Conserving the Biodiversity of India an Ecological Approach

Biodiversity, manifested at all leve1s of bio-organisation from cell to ecosystem, refers to the variability of all kinds of living organisms inhabiting terrestrial, marine of freshwater ecosystems or in the atmosphere. India is a megadiversity region of the world. In prevailing situations, all the bioclimatic natural habitats have come under the pressure of over-exploitation, leading-to loss of habitat characteristics, desertification and extinction of plants and animal life at an alarming pace. Since we do not know the full potential of gene qualities of all wild varieties, therefore, we are losing these untapped and unknown resources of gene pool with the extinction of each species. Conservation of biodiversity means the preservation and protection of the variability in organisms in such a way that human welfare and interest are ensured at an optimum level over indefinite period of time. In this respect the concept of in-situ and ex-situ preservation of species is important for habitat restoration and biodiversity conservation. Through its conservation, mankind will get indirect benefits of higher photosynthetic carbon fixation, more Oxygen and less CO₂in atmosphere, better balance of ecosystem and maintenance of Hydrology at microhabitat level.