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Conservation
of Biodiversity : |
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Conservation
of Biodiversity
Ecological degradation and its corollary - biodiversity loss
- pose a serious threat to development. 'Ecologically destructive
economic activities are inefficient not merely because of the
resulting resource misallocation but also because of the (excessive)
scale of activity levels; excessive in relation to the limited
availability of natural capital when the latter is complementary
to human-made capital'. In order to bring about sustainable
resource conservation and management, it is essential to adopt
several different approaches for managing our forests and biodiversity.
Future efforts for conservation and management of our natural
resources must derive from a set of clear objectives, mechanisms
for action, and commitment from all stakeholders. Apart from
this, halting the process of degradation and species loss requires
specialized solutions and an understanding of ecological processes.
Protecting biodiversity does not merely involve setting aside
chunks of area as reserves. Instead, all the ecological processes
that have maintained the area's biodiversity such as predation,
pollination, parasitism, seed dispersal, and herbivory, involving
complex interactions between several species of plants and animal
needs to be ensured . This, however, is possible only if reserves
are large enough to maintain these processes and some of the
other crucial links in the web of life.
There is also the need for greater involvement of communities,
and for models which decentralize of management and conservation
roles and responsibilities. As of now, there are still major
lacunae in information resources pertaining to forests, biodiversity
- flora and fauna, causative factors for their degradation,
and major threats. The available data is alarmingly inadequate
to provide a lucid picture of the current status and ongoing
losses/gains. More importantly, laws and policies governing
natural resources are still not sufficient enough to tackle
the scale of the problem, and these insufficiencies have not
been addressed with a sense of urgency. In this section, we
provide some indicators of the biological policy, technological,
and institutional issues that will help mitigate the disturbingly
accelerating biodiversity loss.
Conservation
Strategies
Expansion of the protected area network
Maintaining viable populations of species, whether plant
or animal, is a crucial factor in biodiversity conservation
and this requires the appropriate conservation of important
ecosystems and habitats. Currently, the country has 88 national
parks, and 490 sanctuaries. In 1988, Rodgers and Panwar conducted
a comprehensive study in which they drew up plans for a protected
area network to cover the range of biological diversity in the
country. They suggested that the percentage of the country's
area under the protected area network, which was then only 3.3%,
be enhanced to 4.6%. The recent update of the Rodgers and Panwar
report suggests that the area under parks and sanctuaries be
increased to 160 National Parks and 698 sanctuaries accounting
for 5.69 % of the country's geographical total. This coverage
will provide a 'better distribution of protected areas with
less gaps in the protection of biogeographic zones, biomes and
species and fewer spatial or geographic gaps in the pattern
of PA coverage' . Currently, the protected area network does
not adequately cover some important biomes and mammal species
of conservation significance.
Conservation strategies are urgently needed for the protection
of species and ecosystems, involving a mix of in situ and ex
situ strategies. Some of the steps in such a policy include
the following.
Population
surveys and assessments and database creation
Adequate data on species diversity, populations, location and
extent of habitat, major threats to different species, etc.
, and changes in these aspects over time are not available to
design a proper strategy for conservation. Given our extensive
diversity, ecological surveys and taxonomic investigations need
to be intensified, particularly for plants and insects. For
conducting ecological studies, species for such studies can
be prioritized including keystone species, large mammals, migratory
species, etc. The country's wildlife institutions need to network
and coordinate their activities so that priority issues and
areas are identified. The MoEF ( Ministry of Environment and
Forests) through the Botanical Surveys of India and the Zoological
Survey of India could play a guiding role by preparing a list
of priority issues and areas for circulation to relevant institutions,
based on a countrywide consultation of experts. Funding for
these prioritized projects could be stepped up to ensure that
research focuses on these issues. The MoEF must set up a database
for the country as a whole.
