Environment contains two separate PDF

1. FOR STATIC PORTIONS 2. ACTS, PROGRAMMES AND CONVENTIONS

KINDLY SEE AFTER PAGE NO 12

Table Of Content

Titles Page No Biodiversity 1 Measurement of Biodiversity 2 Endemism 3 Biodiversity Rich In Tropics 4 Indian Biodiversity 7 Floral Diversity 11 Carnivorous Plats 13 Invasive Alien Species(IAS) 16 Marine Organism 19 Animal Diversity The Red Data Book 24 IUCN Classification Of Conservation priority 25 Mammals-Critically Endangered 26 Mammals-vulnerable 29 Marine Mammals Endangered 31 India’s First Wildlife Conservation Reserve For Blackbuck 35 Protected Area Network 40 Initial Notification 42 Conservation Reserve & Community Reserves 43

Titles Page No

Sacred Groves Of India 45 Biosphere reserve 46 Word Network Of Biosphere Reserve 49 Indian Biodiversity Hot spots 50 Conservation Efforts Projects Elephant 52 Zonation 54 Indian Crocodile Conservation Project 56 Vulture 57 Project Snow Leopard 59 Sea Turtle Project 60 Pika 61 Coastal Regulation Zones 64

1

BIODIVERSITY Biodiversity is a term which

describes every living organism within a single ecosystem or habitat, including numbers and diversity of species and all environmental aspects such as temperature, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and climate. Biodiversity can be measured globally or in smaller settings, such as ponds.

LEVELS OF BIODIVERSITY

Genetic Diversity • This is a measure of the diversity of genes in a population or species. Genetic diversity is reflected in the differences among individuals in a population or species, such as fur color or pattern differences in a species of mouse, or differences in the activity of an enzyme that breaks down a toxin in food. • Each individual species possesses genes which are the source of its own unique features

In human beings, for example, the huge variety of people's faces reflects each person's genetic individuality.

• The term genetic diversity also covers distinct populations of a single species, such as the thousands of breeds of different dogs or the numerous varieties of roses.

While some individuals might be able to tolerate an increased load of pollutants in their environment, others, carrying different genes, might suffer from infertility or even die under the exact same environmental conditions. Whilst the former will continue to live in the environment the latter will either have to leave it or die. This process is called natural selection and it leads to the loss

of genetic diversity in certain habitats. However, the individuals that are no longer present might have carried genes for faster growth or for the ability to cope better with other stress factors.

Species Diversity Species diversity is a term used to describe the measurement of biological diversity to be found in a specific ecological community.

It includes the species richness or number of species to be found in an ecological community, the abundance (or number of individuals per species) and distribution or evenness of species. Note- Species richness is a simple count of species, taxonomic or phylogenetic diversity is the genetic relationship between different groups of species, Mathematically, it is the ratio of one species population over total number of organism across all species in a given biome. ‘Zero’ would be infinite diversity and ‘one’ represents only one specie present in a biome.

Ecosystem / Community Diversity Ecosystem diversity deals with the variations in ecosystems within a geographical location and its overall impact on human existence and the environment.

• Ecological diversity is a type of biodiversity. It is the variation in the ecosystems found in a region or the variation in ecosystems over the whole planet. Ecological diversity includes the variation in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. • Ecological diversity can also take into account the variation in the complexity of a biological community, including the number of different niches, the number

ENVIRONMENT 2020

2

of trophic levels and other ecological processes. • An example of ecological diversity on a global scale would be the variation in ecosystems, such as deserts, forests, grasslands, wetlands and oceans. • Ecological diversity is the largest scale of biodiversity, and within each ecosystem, there is a great deal of both species and genetic diversity. • It refers to different types of habitats.

o A habitat is the cumulative factor of the climate, vegetation and geography of a region.

• World consists of several types of habitat. E.g. Corals, Grasslands, Wetlands, Desert, Mangrove and Tropical rain forests. • Each species adapts itself to a particular kind of environment. • As the environment changes, species best adapted to that environment becomes predominant. Thus, the variety or the biodiversity of species in the ecosystem is influenced by the nature of the ecosystem. E.g. species have more diversity in the Western Ghats than deserts of the Rajasthan.

MEASUREMENT OF

BIODIVERSITY A variety of objective measures have been created in order to empirically measure biodiversity. The basic idea of a diversity index is to obtain a quantitative estimate of biological variability that can be used to compare biological entities, composed of direct components, in space or in time. It is important to distinguish ‘richness’ from ‘diversity’. Diversity usually implies a measure of both

species number and ‘equitability’ (or ‘evenness’). Three types of indices can be distinguished: Species Richness Species richness indices: Species richness is a measure for the total number of the species in a community. However, complete inventories of all species present at a certain location, is an almost unattainable goal in practical applications.

Species Evenness Evenness indices: Evenness expresses how evenly the individuals in a community are distributed among the different species.

Taxonomic indices • Taxonomic indices: These indices take into account the taxonomic relation between different organisms in a community. Taxonomic diversity, for example, reflects the average taxonomic distance between any two organisms, chosen at random from a sample. The distance can be seen as the length of the path connecting these two organisms along the branches of a phylogenetic tree.

Alpha diversity • The diversity of species within a particular area or ecosystem, expressed by the number of species (species richness) present there. • Also known as local diversity.

