Conservation of Plants and Animals
Science Class Eight
Summary
Conservation
Conservation is the protection of species from their extinction. Conservation is necessary to maintain habitats, ecosystem, environment and biological diversity.
Deforestation and Its Causes
Deforestation is the clearing of forest at mass level and using that land for other purposes.
Causes of Deforestation
Causes of deforestation can be divided into two categories viz man-made and natural.
Man-made Causes of Deforestation
(a) Procuring land for cultivation
(b) Building houses and factories
(c) Making furniture or using wood as fuel
With the increase in population more land required for cultivation to grow food, more buildings are needed to live, more factories are required to manufacture to fulfill many types of requirements, more furniture are needed and more wood is needed as fuel. These ultimately resulting in the form of deforestation.
Natural Causes of Deforestation
(a) Earth quake
(b) Flood
(c) Drought
Consequences of Deforestation
(a) Increase in temperature of Earth
Trees require carbon dioxide to make their food using a process called photosynthesis. With deforestation less number of trees and plants would be available to use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. This is resulting in increase in level of Carbon Dioxide on earth.
Carbon dioxide traps heat which increases the temperature of earth and this leads to Global Warming. Global Warming became one of the most concerns for whole of the world.
(c) Increase in Pollution
Trees keep our environment clean and less polluted.
(d) Decreasing level of Ground Water
With decreasing the number of trees water flow to the river and goes to the sea and ocean through river in more quick way. And soil absorbs less amount of water, this leads to decreasing the level of ground water.
Reference: Pushkarv / CC BY-SA
(e) Droughts
Increase in temperature on the earth due to deforestation, disturbs the water cycle. This may reduce the rainfall. Reduced rainfall is resulting in the form of droughts.
(f) Desertification
Trees decrease the rate of flow of water to the rivers. Because of lesser number of trees water flows towards the river with more speed. Flowing water washed out the soil along it. This is resulted in the form of soil erosion. Removal of top layer of soil with water, exposes the lower, hard and rocky layers. This soil has less humus and is less fertile. Gradually, the fertile land gets converted into deserts. This is known as Desertification.
(g) Decrease the fertility of Soil
Deforestation leads to decrease in the water holding capacity of the soil. The movement of water with more speed from the surface of soil washed away the nutrients and texture of soil. This leads to decrease of the fertility of soil.
(h) Decreasing of availability of forest produce
We get many products from forest, such as wood, resin, etc. Decreasing number of trees is resulting in the increase in the shortage of forest produce.
Conservation of Forest and Wildlife
Saving and Protection of forest and wild life is known as Conservation of Forest and Wildlife.
To protect and conserve forest and wild life, government lays down rules, methods and policies. Wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, biosphere reserves are protected areas for conservation of plants and animals present in that area.
Biosphere
The word "Biosphere" is the combination of two Greek words "Bios + spharia". In which "bios" means "life" and "spharia" means "Globe or ball or sphere".
Thus, "Bioshpere" is the huge area of all possible life form. Biosphere includes land, water, air along with life forms. The "Bioshpere" is called "Ecosystem" also.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity or Biological diversity refers to the variety of organisms existing on the earth, their interrelationships and their relationship with the environment.
In other words, Biodiversity is the variety of plants, animals and microorganisms generally found in the Biodiversity Reserve.
Biosphere Reserve
A very large protected area for conservation of wild life, plant and animal resources and traditional life of the tribals living is known as Biosphere Reserve.
In other words, Biodiversity Reserves are the area meant for conservation of biodiversity.
The Biodiversity Reserves help to maintain biodiversity and culture of that area.
A biodiversity reserve may also contain other protected areas, such as wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, etc.
Pachmarhi Biodiversity Reserve
The Pachmarhi Biodiversity Reserve is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India. It consists of districts of Hosangabad, Betul and Chhindwara.
The Pachmarhi Biodiversity Reserve is spread in a total area of 4926.28 square kilometer which is equal to 12,17,310 acres of area.
