Biodiversity of Lakshadweep Islands project

The school project on Biodiversity of Lakshadweep Islands

1. Biodiversity of Lakshadweep Islands

2. What is Biodiversity Biodiversity — short for biological diversity — is the variety of all living things and their interactions. Biodiversity changes over time as extinction occurs and new species evolve. They include bacteria, protozoa, fungi, flowering plants, ants, beetles, butterflies, birds, fishes, and large animals such as elephants, whales, bears, etc. Each species is a group of organisms with unique characteristics. The term “Bio” means “Life” and “diversity” means “variety”.

3. Why is Biodiversity Important? biodiversity provides functioning ecosystems that supply oxygen, clean air and water, pollination of plants, pest control, wastewater treatment and many ecosystem services. As every organism and plant provides us support, for example plant provides us many fruit and vegetables, some animals provides milk, meat, etc.

4. Biodiversity of Lakshadweep Islands The coral ecosystem having more than 140 species provides an ideal habitat for a variety of flora and fauna . From Lakshadweep 400 species of plants, 101 species of birds and 603, species of marine fishes are recorded. Some plants are: Bread fruit tree(state tree), neelakurinji (state flower) , blindness tree, etc. Some birds are: Brown noddy(state bird),Indian wide-eye, Asian Koel, etc. Some marine animals are: The butterfly fish(state fish), Goatfish, tuna, etc.

5. Plants: Breadfruit tree Bread fruit tree is state tree of Lakshadweep It is a flowering tree in mulberry and jackfruit family Originated in New Guinea, the Maluku Islands, and the Philippines. Provides nutritious fruit used as a cooked vegetable and serves as a staple starch supplementing rice and coconut in Lakshadweep.

6. Plants: Neelakurinji Neelakurinji is state flower of Lakshadweep Neelakurinji belongs to the bear’s breeches family ( Acanthaceae ) The purplish-blue flowers bloom during September–October. Neelakurinji blooms once every twelve years.

7. Plants: Blindness tree Also known as the Chinese croton, buta buta , or jungle fire plant. The sap of this tree is toxic and can cause skin eczema. If it gets into the eyes, it may lead to blindness. Its leaves are opposite, with a shiny dark green or variegated upper surface and a deep maroon underside. A subtropical evergreen shrub with a woody stem, growing up to 1–2 meters (3.3–6.6 ft) high.

8. Birds: Brown Noddy Brown Noddy is state bird of Lakshadweep The brown noddy has a rich, dark chocolate-brown plumage with a pale grey or white crown and forehead. It also features a narrow, incomplete white eye-ring and a long, wedge-shaped tail Brown noddies are colonial birds, usually nesting on cliffs, trees, or bushes

9. Birds: Indian wide-eye The Indian white-eye measures about 8–9 cm in length. It has yellowish olive upperparts, a distinctive white eye ring, a yellow throat, and a vent. The belly is whitish gray, but some subspecies may have yellow on the belly. Indian white-eyes are hyperactive little birds found in a wide range of habitats, from mangroves to gardens and forest edges. They prefer more open forested areas rather than dense tangles

10. Birds : Asian Koel Males have glossy black plumage with striking red eyes and a long tail. Females, on the other hand, are brown with white spots and have a distinctive white streak around their eyes. Both have a strong, curved bill. he name “koel” has echoic origins and appears in various languages. In Indian and Nepali poetry, the Asian koel is a widely used

11. Marine Animals: Butterfly fish Butterfly fish is state fish of Lakshadweep . There are approximately 129 species of butterflyfish that are mostly found on the reefs of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans Butterflyfish exhibit a wide range of colors, including shades of black, white, blue, red, orange, and yellow. Butterflyfish are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day.

12. Marine Animals: Goatfish Their bodies are deep and elongated, with forked tails and widely separated dorsal fins. The first dorsal fin typically has 6-8 spines, while the second dorsal fin has one spine and 8-9 soft rays. The anal fin usually has 1 or 2 spines and 5-8 soft rays. Goatfish are found worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters. They feed on worms, crustaceans, mollusks, and other small invertebrates.

13. Marine Animals: Tuna Tuna have deep and elongated bodies with forked tails. They exhibit a wide range of colors, including shades of black, white, blue, red, orange, and yellow. Some species have eyespots on their flanks. Tuna are found in oceanic waters across the globe. Their movements are influenced by factors like temperature, food availability, and reproductive cycles.

14. Thanks By: Lakshita Gupta Class : 9 th C Roll No. : 10