type of conservation can take place in zoological parks, botanical gardens, forestry institutions, and agricultural research centres. A lot of effort is dedicated to collecting and preserving the genetic material of crops, animals, birds, and fish. Institutions involved in this work include the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources in New Delhi and the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources in Karnal.
24. Give two examples of Ex-situ conservation methods.
Answer: Two examples of Ex-situ conservation methods are maintaining plants and animals in zoological parks and botanical gardens. Other methods include preservation through forestry institutions and agricultural research centres.
25. What is the main focus of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980?
Answer: The main focus of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, is to prohibit or regulate the non-forest use of forest lands. This act is designed to protect forests from being cleared for other purposes.
26. In which year the Earth Summit was held?
Answer: The Earth Summit was held in the year 1992. It was a major United Nations conference that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, focusing on environment and development.
27. Distinguish between Genetic biodiversity and Species biodiversity.
Answer: Genetic biodiversity is the diversity of genes within a species, which are passed down the generations. It is this type of diversity that gives rise to the varieties of species. For example, basmati rice is distinct from joha rice. Some variations are easy to see, such as size or colour, while taste or flavor can be perceived by other senses.
On the other hand, species biodiversity relates to the unit used to classify the millions of life forms on earth. Each species is distinct from every other species; for instance, horses and donkeys are distinct species, as are lions and tigers. What unites members of a species is that they are genetically so similar that they can produce fertile offspring. Species diversity is usually measured in terms of the total number of species within a defined area.
28. Distinguish between Species biodiversity and Ecosystem biodiversity.
Answer: Species biodiversity is measured in terms of the total number of species within a defined area. A species is the unit used to classify life forms, and what unites its members is the fact that they are genetically so similar that they can produce fertile offspring.
Ecosystem biodiversity, on the other hand, is the diversity of habitats which include the different life forms within itself. An ecosystem is a set of life forms like plants, animals, and micro-organisms interacting with one another and with non-living elements such as soil, air, water, and minerals. Ecosystem diversity can also refer to the variety of ecosystems found within a biogeographical or political boundary.
29. Distinguish between Consumptive use and Productive use of biodiversity.
Answer: Consumptive use refers to biodiversity products like fuel, food, drugs, and fibres that have been used by man from time immemorial. About 90 per cent of the world’s food comes from plant species, and about 80 per cent of people in developing countries depend on traditional medicine derived mostly from plants. Fuel wood, fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, natural gas, and minerals are also examples of consumptive use.
Productive use, on the other hand, refers to commercial products manufactured or prepared from the different resources of biodiversity. Examples include tusks of elephants, silk from silk worms, wool from sheep, and lac from lac insects, which are obtained from animal diversity. Many industries, such as the paper and pulp industry, sugar industry, and plywood industry, also depend largely on plant materials for productive use.
30. Distinguish between the Social use and the Ethical use of biodiversity.
Answer: Social use of biodiversity is when plants and animals have ritual significance and are associated with religious, spiritual, and other cultural uses. In India, auspicious flowers like hibiscus and datura are offered in temples. Various animal species like the cow, goat, and buffalo are considered sacred due to their association with different deities. Some animal species are believed to be the vahanas or vehicles of deities and are venerated. Pockets of forests called sacred groves are also protected by local communities as they are believed to be the abode of a particular god.
Ethical use of biodiversity is based on the principle that each species is unique and has a right to exist, and humans do not have the right to eliminate any species. Ethics provide the basis for deciding what is right or wrong. The world charter for nature states that every form of life is unique, warranting respect regardless of its worth to man, and to accord other organisms such recognition, man must be guided by a moral code of action.
31. Distinguish between the Ethical use and the Aesthetic use of biodiversity.
Answer: Ethical use of biodiversity is based on a moral code of action. It holds that each species is unique and has a right to exist, and humans do not have the right to eliminate any species. This use is about deciding what is right or wrong and respecting every form of life regardless of its worth to man.
Aesthetic use, on the other hand, relates to the richness and beauty that each species and ecosystem adds to life on earth. It is about the sheer joy of watching a sunset over an ocean, the sight of leaping deer, the sound of a singing bird, or the smell of wet earth after the first rains. The number of people who visit a natural site like a national park or wildlife sanctuary is an indication of its aesthetic value.
32. Distinguish between Habitat destruction and Poaching as threats to biodiversity.
Answer: Habitat destruction is the destruction of natural habitats, which puts a serious threat to biodiversity. This occurs through commercial felling of trees, encroachment of forests for settlement and agriculture, jhum cultivation in hill slopes, and other developmental activities like the construction of roads, railways, industries, and mega dams.
Poaching, on the other hand, is another major threat to biodiversity that occurs after the loss of habitat. It involves the illegal hunting of species for international trades. Species such as elephants, rhinos, and tigers are poached regularly. This leads to the smuggling of wildlife items like fur, hides, horns, and tusks.
33. Distinguish between Overgrazing and Poaching as threats to biodiversity.
Answer: Overgrazing is a major problem, especially on grasslands, where uncontrolled grazing by livestock occurs. Since most grasslands are confined to a small area, the pressure on them is not negligible. Overgrazing accelerates top soil erosion and thereby destroys biodiversity.
