Biodiversity: Types, Importance and Conservation Methods(with diagram)Category : Essay The term biodiversity was coined as a contraction of biological diversity by E.O. Wilson in 1985.Biodiversity may be defined as the variety and variability of living organisms and the ecological complees in which they eist. !n other words" biodiversity is the occ#rrence of different types ofecosystems" different species of organisms with the whole range of their variants and genes adapted to different climates" environments along with their interactions and processes. Biodiversity incl#des the genetic variability $for which different varieties of spices have appearedin the co#rse of evol#tion% and diversity of life forms s#ch as plants" animal microbes" etc. living in a wide range of ecosystems. Contents:1. Types of Biodiversity&. Biodiversity of !ndia'. !mportance of Biodiversity(. )ses of Biodiversity5. Threats to Biodiversity*. +onservation of BiodiversityThe diversity may be interspecific $within species% and interspecific $in between the species% b#t these are well s#pported by ecosystem. !t is seen that the diverse living forms of the ecosystem are mod#lated with the global environmental changes.1. Types of Biodiversity:There are three interrelated hierarchical levels of biodiversity namely" genetic diversity" species diversity and comm#nity or ecosystem diversity. The discussion on each type of diversity is given below:1. Genetic diversity: !t describes the variation in the n#mber and types of genes as well as chromosomes present in different species. The magnit#de of variation in genes of a species increases with increase in si,e and environmental parameters of the habitat. The genetic variation arises by gene and chromosome m#tation in individ#als and in se#ally reprod#cing organisms and it is spread in the pop#lation by recombination of genetic materials d#ring cell division after se#al reprod#ction. Genetic diversity has the following importance: $i% !t helps in speciation or evol#tion of new species- $ii% !t is #sef#l in adaptation to changes in environmental conditions- $iii% !t is important for agric#lt#ral prod#ctivity and development.2. Species diversity: !t describes the variety in the n#mber and richness of the spices with in a region. The species richness may be defined as the n#mber of species per #nit area. The richness of a species tells abo#t the etent of biodiversity of a site and provides a means for comparing different sites. The species richness depends largely on climatic conditions. The n#mber of individ#als of different species with in a region represents species evenness or species e.#itability. The prod#ct species richness and species evenness give species diversity of a region. When a species is confined entirely to a partic#lar area" it is termed as endemic species.3. Ecosystem diversity: !t describes the assemblage and !nteraction of spices living together and the physical environment a given area. !t relates varieties of habitats" biotic comm#nities ecological processesin biosphere. !t also tells abo#t the diversity within the ecosystem. !t is referred as /and escape diversity beca#se it incl#des placement and si,e of vario#s ecosystems. 0or eample" the landscapes li1e grass lands" deserts" mo#ntains etc. show ecosystem diversity. The ecosystem diversity is d#e to diversity of niches" trophic levels and ecological processes li1en#trient cycling" food webs" energy flow" role of dominant species and vario#s related biotic interactions. 2#ch type of diversity can generate more prod#ctive and stable ecosystems or comm#nities capable of tolerating vario#s types of stresses e.g. dro#ght" flood etc. According to Whittaker (1!"#$ the community diversities are of three types: (i# %&'iversity: !t tells the species diversity in a given comm#nity. !t depends #pon species richness and evenness. (ii# (&'iversity: !t describes a range of comm#nities d#e to replacement of species which arises d#e to the presence of different microhabitats" niches and environmental conditions. (iii# ) &'iversity: !t describes diversity of habitat over a total land escape or geographical area.2. Biodiversity of India: 3s per available data" the varieties of species living on the earth are 145'4'9. O#t of the above species" 1'(481 are residing in !ndia altho#gh s#rface area of !ndia is &5 of the earth6s s#rface. Wild life !nstit#te of !ndia has divided it into ten biogeographical regions and twenty five biotic provinces. *iogeographical regions are: $i% Trans 7imalayas" $ii% 8angetic plain" $iii% 9esert" $iv% 2emiarid ,one- $v% Western 8hats- $vi% 9eccan penins#la" $vii% :orth eastern ,one" $viii% +oastal lands $i% 7imalayas" $% !slands. +ndia is one of the twelve mega diversity nations of the world due to the following reasons: $i% !t has 4.'5 of the global fa#na and 1;.885 of global flora as per the data collected by