The highest peak in the Pachmarhi Biodiversity Reserve is Dhoopgarh.
The Pachmarhi Biodiversity Reserve consists of two sanctuaries, named Bori Sancuary and Pachmarhi Sanchuary and one national park called Satpura National Park.
The Bori Sancuary spread in the area of 518 square kilometer.
The Pachmarhi Sanctuary spread in the area of 461.37 square kilometer.
The Satpura National Park spread in the area of 524.37 square kilometer.
Reference : Suvro Banerjee / CC BY-SA
Flora and Fauna
Flora stands for plants or plants life exists in a particular area. And Fauna stands for animal's life exists in a particular area.
For example trees of sal, teak, mango, jamun, silver ferns, arjun, etc are the flora of the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve.
And chinkara, blue-bull, barking deer, cheetal, leopard, wild dog, wolf, etc. are some examples of the fauna of the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve.
Endemic Species
Species of plants and animals which are found exclusively in a particular area are called Endemic Species. Such species are not naturally found anywhere else.
In other words a particular type of animal or plant found in a particular zone, are, a state or a country is called Endemic Species to that very place.
Increasing population and introduction of new species in a particular area may affect the natural habitat of endemic species and endanger their existence.
Species
A group of population which is capable of interbreeding is termed as Species. This means that the members of a species can reproduce fertile offspring only with the members of their own species and not with members of other species. Members of a species have common characteristics.
Wildlife Sanctuary
A large forest area specified for the protection and suitable living condition to the wild animals is known as Wildlife Sanctuary. In the wildlife sanctuary killing (poaching) or capturing of animals is strictly prohibited.
National Park
National Park is a type of reserve forest consists of large diverse area which protect whole sets of ecosystems. National Park preserve flora, fauna, landscape and historic objects of an area.
Project Tiger
To conserve tigers; Government of India launched a program called Project Tiger in April 1973.
The objective of Project Tiger is to ensure the survival and maintenance of the tiger population in the country.
From 9 tiger reserves since the formation year, the Project Tiger coverage has increased to 50 at present. This constitutes about 2.21% of the geographical area of our county.
Endangered Animals
Animals whose numbers are diminishing to a level that they might face extinction are known as ENDANGERED ANIMALS.
Ecosystem
An ECOSYSTEM is made of all the plants, animals and microorganisms in an area along with non-living components such as climate, soil, river deltas, mountain, etc.
Red Data Book
RED DATA BOOK is the source book which keeps a record of all the endangered animals and plants. There are different RED DATA BOOK for animals, plants and other species.
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) founded in the year of 1964 to keep the record of all of the threatened species. This record is known as (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species or (IUCN) Red List or Red Data List. This keeps the record of all of the threatened species to ensure their conservation.
Migration
There are many birds fly to far away areas every year during particular time because of climatic changes. They fly for laying eggs as the weather in their natural habitat becomes very cold and inhospitable.
Birds who cover long distances to reach another land are known as Migratory Birds.
Recycling of Paper
Paper is made of trees. About 17 full grown trees are required to make one tone of paper. Thus, paper is one of the major causes of deforestation.
We should save, reused paper and recycle it. By this we not only save trees but also save energy and water needed for manufacturing of paper. By saving and reuse of used paper, the amount of harmful chemicals used in paper making will also be reduced.
A paper can be recycled at least five to six times. Each of us can save at least one sheet of paper in a day, by this way we can save many trees in a year.
Reforestation
REFORESTATION is the restocking of the destroyed forests by planting new trees. The planted trees should generally be of the same species which are found in that very forest.
The reforestation can be taken place naturally also if the deforested area is left undisturbed, it re-established itself.
The Forest (Conservation) Act
There is a Forest (Conservation) Act in India as well as in the whole world. This act is aimed at preservation and conservation of natural forests and meeting the basic needs of the pople living in or near the forests.
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