Vegetation and wildlife Impact Assessment

Summary

Dr. Sushmita Bhaskar's module MEVE001 delves into environmental impact assessment, focusing on vegetation and wildlife. It discusses the threats posed by human activities to these resources, the importance of vegetation in biogeochemical cycles, and the alarming rate of wildlife loss. The module outlines techniques for impact assessment, including biological surveys, indicators, and mitigation strategies, emphasizing the need for conservation to ensure environmental and ecological sustainability.

Takeaways

• 🌳 Dr. Sushmita Bhaskar introduces herself as a specialist in environmental studies, focusing on the impact of human activities on vegetation and wildlife.
• 🌿 The rapid growth of the human population is causing significant stress on the environment and its resources, affecting both plants and animals.
• 🐾 Anthropogenic activities such as fishing, hunting, deforestation, and urbanization are major threats to vegetation and wildlife resources.
• 🌐 By 2150, the global population is expected to reach 10 billion, exacerbating issues like global warming, food scarcity, and environmental health.
• 🌱 Vegetation is crucial for life as it regulates biogeochemical cycles and serves as a habitat and energy source for wildlife, playing a critical role in the biosphere.
• 🐊 Environmental degradation and pollutants can lead to a decline in biodiversity, with an estimated 50% loss of wildlife in the past 40 years.
• 🔍 Biological concepts and terms like biological assessment, biological survey, and biological indicators are essential for analyzing environmental impacts.
• 🏞️ Reference sites provide a benchmark for assessing the biological condition of surveyed sites, representing natural conditions undisturbed by human activities.
• 🛠️ Impact assessment helps in decision-making to ensure projects are environmentally and socially sound, identifying and evaluating potential impacts of development activities.
• 🌳 Baseline studies are crucial for understanding how a proposed project might change the existing environmental conditions and for predicting and monitoring impacts.
• 🔎 Biotic assessment uses the presence, condition, and abundance of various species to determine the health of an ecosystem and assess environmental impacts.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the module MEVE001?

The speaker is Dr. Sushmita Bhaskar, working in the discipline of environmental studies at the School of Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi.

What is the main focus of the module MEVE001?

The module focuses on environmental impact assessment, specifically discussing the impact on vegetation and wildlife.

What are the main anthropogenic activities threatening vegetation and wildlife resources mentioned in the script?

The main anthropogenic activities mentioned are fishing, hunting, ecosystem fragmentation, deforestation, gathering firewood, overgrazing, and human settlement.

What is the expected human population by 2150 according to the script?

The script suggests that by 2150, the human population is expected to reach an alarming level of 10 billion.

How does the script describe the role of vegetation in the biosphere?

The script describes vegetation as a most copious biotic element of the biosphere, playing a critical role in regulating biogeochemical cycles, being a primary source of oxygen, and serving as a habitat and energy source for wildlife.

What is the estimated percentage of wildlife lost in the past 40 years according to the script?

The script estimates that 50 percent of the total wildlife has been lost in the past 40 years.

What are biological indicators in the context of environmental impact assessment?

Biological indicators are a group of organisms that can be employed to assess the condition of an ecosystem or environment, providing insights into the health of the ecosystem based on their presence and condition.

What is the purpose of impact assessment in environmental projects?

The purpose of impact assessment is to help in decision-making, ensuring that projects and programs are environmentally and socially sound and sustainable, by identifying, predicting, and evaluating the foreseeable impacts of these activities.

What are some of the mitigation measures mentioned in the script for the conservation of flora and fauna?

Some mitigation measures mentioned include preservation measures like land purchase or conservation easements, management practices like controlled grazing and pollution control, restoration efforts like reforestation and wetland creation, and compensation like purchasing lands of comparable habitat size and quality.

How does the script explain the process of selecting alternatives for addressing environmental impacts?

The script explains that alternatives for addressing impacts should be identified through brainstorming, stakeholder dialogues, and surveys of similar impacts. Innovative solutions should be encouraged and assessed for their cost and benefits, considering socioeconomic and ecological expertise, and public participation.