Beta diversity • It is species diversity between ecosystems; this involves comparing the number of taxa that are unique to each of the ecosystems. • For example, the diversity of mangroves versus the diversity of seagrass beds.

ENVIRONMENT 2020

3

Gamma Diversity • It is a measure of the overall diversity for different ecosystems within a region. • For example, the diversity of the coastal region of Gazi Bay in Kenya.

IMPORTANT TERMS AND CONCEPTS

Eurythermal Organisms • A eurytherm is an organism, often specifically an ectotherm that can function at a wide range of body temperatures. Examples of Eurytherms include desert pupfish, which can function in waters from 4º to 45ºC. • The sustained supply of oxygen to body tissues limits the body temperature range of an organism. • Eurytherms that live in environments with large temperature changes adapt to higher temperatures through a variety of methods. For some species, initial warming results in an increase of oxygen consumption and heart rate, accompanied by a decrease in stroke volume and haemolymph oxygen partial pressure. • Further warming causes dissolved oxygen levels to decrease below the threshold of full haemocyanin oxygen saturation. • The progressive release of haemocyanin bound oxygen as a result of heating follows an exponential pattern, saving energy in oxygen transport and resulting in an associated leveling off of metabolic rate.

Flagship Species • A flagship species is a species selected to act as an ambassador, icon or symbol for a defined habitat, issue, campaign or environmental cause. • By focusing on, and achieving conservation of that species, the status

of many other species which share its habitat – or are vulnerable to the same threats - may also be improved. • Flagship species are usually relatively large, and considered to be 'charismatic' in western cultures. • Flagship species may or may not be keystone species and may or may not be good indicators of biological process.

ENDEMISM • Means that a plant or animal lives only in a particular location, such as a specific island, habitat type, nation or other defined zone. • For example, many species of lemur are endemic to the island of Madagascar. • There are two types of endemism - paleoendemism and neoendemism.

Few Examples Endemic Species of India • Lion Tailed Macaque- found in Western Ghats • Nilgiri Tahr- Nilgiri Hills • Malabar Civet- Western Ghats • Pygmy Hog- Assam

INDICATOR SPECIES • Indicator species are plants and animals that, by their presence, abundance, or chemical composition, demonstrate some distinctive aspect of the character or quality of the environment. • An indicator species has a response to stress or any disturbance that can be measured. • For example, many invertebrate insects such as mayflies or stoneflies are indicator species that can assess the amount of oxygen in rivers, which means they are a useful indicator to control river pollution.

ENVIRONMENT 2020

4

• On the other hand, pollinator insects such as butterflies and bees can accurately determine the health of plants in certain environment. • Salmon Fish is an indicator species in many ecosystems around the world, especially in North America. • Grizzly Bears are considered an indicator species to assess both health and diversity of species in Alaska.

SPECIATION • Speciation is the evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species. • There are four geographic modes of speciation in nature, based on the extent to which speciating populations are isolated from one another: allopatric, peripatric, parapatric, and sympatric.

BIODIVERSITY- RICH IN TROPICS • Over geological times the tropics have had more stable climate than the temperate zones. In tropics, therefore, local species continued to live there itself, whereas in temperate they tend to disperse to other areas. • Tropical communities are older than temperate one’s and therefore there has been more time for them to evolve. This could have allowed them greater degree of specialization and local adaptation to occur. • Warm temperatures and high humidity in most tropical areas provide favourable conditions for many species that are unable to survive in temperate areas. • In tropics there is greater pressure from pests, parasites and diseases. This does not allow any single species to dominate and thus there is opportunity for many species to co-exist. On the

contrary in temperate zones there is reduced pests pressure due to cold, and there is one or few dominating species that exclude many other species. • Among plant, rates of out-crossing appear to be higher in tropics, which may lead to higher levels of genetic variability. • Tropical areas receive more solar energy over the year. Thus tropical communities are more productive or greater resource base that can support a wider range of species.

Difference • Biome: A large terrestrial ecosystem characterized by specific plant communities and formations; usually named after the predominant vegetation in the region. • Biosphere: The totality of life on or near Earth's surface. • Biota: The entire complement of species of organisms, plants, and animals, found within a given region. • Biotype: A biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals. Biotope is almost synonymous with the term habitat. • In ecology, a community is an assemblage or association of populations of two or more different species occupying the same geographical area and in a particular time, also known as a biocoenosis. Insectivorous Plants • Insectivorous plants are a specialized group of plants that grow in wet, acidic soils. • One of the most critical plant nutrients is nitrogen which is usually taken up by plants as nitrates. Nitrogen is a nutrient that is easily leached out of soils.

ENVIRONMENT 2020

5

• For this reason, the plants that live in these soils have evolved into carnivorous plants that capture and digest insects as a means of obtaining nitrates. These plants are usually associated with leached, nutrient-poor soils, or wet and acidic areas that are ill- drained. Insectivorous plants of India belong mainly to three families: • Droseraceae • Nepenthaceae • Lentibulariaceae

Herbarium A herbarium (plural: herbaria) is a collection of preserved plant specimens and associated data used for scientific study.The term can also refer to the building or room where the specimens are housed, or to the scientific institute that not only stores but uses them for research. The specimens may be whole plants or plant parts; these will usually be in dried form mounted on a sheet of paper but, depending upon the material, may also be stored in boxes or kept in alcohol or other preservative. The specimens in a herbarium are often used as reference material in describing plant taxa; some specimens may be types.

