Dr Praveen - Types of Biodiversity

Summary

This session covers the three types of biodiversity: species diversity, genetic diversity, and ecological diversity. Species diversity refers to the variety of species in a region, while genetic diversity deals with variations within a species' genetic makeup. Ecological diversity is the range of ecosystems in a given area. The session also explains biodiversity hotspots, which are regions with a high concentration of endemic species, and the criteria for being classified as one. Finally, it discusses threatened species and their categories as defined by the IUCN, from extinct to least concerned.

Takeaways

• 🌱 Species diversity refers to the variety of different species in a particular area, including all life forms from plants to microorganisms.
• 🧬 Genetic diversity highlights variations in genetic makeup within individuals of the same species, explaining why no two individuals are identical.
• 🌍 Ecological diversity involves the variety of ecosystems in a region, encompassing deserts, rainforests, mangroves, etc., and their interactions.
• 🌎 Biodiversity hotspots are areas with high levels of diverse species, including many that are unique and at risk of extinction.
• 🌿 To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must have at least 1,500 endemic plant species and have lost over 70% of its original vegetation.
• 🇮🇳 India has four biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Sundaland, and the Western Ghats.
• 🐦 These biodiversity hotspots, despite covering only 2% of Earth's land, are home to over half of the world's plant species and 43% of unique vertebrates.
• 🚨 Threatened species are those at risk of extinction and are classified by the IUCN into categories like Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable.
• 📕 The IUCN Red Data Book records species facing extinction, and the seven categories range from Extinct to Least Concern.
• 💡 Conservation efforts are critical in biodiversity hotspots to protect both endemic species and ecosystems under threat.

Q & A

What are the three types of biodiversity discussed in the video?

The three types of biodiversity are species diversity, genetic diversity, and ecological diversity.

What is species diversity?

Species diversity refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular area, ranging from plants to microorganisms.

How does genetic diversity differ from species diversity?

Genetic diversity refers to variations among the genetic resources of organisms within the same species, whereas species diversity involves the variety of different species.

Can you provide an example of genetic diversity?

An example of genetic diversity is the variation among humans, where no two individuals are exactly alike in their genetic makeup.

What is ecological diversity?

Ecological diversity refers to the variations in ecosystems, such as deserts, rainforests, and mangroves, and the interactions among species in those ecosystems.

What is a biodiversity hotspot?

A biodiversity hotspot is a geographical area with a high abundance of diverse and endemic species, many of which are at risk of extinction.

What are the two criteria for an area to be considered a biodiversity hotspot?

The area must have at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species and have lost at least 70% of its original natural vegetation.

How many biodiversity hotspots are there in the world?

There are 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world.

Which biodiversity hotspots are found in India?

India has four biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayan, Indo-Burma, Sundaland, and Western Ghats-Sri Lanka hotspots.

What are the seven categories of threatened species according to the IUCN?

The seven categories are extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near-threatened, and least concern.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Overview of Biodiversity Types

This section introduces the three main types of biodiversity: species diversity, genetic diversity, and ecological diversity. Species diversity refers to the variety of species in a specific area, encompassing a wide range from plants to microorganisms. Genetic diversity highlights the variations in the genetic makeup of organisms, explaining why individuals of the same species, like humans, differ from one another. Ecological diversity discusses the diversity of ecosystems and the relationships between living organisms and their environment, covering ecosystems such as deserts and rainforests.

05:01

🌍 Introduction to Biodiversity Hotspots

This section explains what biodiversity hotspots are and why they are crucial for conservation. A biodiversity hotspot is a region with a high concentration of unique species, many of which are endangered. To qualify as a hotspot, a region must have at least 1,500 endemic vascular plants and must have lost more than 70% of its original vegetation. There are 36 biodiversity hotspots worldwide, which, despite covering only 2% of Earth’s land surface, are home to a vast number of plant and animal species, many found nowhere else. The significance of these regions is discussed, emphasizing the need for conservation efforts.