What is the importance of baseline studies in environmental impact assessment according to the script?

Baseline studies are important for understanding how the system might be changed by the proposed project. They provide information about the existing conditions and the components of biodiversity that may be affected, establishing a foundation for impact prediction, monitoring, and evaluating the success of mitigation measures.

Outlines

00:00

🌿 Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment

Dr. Sushmita Bhaskar introduces the module MEVE001, focusing on the environmental impact assessment for environmental health. She discusses the growing human population and its stress on the environment, leading to threats to vegetation and wildlife due to anthropogenic activities like fishing, hunting, deforestation, and urbanization. The module aims to teach viewers how to describe and analyze the impact on vegetation and wildlife. The importance of vegetation in the biosphere, including its role in biogeochemical cycles and as a habitat for wildlife, is highlighted. The script also emphasizes the need for conservation and proper resource management to prevent further ecological damage.

05:01

🐾 Biological Indicators and Impact Assessment Techniques

This paragraph delves into biological concepts and terms crucial for analyzing environmental and occupational impacts on vegetation and wildlife. It covers biological assessment, which involves sampling species in water bodies to assess their condition. Biological indicators, such as reference sites, are used to evaluate ecosystem health. The paragraph also discusses various biological entities like communities, habitats, and endangered species. Impact assessment is described as a process to identify, predict, and evaluate the impacts of activities on the environment, with a focus on flora and fauna. Mitigation measures and ecological integrity maintenance are emphasized, along with the importance of understanding site conditions and following ecological management principles.

10:02

🌳 Mitigation Principles and Alternative Solutions

The paragraph discusses the principles of mitigation in environmental impact assessment, emphasizing the need for a thorough understanding of site conditions and the activities affecting habitats. It outlines the importance of mimicking natural processes, protecting rare species, and minimizing habitat fragmentation. The paragraph also explores alternative means of addressing impacts, such as doing nothing, brainstorming, and innovative solutions. An example is given of creating habitats for wood ducks by building nesting boxes or conducting detailed studies for optimal location determination. The importance of cost-benefit analysis in selecting the best response is highlighted, considering both monetary evaluations and qualitative data from community sources.

15:03

🔍 Baseline Studies and Biotic Assessment Techniques

This paragraph focuses on the methodology for assessing terrestrial flora and fauna, starting with desk-based evaluation and baseline studies. It explains the importance of understanding existing conditions and how they might be changed by proposed projects. Techniques such as transects, belt transects, quadrats, and mist nets are discussed for surveying vegetation and wildlife. The paragraph also covers the process of identifying important species, assessing biodiversity indices, and evaluating the impact of development activities on the baseline. Biotic assessment is introduced as a method to determine ecosystem health using the presence, condition, and abundance of various organisms.

20:03

🏞️ Conclusion on Wildlife and Vegetation Impact Analysis

In the concluding paragraph, the importance of understanding basic concepts in wildlife and vegetation impact analysis is reiterated. Techniques and processes for analyzing impacts in various habitats are summarized, emphasizing the need to consider species richness and diversity. The paragraph highlights the role of biological indicators and stress responses in biotic assessment, explaining how species sensitivity and pollution tolerance can be used to predict the natural state or contamination level in an area. The speaker thanks the viewers for their attention and patience, summarizing the key points discussed in the module.

Keywords

💡Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process that helps in decision making to ensure that projects and programs are environmentally and socially sound and sustainable. It involves identifying, predicting, and evaluating the potential impacts of proposed developments on the environment. In the video, EIA is crucial for understanding the effects of human activities on vegetation and wildlife, and for developing mitigation measures to minimize negative impacts.

💡Vegetation

Vegetation refers to plant life in a particular region and is a critical component of the biosphere. It plays a vital role in regulating biogeochemical cycles, including the water, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen cycles. The script emphasizes the importance of vegetation in maintaining global energy balances and serving as a habitat for wildlife, highlighting its essential role in the ecosystem.