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION Conservation of biodiversity has many objectives – • To maintain essential ecological processes and life supporting systems. • To preserve the genetic diversity of species. • To make sustainable utilization of species and ecosystems. • It provides a vast knowledge of potential use to the community.

Modes of Conservation When we conserve and protect the whole ecosystem, its biodiversity at all levels is protected - we save the entire forest to save the tiger. This approach is called in situ (on site) conservation. However, when there are situations where an animal or plant is endangered or threatened and needs urgent measures to save it from extinction, ex situ (off site) conservation is the desirable approach.

Ex-situ Conservation • Conserving biodiversity outside the areas where they naturally occur or in other words threatened animals and plants are taken out from their natural habitat and placed in special setting where they can be protected and given special care.

• Example - Zoological parks, botanical gardens and wildlife safari parks.

• In recent years ex-situ conservation has advanced beyond keeping threatened species in enclosures. Now gametes of threatened species can be preserved in viable and fertile condition for long periods using cryopreservation techniques, eggs can be fertilized in vitro, and plants can be propagated using tissue culture methods. Seeds of different genetic strains of commercially important plants can be kept for long periods in seed banks.

National Gene Bank of India • It is primarily responsible for conservation of unique accessions on long-term basis, as base collections for posterity, predominantly in the form of seeds.

ENVIRONMENT 2020

6

The National Gene Bank is mainly concerned with ex situ conservation in a seed gene bank of the following mandate species: • Indigenous crops of the region such as sorghum, millets, cowpeas, cucurbits, bambara nuts, traditional vegetables and their wild relatives. • Utilized wild and weedy plant species such as medicinal plants. • Introduced crops such as maize, rice, cassava, sweet potato and beans that have become adapted to the region.

Advantages of ex-situ conservation • It gives longer life time and breeding activity to animals. • Genetic techniques can be utilized in the process. • Captivity breed species can again be reintroduced in the wild.

Disadvantages • The favorable conditions may not be maintained always. • Few life forms cannot evolve. • This technique involves only few species.

Zoological Parks A zoo (short for zoological garden or zoological park, and also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also breed. • Purpose of zoos – initially it was entertainment but over the decades, zoos have got transformed into centers for wildlife conservation and environmental education. • They play role of saving individual animals and species conservation (through captive breeding).

• They are sensitizing visitors regarding the value and need for conservation of wildlife

Botanical Garden Botanical garden refers to the scientifically planned collection of living trees, shrubs, herbs, climbers and other plants from various parts of the globe.

Purpose of botanical gardens - • To study the taxonomy as well as growth of plants. • To study the introduction and acclimatization process of exotic plants. • It acts as a germplasm (the genetic material of germ cells) collection. • It helps development of new hybrids. • It augments conserving rare and threatened species. • It facilitates training of staff. • It acts as a source of recreation.

Safari Park • A safari park is larger than a zoo and smaller than game reserves (large areas of land where wild animals live safely or are hunted in a controlled way for sport .

In-situ Conservation • The conservation of species in their natural habitat or natural ecosystem is known as in situ conservation. • In the process, the natural surrounding or ecosystem is protected and maintained so that all the constituent species (known or unknown) are conserved and benefited. • The established natural habitats are - o National parks o Sanctuaries o Biosphere reserves o Biodiversity hotspots o Reserved forests o Protected forests

ENVIRONMENT 2020

7

o Nature reserves

Advantages • If it is a cheap and convenient way of conserving biological diversity. • It offers a way to preserve a large number of organisms simultaneously, known or unknown to us. • The existence in natural ecosystem provides opportunity to the living organisms to adjust to differed’ environmental conditions and to evolve in to a better life form.

Disadvantage • Only disadvantage - it requires large space of earth which is often difficult because of growing demand for space.

INDIAN BIODIVERSITY India has one of the richest biodiversity around the World. We have a culture of preserving our environment as can be seen from various environmental/harvest festivals and piousness of trees like ‘Peepal’ etc. Across the regions, the cultural connect with the environment has always been one of the significant aspects of Indian society.

MEGADIVERSE COUNTRY • It refers to any one of a group of nations that harbor the majority of Earth's species and high numbers of endemic species. • Conservation International identifies Mega diverse countries. • 17 Mega diverse countries are there. Is India a Mega diverse Country? • Yes it is.

Criterion: The principle criterion is endemism, first at the species level and then at higher taxonomic levels such

as genus and family. To qualify as a Megadiverse Country, a country must: • Have at least 5000 of the world’s plants as endemics • Have marine ecosystems within its borders. • India’s geographical area under forest and tree cover – 24.4% (Indian Forest Report 2017) Group of Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries- Cancun Declaration • Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa and Venezuela assembled in the Mexican city of Cancún. These countries declared to set up a Group of Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries.

Present Members • Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa and Venezuela.

