Conservation of natural resources

Contents covers the topics for B.Sc. Part 3 paper I

1. DR.SAURABH KUMAR HOD, Department of Botany Khandelwal college of Management Science & Technology Bareilly. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT B.Sc. Part III: Paper I Plant resource utilization, Palynology and Biostatistics Topics Covered Conservation of Plants resources for agriculture and forestry. In situ conservation Sanctuaries, National parks, Biosphere reserve, Wetlands, Mangroves. Ex situ conservation Botanical gardens, Field gene bank, Seed Bank, cryobanks

2. Natural Resource: Is any useful material found in the environment like soil, water, minerals, vegetation etc., anything that helps meet people’s needs. Natural resources are naturally occurring substances that are considered valuable in their relatively unmodified (Natural) form. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

3. Importance of Natural Resources: Natural resources plays a significant part in our lives. It will be really difficult to imagine the world without the natural resources . The globe without natural resources will be the as the globe without nature . The resources not only add to our lives, they serve the realm of progress. Conservation : Conservation has been defined as “the management for the benefit of all life including human kind of the biosphere so that it may yield sustainable benefit to the present generation while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of the future generations”. Resources conservation has three specific objectives: 1.To maintain essential ecological processes and life support system 2.To preserve biological diversity 3.To ensure that any utilization of species and ecosystem is sustainable Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

4. Biodiversity: is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome or the entire Earth. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems. Biodiversity or Biological diversity found on Earth today consists of many millions of distinct biological species, the product of four billion years of evolution. Walter. G. Rosen in 1985 coined the term Biodiversity. Coined by Norman Myers , the term “ Biodiversity hotspots ” can be defined as the regions which are known for their high species richness and endemism . To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must meet two strict criteria: It must have at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics — which is to say, it must have a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else on the planet . A hotspot, in other words, is irreplaceable. It must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation . In other words, it must be threatened. Major four biodiversity hotspots in India: The Himalayas Indo-Burma Region The Western Ghats Sundaland (South-East Asia) Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

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7. Conservation Strategies Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

8. Concept of Threatened Species Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

9. Types of Conservation There Are Two Main Categories Of Conservation : In Situ Conservation And Ex Situ Conservation. IN SITU CONSERVATION This Is The Conservation of Genetic Resources Through Their Maintenance Within Natural or Even Human- Made Ecosystems In Which They Occurs . This Is An Ideal System For Genetic Resources Conservation . This Type Includes A System of Protected Areas of Different Categories , Managed With Different Objectives to Bring Benefit To The Society . For example, Sanctuaries , National Parks , Biosphere Reserves , Wetlands , Mangroves , World Heritage Sites , Sacred Groves , National Monuments , Cultural Landscape etc. Belong To This Type Of Conservation is In-Situ Conservation, Therefore, Is Not Practicable For Domesticates. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

10. The advantages of in situ conservation The Species Will Have All The Resources That It Is Adapted Too . The Species Will Continue To Evolve In Their Environment. The Species Have More Space. Bigger Breeding Populations Can Be Kept . It Is Cheaper To Keep An Organism In Its Natural Habitat. However there are problems It Is Difficult To Control Illegal Exploitation (like Poaching) The Environment May Need Restoring And Alien Species Are Difficult To Control Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

11. National Park National parks  have been defined by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as areas to be managed for ecosystem protection and recreation. National Parks under ( IUCN Category II ) are to be managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation. N ational park , an area set aside by a national government for the preservation of the natural  environment . In United States of America in 1870 world’s first such park was established that is   Yellowstone National Park   in  Wyoming . They are natural areas of land or sea (or both), designated to: Protect ecological integrity of ecosystems for present and future generations; (b) Exclude exploitation or occupation inimical to the purposes of designation of the area, and (c) Provide a foundation for spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational, and visitor opportunities, all of which must be environmentally and culturally compatible. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

12. Anthropogenic activities like developmental activities, industrial activities, forestry, poaching, hunting, and cultivation are not permitted . The boundaries of National Parks are well defined and no private activities are allowed inside the National Park. A national park has more restrictions as compared to a wildlife sanctuary . Their boundaries are fixed and defined. Here, no human activity is allowed . They cannot be downgraded to the status of a ‘sanctuary’. National parks can be declared both by the Central Government and State governments. An area, whether within a sanctuary or not , can be notified by the state government to be constituted as a National Park, by reason of its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological association or importance, needed to for the purpose of protecting & propagating or developing wildlife therein or its environment. The Chief Wildlife Warden shall be the authority who shall control, manage, and maintain all protected areas. Protected Areas are the principal mechanism of conservation of biodiversity on Earth and serve as the most important units for in-situ biodiversity conservation . India's first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park , now known as Jim Corbett National Park , Uttarakhand. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