💡Wildlife

Wildlife encompasses all non-domesticated animals, plants, and other organisms living in their natural habitats. The video discusses the impact of human activities on wildlife, including threats from hunting, fishing, and habitat destruction. It also highlights the importance of wildlife in maintaining biodiversity and the need for conservation efforts.

💡Anthropogenic Activities

Anthropogenic activities are human-induced actions that have an impact on the environment. The script mentions activities such as fishing, hunting, deforestation, and urbanization that cause ecological effects on vegetation and wildlife. These activities are a major concern in the context of environmental impact assessment.

💡Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in all its forms and interactions, including the number of different species, their genetic diversity, and the ecosystems they inhabit. The video script discusses the decline in biodiversity due to environmental degradation and the loss of wildlife, emphasizing the need for conservation to protect species richness and ecological integrity.

💡Ecological Integrity

Ecological integrity is the condition of an ecosystem where its components are intact and functioning in a way that maintains its health and resilience. The script mentions the importance of maintaining ecological integrity in habitat conservation efforts, ensuring that the natural processes and species diversity are preserved.

💡Mitigation Measures

Mitigation measures are actions taken to reduce the negative impacts of a project or activity on the environment. The video discusses the development of mitigation plans to prevent the loss of flora and fauna, including preservation measures, habitat restoration, and pollution control. These measures are essential for minimizing the adverse effects of development on the environment.

💡Biological Indicators

Biological indicators are groups of organisms used to assess the condition of an ecosystem or environment. The script explains that these indicators can help predict the natural state of a region or the degree of contamination present. They are crucial tools in environmental impact assessment, providing insights into the health of ecosystems.

💡Endangered Species

Endangered species are those that are at risk of extinction due to various threats, including habitat loss and human activities. The video script highlights the importance of protecting endangered species as part of conservation efforts, emphasizing their ecological importance and the need for specific measures to ensure their survival.

💡Baseline Survey

A baseline survey is an initial assessment that provides a snapshot of existing conditions in an area before a project begins. The script discusses the importance of baseline studies in understanding how a proposed project might change the environment and in establishing a foundation for impact prediction and mitigation. It includes gathering data on biodiversity components and setting a benchmark for future comparisons.

💡Biotic Assessment

Biotic assessment is a method of evaluating the health of an ecosystem based on the presence, condition, and abundance of various species. The video script uses the example of benthic macroinvertebrates to illustrate how biotic assessments can indicate the level of sensitivity and tolerance to pollution, providing valuable information for environmental impact analysis.

Highlights

Introduction to the module MEVE001 by Dr. Sushmita Bhaskar, focusing on environmental impact assessment for environmental health.

Discussion on the impact of human population growth on the environment and its resources.

Exploration of anthropogenic activities such as fishing, hunting, deforestation, and urbanization that threaten vegetation and wildlife.

Projection that by 2150, the human population could reach 10 billion, highlighting the urgency of environmental issues.

Importance of vegetation in regulating biogeochemical cycles and its role as a primary source of oxygen.

Vegetation's critical role in global energy balances and its impact on biodiversity and environmental degradation.

Estimation that 50% of total wildlife has been lost in the past 40 years due to human activities.

Introduction of biological concepts and terms essential for analyzing environmental and occupational impact on vegetation and wildlife.

Explanation of biological assessment, biological survey, and biological indicators in the context of environmental studies.

Discussion on reference sites as benchmarks for assessing the biological condition of surveyed sites.

Importance of protecting endangered species and maintaining ecological integrity in impact assessment.

Description of impact assessment as a process to ensure environmentally and socially sound project and program options.

Role of flora and fauna investigation in EIAs to provide data for potential impacts and mitigation measures.

Mitigation principles in habitat conservation efforts, emphasizing ecological management and natural processes.

Examples of innovative solutions in addressing environmental impacts, such as building wooden nesting boxes for wood ducks.

Emphasis on the importance of cost-benefit analysis in selecting the best response to environmental impacts.

Methodology for assessing terrestrial flora and fauna, including desk-based evaluation and baseline studies.