India represents – a) 2 realms b) 5 Biomes c) 10 Bio-geographic zones d) 25 Bio-geographic provinces

Realms • Biogeographic realms are large spatial regions within which ecosystems share a broadly similar biological evolutionary history. • Realm is a continent or sub-continent sized area with unifying features of geography and fauna & flora. • In world - 8 biogeographic realms are there –

ENVIRONMENT 2020

8

o Nearctic realm o Palaearctic realm o Africotropical realm o Indomalayan realm o Ocenaia realm o Australian realm o Antarctic realm o Neotropical realm • In India – 2 realms are there – o Himalayan region represented by Palearctic Realm o Rest of the sub-continent represented by Malayan Realm

The Palearctic or Palaearctic is one

of the eight biogeographic realms on the Earth's surface, first identified in the 19Th century, and still in use today as the basis for zoogeographic classification. The Palearctic is the largest of the eight realms. It stretches across all of Europe, Asia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, North Africa, and the northern and central parts of the Arabian Peninsula.

The realm consists of several ecoregions: the Euro-Siberian region; the Mediterranean Basin; the Sahara and Arabian Deserts; and Western, Central and East Asia. The Palaearctic realm also has numerous rivers and lakes, forming several freshwater ecoregions. Some of the rivers were the source of water for the earliest recorded civilizations that used irrigation methods.

The Indomalayan realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms. It extends across most of South and Southeast Asia and into the southern parts of East Asia. Also called the Oriental realm by biogeographers, Indomalaya extends from Afghanistan through the Indian

subcontinent and Southeast Asia to lowland southern China, and through Indonesia as far as Java, Bali, and Borneo, east of which lies the Wallace line, the realm boundary named after Alfred Russel Wallace which separates Indomalayan from Australasia.

Indomalaya also includes the Philippines, lowland Taiwan, and Japan's Ryukyu Islands.

Most of Indomalaya was originally covered by forest, mostly tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, with tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests predominant in much of India and parts of Southeast Asia. The tropical moist forests of Indomalaya are mostly dominated by trees of the dipterocarp family

Biomes of India • Biosphere, which is one of the level of organizations in ecology, has many divisions and each division is known as Biome. • Each biome has different climate, vegetation, animals and soil type. No two biomes are same. • Climate, vegetation, animals decide the boundaries of biomes. • Most important climatic factors are – temperature and precipitation. 5 biomes of India are – • Tropical Humid Forests • Tropical Dry or Deciduous Forests (including Monsoon Forests) • Warm deserts and semi-deserts • Coniferous forests and • Alpine meadows

Biogeography deals with the geographical distribution of plants and animals. Biogeography is divided into branches -

ENVIRONMENT 2020

9

• Phyto-geography (plant geography) – It deals with origin, distribution and environmental interrelationships of plants. • Zoogeography - It deals with the migration and distribution of animals. There are 10 biogeography zones which are distinguished clearly in India. They are as follows–

Trans-Himalayas • Extension of the Tibetan plateau. • High-altitude cold desert in Laddakh (J&K) and Lahaul Spiti (H.P)

Himalayas • Mountain chain running from north- western to northeastern India • It comprises a diverse range of biotic provinces and biomes.

Desert • Extremely arid area west of the Aravalli hill range • Comprises both the salty desert of Gujarat and the sand desert of Rajasthan.

Semi-arid • Zone between the desert and the Deccan plateau, including the Aravalli hill range.

Western Ghats • Hill ranges and plains running along the western coastline, south of the Tapti river. • Covers an extremely diverse range of biotic provinces and biomes.

Deccan peninsula • Largest of the zones • Covers much of the southern and southcentral plateau with a predominantly deciduous vegetation.

Gangetic plain • Defined by the Ganges river system, these plains are relatively homogenous.

North-East India • The plains and non-Himalayan hill ranges of northeastern India. • Wide variation of vegetation.

Islands • The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. • A highly diverse set of biomes.

Coasts • A large coastline distributed both to the west and east, with distinct differences between the two.

Bio-geographic Provinces • It is an Eco systematic or biotic subdivision of realms. • India is divided into 25 bio geographic zones.

FAUNA

Vertebrates • Animals with backbones and spinal columns. • Most advanced organisms on Earth. • Represents only a very small percentage of all animals but their size and mobility often allow them to dominate their environment.

Fishes • Cold blooded • Live in water • Breathe under water using gills, not lungs • Have scales and fins • Lay many eggs

ENVIRONMENT 2020

10

Amphibians

• Cold blooded • Live on land & water • Webbed feet • Breathe with lungs and gills • Moist smooth skin • Four legs (sometimes none) • Lay many eggs

Reptiles • Cold blooded • Have scales • Have dry skin • Usually lay eggs • Ear holes instead of ears • 4 legs or no legs

Aves

• Warm blooded • Have feathers and wings • Lay eggs • Have2 legs • Ear holes instead of ears

Mammals • Warm blooded • Have hair or fur • Give birth to live young • Mammal mother nurse their young one with milk • Breathe with lungs • Mammals live on land have 4 legs (or

2 legs & 2 arms), and ears that stick out.

Invertebrates • They do not have backbones. • 98% animal species in the world are invertebrates. • They don't have an internal skeleton made of bone. Many invertebrates have a fluidfilled, hydrostatic skeleton, like the jelly fish or worm. Others have a hard outer shell, like insects and crustaceans.