13. In 1972 , (with Amendment Acts of 2003 and 2006) India enacted the Wildlife Protection Act and Project Tiger in 1973 to safeguard the habitats of conservation reliant species. There Are 105 National Parks In India(2021) Spread Over An Area of 40,564 Sq. Km square . Or Nearly 1.23 % of The Country’s Geographical Area. Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

14. Ten Famous National Park of India Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

15. Wild Sanctuaries Any area other than area comprised with any reserve forest or the territorial waters can be notified by the State Government to constitute as a sanctuary if such area is of adequate ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural. or zoological significance, for the purpose of protecting, propagating or developing wildlife or its environment. Some restricted human activities are allowed inside the Sanctuary area In Wildlife Sanctuaries Protection Is Given Only To Animals . In Such Areas Hrvesting Of Timber, Collection Of Minor Forest Products And Private Ownership Rights Are Permitted So Long As They Do Not Interefere With The Well Beings Of Animals. There are 553 existing wildlife sanctuaries in India covering an area of 119776.00 km2, which is 3.64 % of the geographical area of the country (National Wildlife Database, December, 2019). Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

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17. Biosphere reserves are sites established by countries and recognized under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme to promote sustainable development based on local community efforts and sound science. The programme of Biosphere Reserve was initiated by UNESCO in 1971. The purpose of the formation of the biosphere reserve is to conserve in situ all forms of life , along with its support system, in its totality , so that it could serve as a referral system for monitoring and evaluating changes in natural ecosystems. The first biosphere reserve of the world was established in 1979 , since then the network of biosphere reserves has increased to 631 in 119 countries across the world. Presently, there are 18 Biosphere reserves in India as on 2021 out of which 12 are also the part of UNESCO MAB Programme. Some Important Biosphere Reserves In India Are, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Which Includes Part of Karnataka, Kerala And Tamil Nadu , Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve , Uttarakhand Including Valley Of Flowers And Nokerek Biosphere Reserve Including North Eastern Himalayas. The Special Features Of A Biosphere Reserve Are Combines Four Major Groups On Objective Conservation, Research, Education, Local Involvement. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

18. Biosphere Reserves in India Nilgiri, Biosphere Reserve Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

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20. Wetlands “ Little known treasures ” Nature's Kidney” Wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface, or the land is covered by shallow water. A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded by water , either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Wetlands must have one or more of the following three attributes : 1) at least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytes; 2) the substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil; and 3) the substrate is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at some time during the growing season of each year. Such Areas Include Swamps, Marshes, Petlands , Lagoons, Lakes Etc. Wetlands Are Known Repositories Of Many Valuable Biotic Resources. They Have Been Serving The Human Civilization Since Times Immemorial. Yet, There Is No Hue And Cry Over The Disappearance of A Few Little Known Wetland Flora That Supports The Livelihood Of Large Population In Rural Areas . These Are Mostly Seasonal, A Few Are Annual, Thus Sharing A Major Part In The Floral Community Of Aquatic Vegetation. Apart From Leafy Vegetables , They Are Potentially Nutritious And Medicinal In Nature Too. Without Manuring And Less Care, They Grow Wildly In Fallow Wetlands. 2 nd February is celebrated as world wetland day. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

21. Marshes are wetlands that are permanently flooded or flooded during high water periods at the edges of rivers, streams, lakes, or ponds. Meadows are wetlands with permanently or near-permanently saturated soils. They may form a transitional zone between marshes and other wetlands with less-saturated soils, or occur in wet depressions and swales or around groundwater discharge zones. Prairie is an ecosystem that is usually intermediate in wetness between sedge meadows and mesic prairies . Bogs are basin wetlands for which precipitation is the only source of water; they are typically not fed by surfacing groundwater or streams. Swamps are wetlands dominated by woody vegetation that typically have standing water during at least certain times of the year. They are often found in low-elevation floodplains along rivers or slow-moving streams. TYPES OF WETLANDS Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

22. (Source: Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India) The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands . It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the convention was signed in 1971 Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

