Biodiversity and Conservation – Methods, Strategies & Importance

🌿 BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION

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🧬 What is Biodiversity Conservation?

Biodiversity Conservation = Protection + Management of species and ecosystems
➡️ Aim: To use natural resources sustainably for present & future generations

🎯 Main Objectives:

• ➤ Preserve species variety

• ➤ Use species & ecosystems sustainably

• ➤ Support life systems and ecological processes

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🌱 What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity = Variety of life forms on Earth
It includes ➤ plants, animals, fungi, and microbes in ecosystems

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🛠️ Methods of Biodiversity Conservation

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✅ 1. In-situ Conservation

➡️ Conservation in the natural habitat

✔️ Advantages:
➤ Cost-effective & convenient
➤ Many species protected together
➤ Organisms adapt & evolve naturally

🔹 Examples of In-situ Conservation Areas:

• 🏞️ National Parks
  ➤ Strictly protected | No human activities
  ➤ E.g., Kanha, Bandipur

• 🦌 Wildlife Sanctuaries
  ➤ Only wild animals
  ➤ Limited human use allowed (e.g., tourism, wood collection)

• 🌍 Biosphere Reserves
  ➤ Protect wildlife + locals + domestic animals
  ➤ Allow tourism & research

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✅ 2. Ex-situ Conservation

➡️ Conservation outside natural habitat

✔️ Examples:
➤ Zoos | Botanical gardens | Gene banks | Seed banks

✔️ Advantages:
➤ Longer breeding time
➤ Species can be reintroduced into wild
➤ Use of genetic tools for preservation

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🎯 Key Strategies for Biodiversity Conservation

✅ Conserve:

• ➤ All food, timber, livestock species

• ➤ Economically important organisms

• ➤ Unique & endangered ecosystems

✅ Prevent:

• ➤ Poaching & hunting

• ➤ Deforestation

• ➤ Pollution increase

✅ Promote:

• ➤ Efficient resource use

• ➤ Environmental law enforcement

• ➤ Awareness campaigns

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❓ Why Conserve Biodiversity?

✅ More biodiversity = More stable environment
✅ Humans depend on biodiversity for:
➤ Food
➤ Medicine
➤ Clean air & water
➤ Ecological balance

⚠️ Threats to Biodiversity:
➡️ Habitat loss
➡️ Climate change
➡️ Overuse of resources
➡️ Pollution
➡️ Hunting & invasive species

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📝 Conclusion:

🌿 Biodiversity = Life’s safety net

We must protect it using both natural (in-situ) and artificial (ex-situ) methods, enforce laws, and raise public awareness.