Poaching is another major threat to biodiversity where species are poached regularly for international trades. For example, a large number of rhinoceros in Assam have been killed for their horns. Poaching involves the smuggling of wildlife items like fur, hides, horns, and tusks from endangered species.
34. Distinguish between Climate change and Biopiracy as threats to biodiversity.
Answer: Climate change is a serious threat to biodiversity where a change in climatic pattern causes many species to die because they cannot tolerate it. The effects of global warming add a catastrophic threat toward mass extinction of global biological diversity, with an estimated extinction threat of 15 to 30 per cent of all species over the next 50-60 years.
Biopiracy, on the other hand, is a kind of procurement of biological resources from a country or a place and the subsequent patentisation of their products. Through unethical means, agents of some companies or other middle persons collect knowledge and valuable living materials from indigenous people and acquire rights of marketing these products. Biopiracy of certain high-valued bioresources is a major threat to biodiversity.
35. Distinguish between In-situ conservation and Ex-situ conservation.
Answer: In-situ conservation is the conservation of wild species of flora and fauna in their natural habitat, which means on-site preservation. Examples of in-situ conservation include biosphere reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and reserve forests.
Ex-situ conservation is the conservation of plants and animals away from their natural habitat. This could be in zoological parks and botanical gardens or through forestry institutions and agricultural research centres.
36. Write short note on The term Biodiversity.
Answer: The term ‘biological diversity,’ commonly shortened to biodiversity, refers to the number, variety, and variability of all life forms on earth. These include millions of plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they contain, and the intricate ecosystems of which they are a part. Biodiversity is usually described at three levels: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity.
37. Write short note on Genetic biodiversity.
Answer: Genetic biodiversity is the diversity of genes within a species, which are passed down through the generations. It is this type of diversity that gives rise to the varieties of species. For example, basmati rice is distinct from joha rice. Some variations are easy to see, such as size or colour. Taste or flavor can be perceived by other senses.
38. Write short note on Species biodiversity.
Answer: Species is the unit used to classify the millions of life forms on earth. Each species is distinct from every other species. For instance, horses and donkeys are distinct species, as are lions and tigers. What unites members of a species is the fact that they are genetically so similar that they can produce fertile offspring. Species diversity is usually measured in terms of the total number of species within a defined area.
39. Write short note on Ecosystem biodiversity.
Answer: An ecosystem is a set of life forms (plants, animals, micro-organisms) interacting with one another and with non-living elements (soil, air, water, minerals, etc). Ecosystem diversity is, therefore, the diversity of habitats which include the different life forms within itself. It is also used to refer to the variety of ecosystems found within a biogeographical or political boundary.
40. Write short note on The value of biodiversity.
Answer: Biodiversity may sound like an abstract concept, but in reality, it touches almost every aspect of our life. The earth has an enormous variety of plants and animals, both domesticated and wild, as also a wide array of habitats and ecosystems. This diversity meets the food, medicinal, clothing, shelter, spiritual as well as the recreational needs of millions of people around the world. It also ensures that ecological functions such as the supply of clean water, nutrient cycling and soil protection are maintained. In fact, biodiversity loss would mean a threat to the survival of the human race itself.
41. Write short note on Consumptive use of biodiversity.
Answer: Biodiversity products like fuel, food, drugs, and fibres have been used by man from time immemorial. About 90 per cent of the world’s food comes from plant species. Genetic diversity is important in breeding crops and livestock, as breeders need a diversity of crop varieties to breed new ones that resist evolving pests and disease. About 80 per cent of the people in developing countries depend on traditional medicine for primary healthcare, most of which is derived from plants. We get penicillin from a fungus called penicillium, tetracycline from a bacterium, aspirin from the plant Filipendulaulmaria, and quinine from the bark of the cinchona tree. Fuel wood, fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, natural gas, and minerals have been used by all of us.
42. Write short note on Productive use of biodiversity.
Answer: Productive use refers to the commercial products manufactured or prepared from the different resources of biodiversity. Many traditional communities depend on surrounding natural resources for their daily needs of food, shelter, clothing, household goods, medicines, fertilizers, and entertainment. The tusks of elephants, silk from silkworms, wool from sheep, and lac from the lac insect are obtained from animal diversity. Many industries also depend largely on plant materials, such as the paper and pulp industry, sugar industry, plywood industry, and for railway sleepers.
43. Write short note on Social use of biodiversity.
Answer: In India, many plants and animals have ritual significance and are associated with religious, spiritual and other cultural uses. For example, hibiscus flowers are offered to the goddess Kali, and datura flowers are offered to Shiva. Different parts of mango, tulsi, lotus, and bel tree are used for various purposes. Animal species like the cow, goat, and buffalo are considered sacred due to their association with different deities. Some animal species are believed to be the vahanas or vehicles of the deities and are therefore venerated. In India and other countries, pockets of forests called sacred groves have been traditionally set aside as the abode of a particular god, and local communities have protected these areas, preserving them as pockets of rich biodiversity.
