Biodiversity MEAI

8/12/2019 Biodiversity MEAI

1/41


2/41

WHY UNDERSTAND BIODIVERSITY?

Variability in living forms Species diversity

Genetic diversity

Ecosystem diversity

Important to understand the impact of our

activities on nature

Do we take into account cost to nature??

If we need to manage we need to measure


3/41

THE CRITERIA

Based on data on vascular plants and vertebrates

Must contain 0.5% of the Worlds documentedplants as Endemics

Must have lost atleast 70% of its primary

vegetation Vertebrates serve as back-up

Limited to terrestrial ecosystems

Senecio bombayensis

BIODIVERSITY HOT-SPOTS


4/41

OUTPUT


5/41

WESTERN GHATS & SRI LANKA

FACTS & FIGURES

Hotspot Original Extent (km 2) 189,611

Hotspot Vegetation Remaining

(km 2)

43,611

Endemic Plant Species 3,049

Endemic Threatened Birds 10

Endemic Threatened Mammals 14

Endemic Threatened Amphibians 87

Extinct Species 20

Human Population Density

(people/km 2)

261

Area Protected (km 2) 26,130


6/41

DIVERSITY AND ENDEMISM

Taxonomic Group Species Endemic Species Percent EndemismPlants 5,916 3,049 51.5Mammals 140 18 12.9Birds 458 35 7.6Reptiles 267 174 65.2Amphibians 178 130 73.0Freshwater Fishes 191 139 72.8


7/41


8/41Malabar Pit Viper


9/41Malabar Gliding Frog


10/41Tamil Lacewing


11/41

THREATENED SPECIES

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Extinct - Extinct in the wild

Critically Endangered - Endangered

Vulnerable - Near Threatened

Least Concern - Data Deficient

Not Evaluated


12/41

Nilgiri Wood Pigeon


13/41

IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS

IN-GA-01 Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary

IN-GA-02 Carambolim Wetlands

IN-GA-03 Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary

IN-GA-04 Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary


14/41

THE GOAN STORY

Part of the Western Ghats and thus a Biodiversity

Hotspot

Covers 600 sq.km of the 3702 sq.km

geographical area of the State

Average altitude is around 800 m

Gives rise to 11 rivers which feed the State.

Unique habitats in form of swamp forests

7 PAs covering 20.39% of geographical area

Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, Sattari


15/41

Group Number of species

Mammals 83

Birds 458

Reptiles 100

Amphibians 28

Fish 58

Spiders 50

Butterflies 254 (14)

Dragonflies 87 (6)

Plants 1750

Source: Fauna of Goa, ZSI - 2008


16/41Ruby-throated Yellow Bulbul


17/41

Gaur


18/41


19/41SOUTHERN BIRDWING


20/41GRASS JEWEL


21/41


22/41


23/41

Green-striped Slender Dartlet (Aciagrion occidentale)


24/41

Skimmer (Hylaeothemis indica)


25/41

RUSSELS VIPER


26/41

KING COBRA


27/41

TOUCH-ME-NOT


28/41

MUSHROOMS


29/41

MALABAR GLIDING

LIZARD


30/41

WroughtonsFree-tailed Bat


31/41


32/41

NEW SPECIES FROM GOA1. GeckoCnemaspis goaensis

2. SpiderCtenus goaensis

3. SpiderNeoscona molemensis

4. CaeciliansGegeniophis nadkarni

5. CaecilianGegeniophis pareshi

6. CaecilianGegeniophis mhadeinsis

7. CaecilianGegeniophis goaensis8. DragonflyIdionyx gomantakensis

9. PlantDimeria veldkampii

10. PlantIschaemum yadavii

11. PlantGlyphochloa henryi

12. CrabCharybdis goaensis13. ScorpionThaicharmus lowei

14. PlantDipcadi goaense

.. And there are more


33/41

Gegeneophis goensis

Gegeneophis mhadeiensis


34/41

Idionyx gomantakensis


35/41

Why preserve??

1. Medicines10 of the top 25 medicines are plant based. 80% of

worlds population depends on traditional medicines

2. Ecosystem servicesOxygen, Co2, climate change, wetlands

3. Recreation4.1 billion USD in South Africa

4. Cultural significance

1. Mange Thapni

2. RoinSateri

5. Ethical question of right to live

6. Finally the web of life


36/41


37/41


38/41

Threats

Habitat loss or land-use change

Pollution

Climate change

Harvesting/Hunting

Alien species


39/41

WAY FORWARD

How is planning done?

How are conservation decisions taken?

Why is there no base-line data?

Need to document the diversity

Scientific data on species and habitat


40/41


41/41

Thank You!!

Documents

Biodiversity MEAI