23. Mangrove , any of certain shrubs and trees that belong primarily to the families Rhizophoraceae, Acanthaceae, Lythraceae , Combretaceae, and Arecaceae. They form Salt Tolerant Forest Ecosystems Found Mainly In Tropical And Sub Tropical Inter-tidal Regions. They grow in dense thickets or forests along tidal estuaries , in salt marshes , and on muddy coasts . They characteristically have prop roots —i.e., exposed supporting roots. Respiratory or knee roots ( pneumatophores ) are characteristic of many species; they project above the mud and have small openings (lenticels) through which air enters , passing through the soft spongy tissue to the roots beneath the mud. In India, Mangroves Have Been Subjected To Reckless Exploitation And Other Biotic Interference. Mangroves ‘Walking Forest in the Sea’ Mangroves (Rhizophora apiculata) at low tide on the coast Silver baitfish in a mangrove channel Mangrove propagules (Rhizophora species) Exposed roots of mangrove trees Mangrove trees on Indian coast Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

24. Importance of Mangroves Mangroves are extremely important to the coastal ecosystems they inhabit. Physically, they serve as a buffer between marine and terrestrial communities and protect shorelines from damaging winds, waves, and floods. Mangrove thickets improve water quality by filtering pollutants and trapping sediments from the land, and they reduce coastal erosion. Ecologically, they provide habitat for a diverse array of terrestrial organisms , and many species of coastal and offshore fish and shellfish rely exclusively on mangroves as their breeding, spawning, and hatching grounds . Because of their high salt tolerance, mangroves are often among the first species to colonize mud and sandbanks flooded by seawater , but an increase in coastal development and altered land use led to a decline in global populations. Several species are listed as vulnerable or endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Survive salinity, tidal regime, strong wind velocity, high temperature and muddy anaerobic soil • Also known as ‘Tidal Forests’, ‘Coastal Woodlands’, ‘Walking Forest in the Sea’, ‘Root of the Sea’ and ‘Oceanic Rain Forests’. • As ecosystems, they are symbiotic links between land and sea. Mangrove forests: disappearing by 0.7% in world but increasing by 1.2% in India ! Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

25. “The current assessment shows that mangrove cover in the country is 4,975 sq km [(1.2 million acres)], which is 0.15% of the country's total geographical area .” “ West Bengal has 42.45% of India's mangrove cover, followed by Gujarat 23.66% and A&N Islands 12.39%. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

26. Ex Situ Conservation The Conservation Outside their Habitats By Perpetuating Sample Populations In Genetic Resource Centers, Zoos, Botanical Gardens, Arboreta, Herbal Gardens, etc. or In The Form of Gene Pools And Germ Plasm Bank For Seed, Pollen, Semen , Ova, Cells etc. Plants Are More Readily Maintained Than Animals. In This Type Of Conservation Seed Bank, Botanical Gardens, Pollen Storage, Tissue Culture And Genetic Engineering Have Been Playing Important Role . PROTECTED AREA Protected Areas Can Be Established In Many Ways. The Two Most Common Mechanisms Are, Government Action ( Often At National Level, But Also Regionally Or Locally) And Purchases Of Land Carried Out By Private Conservation Organizations . Protected Areas Not Only Conserve Habitat And Species And Also Ecosystem Services To Humankind , They Could Also Be Roped Into The Task Of Combating Climate Change . When Biodiversity Conservation Is The Primary Goal, Reserve Systems Are Often Created For One Of Three Purposes Protecting Particular Species Example Threatened, Flagship, Or Umbrella Species . Preserving Biodiversity, Focusing On Area Of High Species Richness Preserving Large And Functioning Ecosystem And Their Associated Ecosystem Services. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

27. Botanic gardens conserve plant diversity ex situ and can prevent extinction through integrated conservation action. A botanical garden must be a public institution committed to long-term maintenance of its collections. A private garden , even if it is open to the public, is not generally considered a botanical garden , as this commitment is not certain and the garden’s vocation may change radically if the owner changes. Botanical gardens should always have complete documentation of their collections, control over plants collected and demonstrate responsible management of their collections. Well documented collections allow botanical gardens to support botanists and other scientists by providing documentation and resources for research. BOTANICAL GARDENS Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

28. Botanical gardens have three main objectives: The first and best known objective is recreation. Exhibitions, plant sales, picnics are some of the possibilities that botanical gardens offer. The second very important objective of botanical gardens is education. This includes group tours, seminars as well as publications and other ways of sharing information between botanical gardens and horticulture and botany professionals. Finally, gardens have a scientific objective. Gardens have always studied botany, taxonomy and systematics. Today, fields of study are even broader, from molecular research in the lab to ecological field work. Conservation and studies of local plants should also be emphasized. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