Annelids • Their bodies are divided into segments. • Very well-developed internal organs. • Found almost anywhere in the world. • Don't have any limbs. • Example - earthworms, leeches, roundworms, etc. Mollusks • Most of them have soft, skin-like organ covered with a hard-outside shell. • Some mollusks live on land like snail and slug. • Other mollusks live in water like oyster, mussel, clam, squid and octopus.

Echinoderms • They are marine animals which live in the ocean. • Example - sea star, sea urchin, sand dollar and sea cucumber. • Most of them have arms or spines that radiate from the center of their body.

Protozoa • Simple, single-celled animals. • Smallest among all animals. • Most protozoa are microscopic. • They do breathe, move and reproduce like multicelled animals. • Example - amoebas, Flagellates etc.

Arthropods • They have limbs with joints that allow them to move. • They also have an exoskeleton, which is a hard, external skeleton. • They include the crustaceans, insects and arachnids.

Crustaceans • They live mostly in the ocean or other waters.

ENVIRONMENT 2020

11

• They have a hard, external shell which protects their body • Example - crab, lobster and barnacle.

Insects • They are class of invertebrates within the arthropod phylum. • They have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body, three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes and one pair of antennae. • They are very adaptable, living almost everywhere in the world. • They have an exoskeleton that covers their entire body. • Example - fly, beetle, butterfly, moth, dragonfly, bee, wasp and praying mantis.

Arachnids • They are a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals (arthropods). • Example - spiders, scorpions, ticks and mites. • They do not have antennae. • They have 2 body parts and 4 pairs of legs.

FLORAL DIVERSITY

India represents nearly 11 % of the world's known floral diversity.

Algae • The green non-differentiated plants (non - differentiated into organs like root, stem and leaf) possessing chlorophyll are known as Algae. • They grow in water or in moist situations. • Fresh-water algae - green or blue- green in color • Marine water algae - red or brown. • These are autotrophic plants, as they can manufacture their own food.

Fungi • Non-green non-differentiated plants characterized by total absence of chlorophyll are called Fungi. • They grow either on dead, rotten organic matters as saprophytes (a plant, fungus, or microorganism that lives on dead or decaying organic matter) or live as parasites on other living bodies, which are referred to as hosts. • Moulds and mushrooms are the familiar examples of saprophytic fungi. • The maximum diversity of fungi is in the Western Ghats followed by the eastern Himalaya and the western Himalaya. About 3500 species are endemic to the country.

Bacteria • It is neither plant nor animal. • These are non-chlorophyllous micro- organisms which lead saprophytic or parasitic existence. • If bacteria form a parasitic association with other organisms, they are classed as pathogens. Pathogenic bacteria are a major cause of human death and disease and cause infections such as tetanus, typhoid fever, diphtheria, syphilis, cholera, foodborne illness, leprosy and tuberculosis. • Saprophytic bacteria are rather beneficial. They are soil borne and many of them are used in industries. • Other uses of bacteria include sewage treatment, breakdown of oil spills, cheese through fermentation. • They were among the first life forms to appear on Earth, and are present in most of its habitats. • Bacteria inhabit soil, water, acidic hot springs, radioactive waste, and the deep portions of Earth's crust.

ENVIRONMENT 2020

12

Lichens

• Lichen is a peculiar combination of an algae and a fungus - the two-live deriving mutual benefit. (Lichen = algae + fungi) • They are group of greyish green plants which grow on rocks, three- trunks, dead wood, etc. • Algae manufactures carbohydrate food which becomes available to the fungus, and the latter absorbs and retains water and thus keeps the algal cells moist. So it is a nice example of symbiosis. (algae make food and fungi eats food)) • In wetlands – found commonly • In rivers and streams – rare • In ground water – Not found

Bryophytes • The plant body is differentiated into a small stem and simple leaves, but true roots are absent. • They usually grow in moist places. E.g. Liverworts, mosses • 2nd largest group of green plants in India distributed largely in Eastern Himalaya, Northeastern India, Western Himalaya and the Western Ghats. • Mosses constitute the major component of Indian bryoflora followed by liverworts and hornworts.

Pteridophytes • The pteridophytes have well- differentiated plant bodies, consisting of roots, stems and leaves. • They possess vascular bundles (a strand of conducting vessels in the stem or leaves of a plant, typically with phloem on the outside and xylem on the inside). • Most of them are terrestrial plants and some of them are aquatic.

• This group includes the vascular cryptogams · like dub-mosses, horse- tails and fems which are universally distributed all over the world. • The north-eastern region (including Eastern Himalaya) is rich in pteridophytic diversity, followed by south India (including Eastern and Western Ghats) and north India (including Western Himalaya).

Gymnosperms • Gymnosperms (gymnos=naked, sperma=seed) are the naked-seeded plants. • Their naked condition stands in contrast to the seeds and ovules of flowering plants (angiosperms), which are enclosed within an ovary. • They have very simple flowers without accessory whorls and the microsporophylls (stamens) and carpels remain aggregated in cones. • Ovules are present on the surface of the carpels and are directly pollinated by the pollen grains. • There is nothing like ovary, style and stigma, and naturally there is no fruit. • E.g. Cycas, Pinus, Gnetum. • The species of Gnetum and Cycas are mostly confined to North Eastern region, Eastern and Western Ghats, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. • Gymnosperms have major economic uses. Pine, fir, spruce, and cedar are all examples of conifers that are used for lumber. Some other common uses for gymnosperms are soap, varnish, nail polish, food, gum, and perfumes.