Techniques used in baseline surveys, such as transects, quadrats, and mist nets, to gather ecological data.

Importance of biodiversity indices in reflecting species richness and distribution in environmental impact assessments.

Biotic assessment as a tool to determine ecosystem health using species presence, condition, and abundance.

Conclusion summarizing the importance of understanding vegetation and wildlife impact analysis in environmental projects.

Transcripts

hello viewers and learners

of the module meve001

environmental impact assessment for

environmental health

i introduce myself as dr sushmita

bhaskar working in the discipline of

environmental studies at the school of

interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary

studies

indira gandhi national open university

new delhi

in this module we will discuss on

vegetation and wildlife impact

assessment after reading this module you

will be able to describe the vegetation

and wildlife

impact analysis and certain processes as

to how we can analyze the same

now the human population is growing at

an unexpected

rate and this is giving a lot of stress

it is exerting stress

and causing change in the environment as

well as its resources

for both the plants animals and the

human beings so due to human interplay

and anthropogenic activities

the vegetation and wildlife resources

are being threatened

the anthropogenic activities such as

fishing

hunting ecosystem fragmentation

deforestation like the fuel wood

gathering fire and over grazing human

settlement etc

have caused tremendous ecological

effects on the vegetation as well as the

wildlife

human beings in order to fulfill their

material ambitions

they have depleted the natural renewable

and non-renewable resources

and these are assets that are necessary

for our survival

globally if you see now the human

population are increasing continuously

and it is expected that by 2150

the population will even reach up to 10

billion which is really an alarming

level due to overpopulation and

increasing demand of urbanization each

year

20 to 30 million people migrate from the

rural area to the

urban areas so over population and

poverty that will lead to urbanization

industrial revolution and they have

major impact on the global health

global warming food scarcity and

environmental health

all these factors they have negative

impacts on the vegetation and the

wildlife now in general vegetation is a

plant life of any region and it is a

most copious biotic element of the

biosphere so without vegetation we

cannot survive

this regulates the flow of the

biogeochemical cycles

and most critically for the water cycle

the hydrological cycle

the carbon nitrogen oxygen the water

cycle

then you have the phosphorus the sulfur

cycle and it is very important in the

global

energy balances so global vegetation is

a primary source of oxygen

it plays a critical role in the

biosphere at all possible

spatial scales and disruption in these

biogeochemical cycle

that will lead to elevation in the ozone

concentration and also to the

ecosystem acidification vegetation

this serves as a wildlife habitat and

energy source

the impact of environment on vegetation

that can lead to a decline for example

in the amphibian population

in the death of the coral reef global

warming and so on

which ultimately decrease the

biodiversity

environmental degradation this is a

serious threat

and that is leading to the wildlife

extinction which has a fatal

impact on the human race environmental

pollutants can alter the wildlife

viability

it is estimated that in the past 40

years 50 percent of the total wildlife

has been lost

and by the year right now it is 2020

they are saying that 68 of the world

wildlife will be either extinct or we

will

lose the same so that means we need to

conserve

our resources more uh properly and we

need to manage them

well in 2018 a report and a

research report that was published in

pnas journal

showed that till date 83 percent of wild

animal wild animals

80 percent of the marine animals and 50

percent of the plants and fishes

have been lost due to human civilization

from the

beginning like the amount of species

diversity that existed

but now that has been reduced let us now

see

some biological concepts and terms which

are useful for the study

the analysis of environmental and

occupational impact on vegetation and

wildlife

this will be done with the help of

systems like environmental laws

mathematical matrix models measurement

tools risk assessment

analytical techniques and so on some of

the important biological concepts and

terms the biological assessment so it is

an assessment of the condition of any

water body

by sampling the species that spend all

or part of their lives in that

water body biological survey a

systematic method for collecting a

consistent

reproducible and reliable sample of the

aquatic

biological community in a water body

then there are biological indicators

they are group of organisms that can be

employed to assess the condition of an

ecosystem

or environment and depending on the type

of the water body being sampled

the biological indicators used in the

surveys

can include the following the reference

sites they are data collected at

reference sites and they provide a

benchmark for assessing the biological

condition of the surveyed

sites and the reference sites are those