🇮🇳 India's Biodiversity Hotspots

India is home to four biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayan hotspot, Indo-Burma hotspot, Sundaland hotspot, and the Western Ghats and Sri Lankan hotspot. The Himalayan hotspot spans several countries, including parts of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. The Indo-Burma hotspot includes northeastern India and Southeast Asia. The Sundaland hotspot covers the Nicobar Islands and Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. The Western Ghats hotspot encompasses the Western Ghats mountain range and Sri Lanka. Each of these regions plays a vital role in preserving India's rich biodiversity.

⚠️ Understanding Threatened Species

This section discusses the concept of threatened species, which are species at risk of extinction in the near or distant future. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) categorizes these species into seven groups: extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened, and least concern. The critically endangered species are at the highest risk of extinction, while species classified as least concern are relatively safe. The section highlights the importance of monitoring and protecting these species to prevent their extinction.

Keywords

💡Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms in a given area, encompassing different species, genetic variations, and ecosystems. The video breaks down biodiversity into species, genetic, and ecological diversity, emphasizing how each contributes to the complexity of life on Earth.

💡Species Diversity

Species diversity refers to the variety of different species found within a specific region. The video explains that this type of biodiversity includes a wide range of organisms, from plants to microorganisms, contributing to the overall ecosystem.

💡Genetic Diversity

Genetic diversity refers to the genetic variation within species, which results in differences between individuals. This concept is illustrated in the video by the example of how humans differ in appearance and how plant species like rice or wheat have multiple varieties.

💡Ecological Diversity

Ecological diversity refers to the variety of ecosystems, including both living organisms and their physical environments. The video highlights how ecosystems such as deserts, rainforests, and mangroves each have unique biological communities, contributing to ecological diversity.

💡Biodiversity Hotspot

A biodiversity hotspot is a region with a high concentration of species that are unique to that area but are also under significant threat of extinction. The video explains that hotspots must meet criteria such as having at least 1,500 endemic plant species and retaining less than 30% of their original natural vegetation.

💡Endemic Species

Endemic species are species that are native to a specific geographical location and not found naturally anywhere else. In the video, endemic species are a key criterion for identifying biodiversity hotspots, as these areas contain species that are irreplaceable.

💡Extinct Species

Extinct species are those that no longer have any living individuals. The video mentions that extinction is one of the categories used by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to classify the conservation status of species.

💡Critically Endangered Species

Critically endangered species are those facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. The video categorizes species as critically endangered if they are on the verge of disappearing completely from their natural habitats.

💡Vulnerable Species

Vulnerable species are those that are not yet endangered but are at high risk of becoming so in the near future. In the video, vulnerable species are identified as one of the IUCN categories for species that need conservation attention.

💡IUCN Red List

The IUCN Red List is a comprehensive inventory that assesses the global conservation status of species. The video references the Red List as the primary tool used to classify species into different categories, ranging from extinct to least concerned.

Highlights

There are three different types of biodiversity: species diversity, genetic diversity, and ecological diversity.

Species diversity refers to the variety of different types of species found in a particular area, from plants to microorganisms.

Genetic diversity refers to variations among the genetic resources of organisms, explaining why individuals of the same species look different.

Ecological diversity refers to the variations in plant and animal species living together in different ecosystems, such as deserts and rainforests.

Biodiversity hotspots are geographical areas with a notable abundance of diverse species and a high number of species at risk of extinction.

To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must have at least 1,500 vascular plant species and 30% or less of its original natural vegetation.

There are 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world, home to over half of the world's plant species and 43% of unique birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

India is home to four biodiversity hotspots: Himalayan, Indo-Burma, Sundaland, and Western Ghats.

The Himalayan biodiversity hotspot includes areas from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, China, and Myanmar.

The Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot includes northeastern India, Myanmar, and parts of Southeast Asia.