Angiosperms • The flowering plants (angiosperms), also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land

ENVIRONMENT 2020

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMS AND CONVENTIONS

2020

Table of Content Titles Page No Important Concepts………………………………………………………………………………………………………..1 Acts and Programs ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 14 Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 ………………………………………………………………………………………… 14 Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 ……………………………………………………………………………… 15 National Forest Policy 1988 …………………………………………………………………………………………. 16 Biological Diversity Act, 2002 ………………………………………………………………………………………..17 The Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dweller (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 ………………………………………………………………………. 17 Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) …………………………………………………………………………………….. 18 National Green Tribunal (NGT) ……………………………………………………………………………………. 19 India's National Action Plan on Climate Change ……………………………………………………………. 21 Indian Network on Climate Change Assessment ……………………………………………………………. 23 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974 and Amendment, 1988 ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 24 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1981 and amendment, 1987 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 24 Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) ………………………………………………………… 24 National Wildlife Action Plan (NWAP) …………………………………………………………………………. 25 National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board (NAEB) …………………………………………. 26 Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 26 Joint Forest Management (JFM) ………………………………………………………………………………….. 27 Social Forestry ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 28

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMS AND CONVENTIONS

2020

National Bamboo Mission …………………………………………………………………………………………… 28 Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) …………………………………………………. 29 Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL) …………………………………………………………………………………….. 30 Ecomark ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 30 Urban Services Environmental Rating System (USERS) ………………………………………………… 30 Biodiversity Conservation & Rural Livelihood Improvement Project (BCRLIP) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 30 National Clean Energy Fund ………………………………………………………………………………………… 31 National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020 (NEMMP) ……………………………………………….. 31 Environment Education, Awareness & Training (EEAT) Scheme …………………………………….. 31 National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) ……………………………………………………. 32 Eco – clubs (National Green Corps) ……………………………………………………………………………… 32 GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 33 Mangroves for the Future ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 33 Indian Organizations ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 34 The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) ………………………………………………………………….. 34 Central Zoo Authority (CZA) ………………………………………………………………………………………… 35 The National Biodiversity Authority …………………………………………………………………………….. 36 Wildlife Crime Control Bureau …………………………………………………………………………………….. 36 National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) ……………………………………………………………………… 37 Wildlife Trust of India …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 39 India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017 ………………………………………………………………………. 39

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMS AND CONVENTIONS

2020

World Environmental Organizations ……………………………………………………………………………. 40 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change –UNFCCC ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 40 Kyoto Protocol – COP-3 (KP) ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 41 Bali Meet ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………43 COP 15 Copenhagen Summit ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 43 COP 16 Copenhagen Summit ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 43 Green Climate Fund ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 44 COP 17 Durban Summit ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 44 Doha outcomes COP 18, 2012 ………………………………………………………………………………………. 44 Paris, COP 21, 2015 …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 45 Special Climate Change Fund ………………………………………………………………………………………. 46 REDD and REDD+ …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 46 Global Environment Facility (GEF) ………………………………………………………………………………. 47 Climate – Smart Agriculture ………………………………………………………………………………………… 47 IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) ……………………………………………………… 49 National Green House Gas Inventories Program (NGGIP) ……………………………………………… 50 Green Economy ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 51 Climate Vulnerable Forum …………………………………………………………………………………………… 52 Vulnerable 20 (V20) …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 52 START- Global Change System for Analysis, Research & Training …………………………………… 52 World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) ……………………………………………………………….. 52 CLIVAR (Climate Variability and Predictability) ……………………………………………………………. 53

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMS AND CONVENTIONS

2020

Climate Action Network ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 53 International Conventions …………………………………………………………………………………………… 53 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) ……………………….. 54 Agenda 21 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 54 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) …………………………………………………………………….. 55 Cartagena Protocol ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 56 Nagoya Protocol …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 57 Aichi Biodiversity Targets ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 57 CoP 11 Hyderabad ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 58 Ramasar Convention on Wetlands ……………………………………………………………………………….. 59 Montreux Record ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 59 International Union for Conservation of Nature ……………………………………………………………. 60 BirdLife International ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 60 Wetlands International ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 60 CITES ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 60 TRAFFIC - The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network ………………………………………………………. 61 Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) …………………………………………. 61 Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) ………………………………………………………………. 61 The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) ………………………………………………… 62 United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) ……………………………………………………………………. 63 IUCN …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 63 The Global Tiger Forum (GTF) …………………………………………………………………………………….. 64 The Stockholm Convention on POP (Persistent Organic Pollutants) ………………………………… 65

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMS AND CONVENTIONS

2020

Basel Convention ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 66 Rotterdam Convention ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 66 UNCCD ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 67 SOLAS ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 68 International Seabed Authority (ISA) …………………………………………………………………………… 68 Vienna Convention …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 68 Montreal Protocol ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 68 Kigali Agreement ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 69 Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) …………………………………………… 69 The Low Emissions Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS GP) ……………………. 70 London Accord …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 70 UN Conference on Sustainable Development …………………………………………………………………. 71 United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015 …………………………………………………. 71 Global Wildlife Program ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 71

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMMES AND CONVENTIONS

2020

1

THE WILDLIFE PROTECTION ACT

• The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted for protection of plants and animal species.

