Question

Answer the following questions in about 30 words.

(i) What is biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important for human lives?
(ii) How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain.

Class 10 Geo

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Answer 1

Solution:

(i) Biodiversity is immensely rich in wildlife and cultivated species, diverse in form and function, but closely integrated into a system through multiple networks of inter-dependencies.

It is important for human lives because the human beings, along with the biodiversity, form a complete web of ecological system in which we are only a part and are very much dependent on this system for our own existence. Plants, animals and human beings are interdependent. For example, the plants, animals and micro-organisms re-create the quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the soil that produces our food without which we cannot survive. The importance of biodiversity reflects the many different values that we bestow up it, including economic, ecological, cultural, scientific and recreational.

(ii) Several human activities have affected the depletion of flora and fauna and have led to a decline in India’s biodiversity. The main factors responsible for this damage are:

• The greatest damage inflicted on Indian forests was during the colonial period due to the expansion of railways, agriculture, commercial and scientific forestry and mining activities.

• Even after independence, agricultural expansion continues to be one of the major causes of depletion of forest resources.

• Habitat destruction: Mainly due to overpopulation leading to expansion of agriculture, mining, industrialisation and urbanisation and consequent wiping out of large forest areas.

• Hunting and poaching: Illegal trade of animal skin, tusk, bones, teeth, horns, etc have led many species to the verge of extinction.

• Environmental pollution: Poisoning of water bodies and atmosphere due to the discharge of industrial effluents, chemicals, wastes, etc. leading to animal deaths.

• Forest fires: It often induced by shifting cultivation wiping out valuable forests and wildlife.

• Large scale development projects and the destruction of forests.

• Grazing and fuelwood collection.

• Over-exploitation of forest products.

Other important causes of environmental destruction are unequal access, inequitable consumption of forest resources and differential sharing of responsibility for environmental well-being.