A forest is a highly complex and constantly changing environment. It is made up of a variety of living things like wildlife, trees, shrubs, wildflowers, ferns, mosses, lichens, fungi and microscopic soil organisms; and non-living things such as water, nutrients, rocks, sunlight and air. Trees are the biggest part of this complex community.
Substances that cause pollution of air are called as air- pollutants or atmospheric pollutants. These are fine Primary Pollutants that contribute more than 90 percent of global air pollution. These fine pollutants are carbon monoxide (CO); Nitrogen oxides (NOx); Sulphur oxides (Sox) and particulates. These pollutants can be put into two broad categories A. Gaseous Pollutants, and B. Particulates.
Non-renewable resources coal and petroleum are energy sources that we use and consume faster than the rate of their production in nature.
Our natural resources are known to have some specific qualities of their own. These qualities are known as natural qualities. It is due to specific natural qualities that different natural resources have been useful to us and to the whole biosphere. But now, the condition has changed considerably.
The Envelope of air held around the earth by its magnetic force, gravity or geomagnetism, is called the atmosphere.
The Conservation Status of Biodiversity is usually known through the comprehensive Inventory prepared periodically by the IUCN, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. This comprehensive Inventory of the Conservation Status of Species is popularly known as the Red List or the Red Data List.
Conservation of species in their natural habitats- in areas where they occur under normal conditions is called in-situ conservation.
This type of conservation strategy protects the entire area. Such an area is protected and maintained to conserve all the known or unknown species inhabiting it.
In this type of conservation, species are not isolated or provided with health care, food, or mating facilities. Only factors detrimental to species’ existence and development are eliminated in this conservation strategy. Human interference, such as hunting, cutting down trees, collecting firewood, etc., is completely banned in such areas.
Varieties of Biological Resources are in international demand today. To meet this international demand, illegal smuggling of these resources is done through illegal routes. Some species of plants and animals have been threatened, rare, endangered or critically endangered due to such practices. Several valuable species of plants and animals have become extinct due to these activities. The international trade in animal body parts is increasing rather rapidly due to their high prices in the international markets. Where possible, the trade of whole animals is also in full swing.
Species become endangered due to both natural and anthropogenic causes. Since man has no control over natural causes, we should consider anthropogenic causes only. Anthropological causes may be classified into two fundamental categories: Direct Causes and Indirect or underlying causes.
Biodiversity sources and also other sources supply raw materials to many important industries.
They have aesthetic value and an appeal for ecotourism, which supports the growth of the national economy. They are also potential sources of pharmaceuticals, other chemicals, agricultural materials, etc.
Pharmaceutical products of biodiversity origin offer important medicines to our healthcare systems and prepare a background for many social services. Besides these, biodiversity offers various ecosystem services as each of the numerous species of animals and plants depends on other animals or plants for survival, breeding, and development.
The unit of biosphere having all the components producers, consumers and decomposers and the abiotic components together with physical factors in dynamic relationships is called as ecosystem.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) – Nutrition is the intake of food, considered in relation to the body’s dietary needs.