44. Write short note on Ethical use of biodiversity.
Answer: Each species is unique and has a right to exist. Humans do not have the right to eliminate any species. Ethics provide the basis for deciding what is right or wrong, good or bad. The world charter for nature, adopted by the United Nations in 1982, states that ‘every form of life is unique warranting respect regardless of its worth to man, and to accord other organisms such recognition, man must be guided by a moral code of action.’
45. Write short note on Aesthetic use of biodiversity.
Answer: Each species and ecosystem adds to the richness and beauty of life on earth. Perhaps no artificial medium can match the sheer joy of watching a sunset over an ocean, the sight of leaping deer, the sound of a singing bird, or the smell of wet earth after the first rains. A natural ecosystem, once destroyed, is impossible to recreate. The number of people who visit a natural site is an indication of its aesthetic value. We generally try to enjoy natural beauty by visiting national parks, wildlife sanctuaries or even forest areas, rather than a barren land.
46. Write short note on Biopiracy.
Answer: Biopiracy is a kind of procurement of biological resources from a country or a place and the subsequent patentisation of their products. The indigenous people of some countries are the treasure house of knowledge and beliefs. Agents of some companies or other middle persons collect their knowledge and valuable living materials and subsequently proceed for patentisation on their own. Thus, through unethical means, they acquire rights of marketing these products. Biopiracy of certain high-valued bioresources has been a major threat to biodiversity.
47. Write short note on In-situ Conservation.
Answer: In-situ conservation is the conservation of wild species of flora and fauna in their natural habitat, i.e., on-site preservation. Examples include biosphere reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and reserve forests. India has a long tradition of such conservation and has established a network of protected areas. Today, India has over 533 national parks and sanctuaries, which cover about 4.5 per cent of the country’s territory. Assam has 5 national parks and 22 wildlife sanctuaries. Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora wildlife sanctuary are involved in the protection of the Asiatic Rhino. The biosphere reserve, Manas National Park, is the home of the golden langur and pigmy hog.
48. Write short note on Ex-situ Conservation.
Answer: Ex-situ conservation is the conservation of plants and animals away from their natural habitat. This can be in zoological parks and botanical gardens or through forestry institutions and agricultural research centres. A lot of effort is underway to collect and preserve the genetic material of crops, animals, birds, and fish species. This work is being done by institutions such as the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, and the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal.
Extra/additional Fill in the Blanks
1. Biodiversity is usually described at ______ levels: genetic, species and ecosystem.
Answer: three
2. The diversity of genes within a species, which are passed down the generations, is known as ______ biodiversity.
Answer: genetic
3. In the example provided, ______ rice is distinct from joha rice.
Answer: basmati
4. ______ is the unit used to classify the millions of life forms on earth.
Answer: Species
5. What unites members of a species is the fact that they are genetically so similar that they can produce ______ offspring.
Answer: fertile
6. An ______ is a set of life forms interacting with one another and with non-living elements like soil, air, and water.
Answer: ecosystem
7. About ______ per cent of the world’s food comes from plant species.
Answer: 90
8. About 80 per cent of the people in developing countries depend for primary healthcare on ______ medicine.
Answer: traditional
9. We get penicillin, used as an antibiotic, from a fungus called ______.
Answer: penicillium
10. Quinine is obtained from the bark of the ______ tree.
Answer: cinchona
11. The tusks of elephants, silk from silk worms, and wool from sheep are examples of ______ use of biodiversity.
Answer: productive
12. In India, ______ flowers are offered to the goddess Kali.
Answer: hibiscus
13. In India, ______ flowers are offered to Shiva.
Answer: datura
14. Pockets of forests traditionally protected by local communities, believed to be the abode of a god, are called ______.
Answer: sacred groves
15. The world charter for nature was adopted by the United Nations in ______.
Answer: 1982
16. The extinction or elimination of species is a ______ process of evolution.
Answer: natural
17. Uncontrolled grazing by ______ is a major problem, especially on grasslands.
Answer: livestock
18. A large number of rhinoceros in ______ have been killed for its horn.]
Answer: Assam
19. The extinction threat due to global warming is estimated to range from 15 to ______ per cent of all species over the next 50-60 years.
Answer: 30
20. ______ is the procurement of biological resources from a country and the subsequent patentisation of their products without permission.
Answer: Biopiracy
21. Conservation of wild species in their natural habitat is known as ______ conservation.
Answer: In-situ
22. Today, India has over ______ national parks and sanctuaries.
Answer: 533
23. In Assam, ______ National Park is the home of the golden langur and pigmy hog.
Answer: Manas
24. Conservation of plants and animals away from their natural habitat, such as in zoological parks, is known as ______ conservation.
Answer: Ex-situ
25. The Environment Protection Act was passed in the year ______.
Answer: 1986
26. The Forest (Conservation) Act primarily focuses on prohibiting or regulating non-forest use of forest lands and was passed in ______.
Answer: 1980
27. The Wildlife (Protection) Act was first enacted in ______.
Answer: 1972
