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CBSE Class 12 Biodiversity Notes

This document provides an overview of biodiversity and conservation. It defines biodiversity as the combined diversity at all biological levels, including genetic, species, and ecological diversity. The tropics have the highest biodiversity due to longer evolutionary times, more stable environments promoting niche specialization, and greater solar energy. Species diversity decreases with distance from the equator. Conservation methods discussed are in situ conservation of species within natural habitats like biosphere reserves, and ex situ conservation outside habitats in facilities like zoos and botanical gardens.

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790 views4 pages

CBSE Class 12 Biodiversity Notes

This document provides an overview of biodiversity and conservation. It defines biodiversity as the combined diversity at all biological levels, including genetic, species, and ecological diversity. The tropics have the highest biodiversity due to longer evolutionary times, more stable environments promoting niche specialization, and greater solar energy. Species diversity decreases with distance from the equator. Conservation methods discussed are in situ conservation of species within natural habitats like biosphere reserves, and ex situ conservation outside habitats in facilities like zoos and botanical gardens.

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  • Introduction to Biodiversity and Conservation: This section introduces the concept of biodiversity and conservation with examples of diversity at different levels of biological organization.
  • Patterns of Biodiversity: Discusses the patterns of biodiversity, including species diversity across latitudinal gradients and the importance of a stable community over time.
  • Loss Of Biodiversity: Explores the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss, including habitat destruction and over-exploitation.
  • Biodiversity Conservation: Highlights methods of biodiversity conservation such as ex situ conservation and protected areas to preserve species and habitats.

CBSE Class 12 Science Chapter 15

Biodiversity and Conservation Notes

Topics Covered In Biodiversity And Conservation


Biodiversity

Biodiversity Conservation

Introduction To The Chapter


The term 'biodiversity' was popularized by the sociobiologist Edward Wilson to describe the combined
diversity at all the levels of biological organization. Most important ones are:
 Genetic diversity - a single species may show high diversity at the genetic level over its
distributional range. Example - the genetic variation shown by Rauwolfia vomitoria (medicinal
plant)
 Species diversity - diversity observed at the species level. Example - Western ghat has a
greater amphibian species compared to Eastern ghats
 Ecological diversity - greater diversity observed at the ecosystem level in India compared to that
in Norway with its deserts, mangroves, rain forests etc.

The number of fungal species in the world is more than the combined total of the species of fishes,
amphibians, reptiles and mammals. The figure below depicts biodiversity showing species number of
major taxa.
CBSE Class 12 Science Chapter 15
Biodiversity and Conservation Notes

Patterns Of Biodiversity

1. Latitudinal gradients - species diversity decreases as we move away from the equator towards the
poles. The different hypothesis around tropics which may account for their greater biological diversity
are as follows:
 Speciation is generally a function of time, unlike temperate regions subjected to frequent
glaciations in the past, tropical latitudes have remained relatively undisturbed for millions of
years and thus, had a long evolutionary time for species diversification
 Tropical environments, unlike temperate ones, are less seasonal, relatively more constant and
predictable. Such constant environments promote niche specialisation and lead to greater
species diversity and
 There is more solar energy available in the tropics, which contributes to higher productivity; this
in turn might contribute indirectly to greater diversity.

2. Species-Area relationships - The relation between species richness and area for a wide variety of
taxa turns out to be a rectangular hyperbola. The diagram depicts the same.
CBSE Class 12 Science Chapter 15
Biodiversity and Conservation Notes

On a logarithmic scale, the relationship is a straight line described by the equation


log S = log C + Z log A
where
S= Species richness A= Area
Z = slope of the line (regression
coefficient)
C = Y-intercept

Loss Of Biodiversity

Loss of biodiversity in a region can lead to


 Decline in plant production
 Lowered resistance to environmental perturbations such as drought
 Increased variability in certain ecosystem processes such as plant productivity, water use and
pest and disease cycles

Causes of Biodiversity losses:

 Habitat loss and fragmentation


 Over-exploitation
 Alien species invasions
 Co-extinctions

Biodiversity Conservations
Biodiversity can be conserved with these two basic methodologies:

 In situ conservation - it involves the protection and conservation of a variety of animals and plant
species in its natural habitat. It includes biosphere reserves, hot spots regions, national parks
and sanctuaries, wild forests etc
CBSE Class 12 Science Chapter 15
Biodiversity and Conservation Notes
 Ex situ conservation - it involves protection and conservation of rare species of animals and
plants outside their habitats. This conservation includes national parks, zoological parks,
botanical gardens, glass houses etc. Different biotechnological applications and other
techniques are used to store sperms, eggs, animal cells, tissues and embryos for a longer
duration.

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