sites which have not been disturbed by

the anthropogenic activities

or human stress and they have been

influenced to some extent

by human activities and they represent

our best approximation of the natural

conditions now data from the reference

side that can be used to develop the

management target for protection and

restoration of the aquatic resource for

example fish it can be trouts the

sunfish the perch the salmons

benthic macro invertebrates like insects

snails

crayfish worms and so on peripherals

like algae

amphibians like frogs and salamanders

macrophytes like aquatic plants

birds like residential or migratory

species

it is a basic unit of classification and

a taxonomic rank

as well as a unit of biodiversity

community

it is also called a biological community

in a biology

and an interacting group of various

species in a common location

for example a forest of trees and

undergrowth plants

that are inhabited by animals and rooted

in soil containing bacteria and fungi

that constitutes a biological community

habited it is a type of natural

environment in which a particular

species of organism is

living it is characterized by both

physical and biological features

and a species habitat is those places

where it can find

food shelter and protection and mates

for the reproduction

then there are endangered species it is

a species of animal or plants that is

seriously at the risk of

extinction so impact assessment is a

process that can help in decision making

and to ensure that the project and the

program

options under consideration are

environmentally and socially sound and

sustainable

it is concerned with identifying

predicting and evaluating the

foreseeable impacts

both beneficial and adverse of the

public and private activities

developmental activities alternatives

and mitigating measures

and aims to eliminate or minimize the

negative impacts and optimize positive

impacts through eia techniques that vary

from country to country and organization

to organization

there are stages that are common to most

of the eia processes

the role of the flora and the fauna

investigation in

eia is to provide sufficient data to

allow a complete identification

prediction and evaluation

of potential impacts of the proposed

developments upon that flora and the

fauna mitigation measures and procedures

that is a development of the mitigation

plan for the prevention of the

loss of flora as well as fauna at that

construction

site and the appropriate measures for

the mitigation of habitat loss or

degradation all this depend upon the

habited type

the specific degrading activities stress

processes and inhabited impacts

for a mitigation to be successful the

ecological integrity of that habitat

also should be maintained

this can be accomplished directly by

preservation measures that avoids

impacts in other cases careful

mitigation plants can reduce or

eliminate impacts on the integrity of

the

habitat mitigations will also involve

the guidance

to the address the habited impacts of

destruction fragmentation simplification

and degradation that can include the

following like for example preservation

the outright purchase or the set aside

of the land

partial purchase through conservation

easements long-term leases or the

management

agree agreements the management

practices can

also involve the rotation and method of

the tipper harvesting

timing and extent of grazing control of

pollution and elimination of the

structures

restoration there can be direct

manipulation through seedings plantings

physical or chemical treatment creation

of wetland control of pollution

removal of barriers to fish migration

control of livestock access to riparian

areas compensation purchase of lands of

comparable habited size and quality

provision of financial restitution then

the mitigation principles the

development of this

should be based on a thorough

understanding of the site condition and

the activities that are impacting

habitats but certain principles of

ecological management should be followed

when specific mitigation measures are to

be developed

now these are the following mitigation

principles that will apply to all the

habited conservation efforts

baseline of the base mitigation goals

and objectives

on a landscape analysis that will

consider the needs of that region

mimic the natural processes and promote

native species

protect the rare and ecologically

important species and communities

because

certain species would be growing only in

certain regions and there may be rare

and they may be ecologically important

so we need to protect those species

then minimize the fragmentation of the

habitat and promote connectivity of the

natural

areas maintain structural diversity of

the habitats

and promote natural diversity in that

area for the management of site-specific

environmental conditions and impacts of

the specific activity causing

degradation

monitoring the habited impacts from

activities and thereby plan the

mitigation processes

there are also alternate means of

addressing the impacts

like knowing the impact the next step is

to determine what can be done about it

so the proponent id identifies several

means of addressing this impact

and one thing is doing nothing about it

that can be an alternate

you can have brainstorming sessions open

dialogues with the stakeholders

there can be surveys of similar impacts