The Sundaland biodiversity hotspot includes the Nicobar Islands, Indonesia, and neighboring countries.

The Western Ghats and Sri Lankan hotspot covers the Western Ghats in India and the island of Sri Lanka.

Threatened species are those at risk of extinction in the near or distant future, recorded by the IUCN in the Red Data Book.

The IUCN categorizes species into seven categories: extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened, and least concern.

Critically endangered species are at extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Transcripts

welcome back in this session we'll

discuss about types of

biodiversity there are three different

types of biodiversity species diversity

genetic diversity and ecological

diversity species diversity refers to

the variety of different types of

species found in a particular area it is

biodiversity at the most basic level it

includes all the species ranging from

Plants to different

microorganisms no two individuals of the

same species are exactly similar for

example humans show a lot of diversity

among themselves then we have genetic

diversity it refers to the variations

among the genetic resources of the

organism

every individual of a particular species

differs from each other in their genetic

Constitution that is why every human

looks different from each other

similarly there are different varieties

in the same species of plants for

example rice wheat maze Bley

Etc and the last one is ecological

diversity and E EOS system is a

collection of living and non-living

organisms and their interaction with

each other ecological biodiversity

refers to the variations in the plant

and animal species living together and

connected by food chains and food webs

it is the diversity observed among the

different ecosystems in a region

diversity in different ecosystems like

deserts rainforest mangr Etc which

include ecological

diversity now let us move on to discuss

the other aspects of biodiversity let us

begin with biodiversity hotspot what is

a biodiversity hotspot biodiversity

hotspots are geographical areas that

exhibit a notable abundance of diverse

species including numerous species that

are unique to that specific location and

a substantial number of species that are

at risk of

Extinction the notion of biodiversity

hotspots was initially introduced in the

late

1980s and has since served as a valuable

means of identifying regions that

require heightened conservation efforts

now what is the Criterion for a region

to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot for

that according to conservation

International a region must meet two

main important criteria first it must

have at least 1,500 vascular plants as

endemic which is to say it must have a

high percentage of plant life found

nowhere else on the planet a hotspot is

irreplaceable second it must have 30% or

less of its original natural vegetation

and must be threatened as well there are

36 biodiversity hotpots in the world

these areas which constitutes only 2% of

Earth's land surface are home to over

half of the world's plant species that

can only be found in these regions

additionally these hotspots support

almost 43% of the birds

mammals reptile and amphibian species

that are unique to these

areas does India have any of the

biodiversity

hotspots yes of course India as a

treasure land possesses four

biodiversity hotspots they are Himalayan

biodiversity hotspot Indo Burma

biodiversity hotspot Sunderland

biodiversity hotspot and Western guards

the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot

includes the entire Himalayan region and

few areas that fall under Pakistan Tibet

Nepal Bhutan China and manmar the Indo

BMA biodiversity hotspot includes the

entire Northeastern India except Assam

and andman group of islands and Myanmar

Thailand Vietnam l camb CIA and Southern

China the Sunderland biodiversity

hotspots includes the nicobar group of

islands and Indonesia Malaysia Singapore

brunai and Philippines and the last one

the Western GS and Sri Lankan

biodiversity hotspot includes entire

Western gats and Sri

Lanka here you can see the list of

biodiversity hotspots in the world

now let us discuss about threatened

species what are threatened species

threatened species are the species which

are on the verge of Extinction in the

near or far

Future these species are recorded by ien

in a Red Data Book the iucn has

classified species into seven categories

first extinct where all the indiv

individuals have dead second extinct in

wild species that survive only in

cultivation or in captivity third

critically endangered species which are

extremely at high risk of Extinction in

the wild fourth endangered species which

are in high risk of Extinction fifth

vulnerable species species which are

endangered and can face a high risk of

Extinction in the future sixth nearth

threatened species and the last one is

least concerned species that's it for

this session thank you for listening