Mapping
of forest types, protected areas, and natural forests
It is important to generate maps of the protected areas of the
country showing their contiguity with the existing reserve and
protected forests. This will provide a way for determining possible
corridors, habitat contiguity, and buffer zones and facilitate
biodiversity conservation. Further, vegetation mapping according
to forest types needs to be done for the entire country. The
Forest Survey of India data need to show the disaggregated changes
in area according to forest types and natural forest areas.
Current data on canopy densities make it difficult to estimate
the changes in area under dense, natural, or near-natural forests.
Improved protection efforts
and a landscape approach to conservation
Owing to habitat fragmentation and consequent losses suffered
by different populations, there is need for ensuring the safety
of the biodiversity lying outside our protected areas. Population
viability analyses for different species have revealed that
the loss of even a single individual from a small isolated population
could adversely affect the population structure and viability
and push many species towards extinction. The need of the hour
is a landscape approach to conservation where protected and
non-protected areas are integrated through significant protection
measures initiated at both the state and local community levels.
This will include the following activities.
- Mapping the distribution of habitat types in the region
as types of LSE (landscape elements) with the help of satellite
imagery along with field surveys
- Establishing association of groups of species with different
types of LSEs on the basis of field surveys
- Assessing rates of transformations of LSE types with the
help of satellite imagery of earlier years, official records,
and oral histories
- Assessing the threats to different species as a result
of ongoing landscape changes and other causes like commercial
harvests
- Assigning conservation priorities to species on the basis
of threats to their populations, rarity, endemism, and taxonomic
distinctiveness
- Assigning conservation priorities to different types of
habitats or LSEs on the basis of richness and conservation
significance of the threatened species they harbour
In situ conservation
Good management of the extant populations in the wild
is essential for their survival. This includes facilitating
gene flow through the creation of corridors, introduction of
new genetic stock, and translocation of animals. While habitat
protection and corridor creation may be possible, large-scale
manipulations of the extant populations, e.g. through translocations,
however, are yet to catch on in India because of financial and
logistical problems. There are some exceptions such as the proposed
transfer of some lions from Gir to Kuno Palpur in Madhya Pradesh.
Regular population-habitat
viability and risk simulations
Computer models for regular population and habitat viability
assessments should be generated on the basis of newly identified
threats, population status, and other relevant research. These
models can provide estimates for the survival of these populations
for the next 100 years while also indicating the various steps
needed for improving the overall conservation status of the
species. This would prove indispensable for saving many threatened
and endangered species. Captive breeding and species reintroduction
Captive breeding aims at maintaining viable and healthy genetic
captive stocks in conservation facilities and is meant to supplement
in situ initiatives. Captive breeding can provide animals for
possible reintroduction to the wild at a later stage or for
supplementing current populations with new stock. In situ measures,
however, are always preferred, since in most cases it is cheaper
to protect populations in their natural habitat than to reintroduce
captive-bred ones.
- establishing minimum target population goals to provide
for maintenance of captive genetic diversity for at least
the next 100 years
- distributing founders through the various captive breeding
programmes
- compiling animal husbandry programmes for circulation
to all breeding facilities.
- implement an overall plan that contributes to the objectives
of maintaining viable captive populations across the globe
- a strategy known as the GASP (Global Animal Survival Plan).
Because of limitations of space, finances, and facilities in
the institutions that undertake captive breeding, species prioritization
is a primary concern. An overwhelming 91% of animals kept in
Indian zoos are non-threatened, yet take up much of the space
and resources of zoos . Zoos in India may need to restrict their
efforts to a few species that can benefit from captive breeding
initiatives, such as small-bodied species of Chiroptera, Rodentia,
and Insectivora. These make up 60% of mammalian taxa in the
country and are easier to reintroduce than larger mammals .
Instead, mini zoos and deer parks can act as a sink for the
surplus, hybrid, aged, and infirm animals while the larger zoos
can focus on serious captive breeding.
Preservation
plots
A number of states, eg. Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal, have
forest preservation plots. These are important means for conserving
and protecting important floral species as well as for assessing
ecological changes occurring in such areas over a period of
time. These plots need to be demarcated and actively maintained.
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