• The Act provides for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants; and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto.

• Among other reforms, the Act established schedules of protected plant and animal species; hunting or harvesting these species was largely outlawed.

It has six schedules which give varying degrees of protection:

• Schedule I and part II of Schedule II provide absolute protection - offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties.

• Species listed in Schedule III and Schedule IV are also protected, but the penalties are much lower.

• Schedule V includes the animals which may be hunted.

• The plants in Schedule VI are prohibited from cultivation and planting.

The National Mission For Enhanced Energy Efficiency (Nmeee) is one of the eight national missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). NMEEE consist of four initiatives to enhance energy efficiency in energy intensive industries which are as follows NMEEE aims to strengthen the market for energy efficiency through implementation of innovative business models in the energy efficiency sector.

FOREST SURVEY OF INDIA (FSI), a national level organization under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is engaged in the assessment of the country’s forest resources on a regular interval.

• Forest Survey of India (FSI) is involved in forest cover assessment of the country on biennial basis by interpretation of satellite data on a two-year cycle and presents the information in the form of ‘India State of Forest Report’.

• In addition to forest cover, assessment of tree cover of the country is also being carried out using the trees outside forests (TOF) inventory data. Inventory of forests and Trees outside Forests (TOF) is the second major activity of FSI.

International Tropical Timber Organization ITTO is an intergovernmental organization promoting the conservation and sustainable management, use and trade of tropical forest resources. Its members represent about 80% of the world's tropical forests and 90% of the global tropical timber trade.

• The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) was established under the auspices of the United Nations in 1986 amidst increasing worldwide concern for the fate of tropical forests.

• The International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA) was negotiated under United Nation Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD’s) auspices to provide an effective framework for cooperation and consultation among countries producing and consuming tropical timber promote the expansion and

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMMES AND CONVENTIONS

2020

2

diversification of international trade in tropical timber and the improvement of structural conditions in the tropical timber market; promote and support research and development to improve forest management and wood utilization.

• The ITTA, 1983 established the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), headquartered at Yokohama, Japan, which provides a framework of tropical timber producer and consumer countries to discuss, exchange information and develop policies on issues relating to international trade, utilization of, tropical timber and the sustainable management of its resources base.

• India is a founder member of ITTO which aims for conserving tropical forest and assisting countries to develop economically in the field of forestry.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is one of the key agreements adopted during the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

• The objectives of CBD are: conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources.

• Under CBD, years 2011-2020 is considered as United Nations Decade on Biodiversity.

• Living in Harmony with Nature - the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity contributes to the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

The three Rio Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and

Desertification - derive directly from the 1992 Earth Summit. The three conventions are intrinsically linked, operating in the same ecosystems and addressing interdependent issues. Convention on Biological Diversity

• The objectives of the CBD are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from commercial and other utilization of genetic resources. The agreement covers all ecosystems, species, and genetic resources.

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

• The UNCCD aims to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification, particularly in Africa, through effective actions at all levels, supported by international co-operation and partnership arrangements, in the framework of an integrated approach which is consistent with Agenda 21, with a view to contributing to the achievements of sustainable development in affected areas.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

• The UNFCCC sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change. Its objectives are to stabilize greenhouse-gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system, within a time-frame

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMMES AND CONVENTIONS

2020

3

sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change; to ensure that food production is not threatened; to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.

The Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit sharing (ABS) adopted under the aegis of CBD in 2010, is aimed at fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources.

• It is an international agreement which aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way.

Cartagena Protocol aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health. WWF is an international non-governmental organization, headquarter is located in Switzerland

• The group’s mission is “to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.”

As per Section 62 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, States can send a list of wild animals to the Centre requesting it to declare them vermin for selective slaughter.

• The Central Government may by notification, declare any wild animal other than those specified in Schedule I and part 11 of Schedule H of the law to be vermin for any area for a given period of time. As long as the notification is in force such wild

animal shall be included in Schedule V of the law, depriving them of any protection under that law.

• This reprieve means that those who kill these animals here will, for a year after these notifications come into effect, not be subject to the jail terms and fines that hunting these animals typically invite.

• Wildlife laws divide species into ‘schedules’ ranked from I to V. Schedule I members are the best protected, in theory, with severe punishments meted out to those who hunt them.

• Wild boars, nilgai and rhesus monkeys are Schedule II and III members — also protected, but can be hunted under specific conditions. Crows and fruit bat fall in Schedule 5, the vermin category.

The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference. It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List. List of Indian wetlands of International importance included in the Montreux Record are -

• Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan. • Loktak Lake, Manipur.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has been executing a nationwide programme of ambient air quality monitoring known as National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP).