and some responses can also help

innovative solutions can be there and

that should be encouraged and considered

at this

stage let us take now an example

if we take the wood duck as an example

the person

or the executive in charge you know he

notes down the response of the

individuals to create habitats

by building the wooden nesting boxes and

placing them near the

water bodies one option for the

executive is to produce a wooden box

that is ready for the assembly

another is he will give funds to an ngo

that is going to conduct certain

detailed studies regarding the wood

ducks nesting habit

and it will determine the optimal

location for the

woodland along the river and then

reforestation is

done one more option is to produce a

paper nesting box

so with more open discussions the list

of auctions can go on and on

and finally they can come up with some

innovative alternative

thereby some numerous options will be

available to the policy proponent

and then he can institute a policy which

can ban or limit

the wood duck hunting he can introduce

new subsidy for the reintroduction of

wetlands

which can create incentives for the

conservation

then we need to assess the cost and

benefits of each alternative so

everything has in socioeconomics and in

economics

this so the cost and benefit analysis is

very important

and that will determine which

alternative is the best response

that should use the monetary evaluations

where possible it can also give the

qualitative

information through quantitative data

that relies on economic and ecological

expertise

the qualitative data most often comes

from community sources

including the equally considering

qualitative data public participation is

also taken seriously

that can also be carried out effectively

selective and alternative by selecting

alternatives we should recognize the

constraints

the country and the region social

cultural and political values

the selection should reflect an

equitable sharing of the distribution

of benefits that are derived from the

use of biological resources

making the selection and supporting

reasons explicitly

to the public help to ensure the

equitable distribution

methodology for the assessment of

terrestrial flora and the fauna

assessment

we can have the desk based evaluation

for all the relevant information

this is done by doing some existing

review of literature

database site specific information for

the study area that is proposed

a list of potentially threatened flora

and the fauna species

that should be listed out then a land

cover and a vegetation map

should be made the area of the

development project is overlaid

so that to determine the direct impact

for that flora and the fauna in that

area

that will be used to delineate and

stratify the sampling sites for the

flora and the fauna

assessment baseline studies

this is an important and first stage

study it is important in gaining an

understanding of how the system might be

changed

by the proposed project and it can take

a snapshot of the existing conditions

that is the baseline

environment the baseline survey provides

the necessary information

on the site specific environmental

setting of the project and that should

include information about the components

of the biodiversity

for example the ecosystem and the

species in particular that may be

affected

baseline studies establish a foundation

for impact prediction

for monitoring the predicted impacts and

for evaluating the success of the

mitigation

measures what are the things to be

considered in the baseline survey

site characterization and survey methods

a combination of different methods is

also being used

for example transects they are used to

survey changes in the vegetation along

an environmental gradient

from a source of impact or through

different habitats

the line transect method that is used to

count the plant species and their

abundance

that touch the transect line then we

have the belt

transect that is done by laying a

transect line with 50 meter length and

10 meter width on sides of the transect

line

all the trees within the belt transect

with diameters greater than 5

centimeter at breast height will be

identified and they will be measured for

the diameter at the breast height and

then

counted then quadrats these are used to

define the sample area within the study

site

the locations of the quadrat chosen

should be representative to the various

vegetation types

present within the study area and

usually several quadrats are sampled to

obtain more representative results

the plant species inside the quarters

are identified the density the frequency

and the relative cover also will be

estimated this allows for the

computation of the

importance value index of the species

that are present in that particular

area transect count this is used to

survey the birds

in large open areas of relatively

uniform habitat

so all the birds that are seen on both

sides of the transects are identified

they are counted to a distance where the

birds are still detectable

or within a fixed distance from the

observer then you have the mist nets

this is used to capture birds and bat

bats and the birds the nets are placed

at travel lines

of the travel lanes of the bats at dusk

and they are

tended constantly any captured bat that

must be removed individually upon

entanglement may be in some temporary

devices like the cloth bag

the same is done with birds but with the

birds we do it at dawn

bats it is done generally at dusk or in

the evening time

trapping box traps with appropriate bait

is an effective means for trapping the

small

terrestrial mammals which are unharmed

by so that they are unharmed pitfall

traps they can also be used to trap the

small mammals such as shrews

when the animals fall through the

opening into the container

active searching this is an effective

way to survey the amphibians and

reptiles

by active searching particularly during

the day time and this is applicable also

during the

nocturnal and the diagonal species you

can do the active searching

process sampling effort

so the baseline survey will collect the

ecological data through sampling

the actual sampling would depend on the

physical size of the site

the diversity of the habitats flora and

fauna and availability of the existing

ecological baseline

information so the environmental

consultants will determine the

appropriate amount of sampling based on

their professional judgment and actual

site situations

in all the cases they have to ensure

that there are adequate samples to be

able to gather the data

representative of the population of that

area

duration of the survey is also important

so this should be long enough for

gathering the necessary baseline data

generally the duration of the ecological

survey should be commensurate

with the scale of the proposed

development the diversity of the

habitats within the study area

and the diversity of the flora and the

fauna within the study area then

identification of

important species endemicity and its

conservation status so there should be

a priority list for these species

and it should be maintained

so that rehabilitation of the area also

can be done to

increase their populations biodiversity

index

this is a quantitative measure that

reflects how many types

like how many species are there in a

data set and simultaneously it can take

into

account how evenly the basic entities

like the individuals are distributed

among those

types then evaluation that is impact

analysis

after establishing the baseline then we

have to work systematically through the

various activities and aspects of

development

to determine the likely effects of those

activities on the

baseline and the nature of the impact

direct or indirect

long term or short term and effects from

the cumulative impacts

all these need to be noted down the type

of impact

positive which is enhancing biodiversity

negative that is causing biodiversity

loss

or neutral that is causing no net change

the likely magnitude of the residential

impact

then the level of the impact the species

or ecosystem level

that is the species richness the

diversity endemicity vulnerability

all this has to be observed finally

the biotic factors are also used for the

analysis of environmental impact on

vegetation and

wildlife they can be categorized as

biotic assessment

this uses the presence and condition and

abundance of species of fish

of mammals of birds insects algae

plants and other organisms to determine

the health of an ecosystem

and it provides information on the

physical and chemical characteristics

that are present

example nutrient enrichment pollutant

flow rate and also the sediment

levels these are important tools to

assess the environmental impact and bio

indicators they help us to predict the

natural state of any region

or the degree of contamination present

at that area

an example of biological assessment in

the field so a biological survey is

conducted

on different stream for example to

determine the stream's structure

the benthic macro invertebrate

assemblage

is a biological indicator then the

matrices such as the relative richness

these can be selected

the condition represented by the

undisturbed or minimally disturbed

stream

or reference sites is used to assess the

changes in the different

values from other communities with

increasing stress

as the level of stress increases in

these streams the aquatic communities

and compositions were measurably

changed the species that are sensitive

to stress disappear

and more pollution tolerant species are

found

so those species were identified in

order to indicate their general level of

sensitivity and ability to tolerate

pollution for example intermediate

species

they can we can denote them as s

moderately tolerant species are denoted

by

m and the tolerance species can be

denoted by t

so that is the biotic assessment dear

learners and the

viewers of this course and module so

here we have understood some basic

concepts in the wildlife

and the vegetation impact analysis and

what are the techniques and the

processes that are employed for the same

we also got to know the about the

biological indicators

and also the stress responses in the

biotic assessment

like how the species can be identified

and how we can indicate their general

sensitivity

sensitivity to stress and how they can

tolerate the pollution

so these are some ways how we can

analyze the impact

assessment in various habitats and uh

also analyze the importance of certain

habitats also where there is species

richness

where there is species diversity and all

these needs to be

taken into account before uh giving any

approval for any environmental project

and

proposal that comes in the vein thank

you for your patient

listening