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMMES AND CONVENTIONS

2020

4

The National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) is undertaken in India

• to determine status and trends of ambient air quality;

• to ascertain the compliance of NAAQS;

• to identify non-attainment cities; • to undertake preventive and

corrective measures. Annual average concentration of SOx levels is within the prescribed National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

The NAAQS has been revisited and revised for 12 pollutants which includes; 1. Sulphur dioxide 2. Nitrogen dioxide 3. PM (10) 4. PM (2.5) 5. ozone 6. lead 7. carbon monoxide 8. arsenic 9. nickel 10. benzene 11. ammonia 12. benzopyrene Basel Convention

• The Basel Convention on the Control of Trans boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was adopted in 1989 in Basel, Switzerland. The overarching objective of the Basel Convention is to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes. Its scope of application covers a wide range of wastes defined as “hazardous wastes” based on their origin and/or composition and their characteristics, as well as two types of wastes defined as “other wastes”

Rotterdam Convention

• The Rotterdam Convention on the prior informed consent procedure for certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade came into force in 2004. India acceded to the convention a year later.

• There are 47 chemicals listed in Annex III to this Convention, which include 33 pesticides and 14 industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted for health or environmental reasons.

Stockholm Convention

• The Stockholm Convention on persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from POPs. The Convention sought initially 12 chemicals, for restriction or elimination of the production and release. Now, the Convention covers 23 chemicals.

The Vienna Convention

• For the Protection of the Ozone Layer and its Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer are the international treaties specific for the protection of the Stratospheric Ozone.

The Montreal Protocol

• Has been recognized as the most successful international environmental treaty in history. It has been universally ratified and all the 197 UN member countries of the world are the parties to the Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMMES AND CONVENTIONS

2020

5

• In the 29 years of operation of the Montreal Protocol, extraordinary international cooperation under this agreement has led to phase-out of production and consumption of several major ODSs such as CFCs, CTC and halons globally from 2010.

Zoological Survey of India Primary Objectives

• Exploration, Survey, Inventorying and Monitoring of faunal diversity in various States, Ecosystems and Protected areas of India.

• Taxonomic studies of all faunal components collected.

• Periodic review of the Status of Threatened and Endemic species.

• Preparation of Red Data Book, Fauna of India and Fauna of States.

• Bio-ecological studies on selected important communities/species.

• Preparation of databases for the recorded species of the country.

• Maintenance & Development of National Zoological Collections.

• Training, Capacity Building and Human Resource Development.

• Faunal Identification, Advisory services and Library Services.

• Publication of results including Fauna of India and Fauna of States.

Secondary Objectives

• Environmental Impact Studies. • Maintenance and Development of

Museum at Headquarters and Regional Stations.

• Development of ENVIS and CITES Centers.

• Research Fellowship, Associateship and Emeritus Scientist Programmes.

• Collaborative research programmes on Biodiversity with other Organizations.

• GIS and Remote Sensing studies for animal diversity as well as for selected threatened species

• Chromosomal Mapping and DNA finger printing.

The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples focused on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, forest carbon stock conservation, the sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries BioCarbon Fund

• Housed within the Carbon Finance Unit of the World Bank, the BioCarbon Fund is a public-private sector initiative mobilizing financing to help for development of projects that sequester or conserve carbon in forest and agro-ecosystems. It was created in 2004.

The Animal Welfare Board of India was established in 1962 under Section 4 of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The National Tiger Conservation Authority is set up under the Chairmanship of the Minister for Environment and Forests and is a statutory body. National Ganga River Basin Authority was established by the Central Government of India, on 20 February 2009.The Prime Minister is the chair of the Authority.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS, PROGRAMMES AND CONVENTIONS

2020

6

The Sendai Framework is a 15-year; voluntary, non-binding agreement which recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders.

• The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (Sendai Framework) is the first major agreement of the post-2015 development agenda, with seven targets and four priorities for action.

• It was endorsed by the UN General Assembly following the 2015 Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR).

Biodiversity Finance Initiative – BIOFIN is a global partnership seeking to address the biodiversity finance challenge in a comprehensive manner – building a sound business case for increased investment in the management of ecosystems and biodiversity. The goals of BIOFIN include the following:

• Develop and pilot a new approach and methodology to fill the financing gap for biodiversity;

• Support CBD parties in reporting on resource mobilization (Financial Reporting Framework)

• Assist countries to better mobilize and align domestic and international finance for biodiversity, including implementation of NBSAPs, and to achieve sustainable development goals.

BIOFIN is managed by the UNDP Ecosystems and Biodiversity Programme, in partnership with the European Union and the Governments of Flanders,

Germany, Norway and Switzerland, who support the initiative with a total of USD 29 million.

• The Global Environment Facility is a further partner financing parallel in-country projects in support of the revision of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

• Currently there are 31 countries where BIOFIN is implemented, which include India.

Conservation International (CI)

• An American non-profit environmental organization headquartered in Arlington,Virginia.

• Its goal is to protect nature as a source of food, fresh water, livelihoods and a stable climate.

• It employs scientists and policy experts to balance healthy ecosystems with sustainable human use.

• Conservation International aims to help stabilize global climate, protect fresh water, and ensure human well-being.

• To achieve their goals, they work with indigenous peoples and non-governmental organization. Conservation International's primary initiatives include climate, fresh water, food, health, culture, and biodiversity.

• Of all the significant initiatives Conservation International has achieved, its Biodiversity Hotspots project is the most impressive.

• This project identifies and protects biological hotspots—places that exhibit the richest diversity and most