29. Role of Botanical Garden to Conserve Biodiversity One of the most important roles that botanical gardens play in conservation is environmental education . Each year, more than 150 million people visit gardens all over the world and have the chance to get in touch with nature. Botanical gardens are a unique environment to raise public awareness and help people understand the importance of biodiversity , and help in understanding that conservation is everyone’s job. The second obvious role of botanical gardens in biodiversity conservation is ex situ conservation . Ex situ conservation (growing wild plants outside their natural environment) has many advantages. Ex situ conservation helps to attain conservation objective by providing material to reintroduce plants into degraded areas or to reinforce existing populations. It also helps to remove wild populations from the pressure of scientists, horticulturists or collectors. The presence of a rare species in a botanical garden makes it available for scientific research, education and possible horticultural or commercial exploitation without affecting wild populations. Ex situ conservation can also serve as an “insurance policy” for endangered species by creating a protected reserve of especially vulnerable native species or populations. It can even be the only solution if the natural habitat has been destroyed or if a species disappears. Botanical gardens are ideal places to practice  ex situ  conservation because they have appropriate facilities and skilled horticulturists and botanists.  Ex situ  conservation includes not only the cultivation of plants in gardens and greenhouses, but also maintenance of seed, pollen or propagule samples and in vitro cell and tissue cultures. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

30. Kew Royal London New Garden UK Longwood Gardens Philadelphia USA Montreal Botanical Garden Canada Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden USA Orto botanico di padava Italy Singapore Botanical Garden, Singapore Munich Kirstenbosch botanical gardens South Africa Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bosh, Kolkata India Botanical Australia New York Botanical Garden World’s largest collection of plants Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England Montreal Botanical Garden Canada Singapore Botanical Gardens Famous Botanical Garden of World Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

31. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT This is a method of planting plants for the conservation of genes . For this purpose, an ecosystem is created artificially . Through this method, one can compare the differences among plants of different species and can study them in detail . It needs more land, adequate soil, weather, etc. Germplasm of important crops are conserved through this method. 42,000 varieties of rice are conserved in the Central Rice Research Institute in Orissa. A field gene bank provides easy and ready access to the plant's genetic resources, for characterization, evaluation or utilization. The same material, conserved in the form of seeds , in vitro or cryo must be germinated or regenerated and grown before it can be used. A field gene bank is also useful for conserving vegetatively propagated genotypes that commonly produce variants since these can be more easily identified and improved on in the field than in vitro, the scientist explained Aiming to conserve and improve the quality of litchis , the sweet and juicy summer fruit has acquired its first field gene bank in India - and possibly in the world - in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district , renowned for its 'shahi' (kingly) variety. Field Gene Bank

32. Seed Banks: One of the most efficient methods of ex-situ conservation for sexually reproducing plants is the storage of conservation material in form of seeds. Every kind of seed has a distinct genetic makeup , thus consists a wide variety of genetic diversity. At practical level, seed bank depends upon secure power supplies, requirement for careful monitoring, and periodical testing of seed viability. Seeds of orthodox types which has been previously dried to about 5-8% moisture content can be conserved for very long periods at temperatures below zero. The longevity varies from taxon to taxon , viability of seeds in medium-term storage (0°-5°C) can be 5-25 years whereas long term storage (-10°C to -20°C) can provide viability perhaps for a hundred years. Many tropical species produce seeds that possess no natural dormancy and die quickly if not allowed to germinate immediately. These are termed as recalcitrant seeds. Recalcitrant seeds are easily killed by the usual techniques of storing under reduced temperature and humidity. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

33. Species with recalcitrant seeds and those who do not readily produce seeds are required to be maintained ex-situ as growing plants in field gene banks or as living collections. Recalcitrant fruits and seeds like Cocos nucifera (Coconut palm), Bertholetica excelsa (Brazil nut) are stored directly on mother trees in Sacred Grooves, Forest and Biosphere Reserves, National parks and in the Arboretums and Botanic gardens. The gene banks are closely related to plant collection activities either for taxonomic studies or breeding. The National Botanical Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) New Delhi and Crop Genetic Resource Centers have developed about gene banks with long- or medium- term storage facilities of crop plants. Currently only relatives of wheat (60 spp. or 75-80% of the total), potato (40 spp. or 70% of the total), tomato (10 spp or 90% of the total), and to limited extent, maize (15 spp. or 50% of the total) have been extensively collected and preserved in seed banks. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

34. Preservation of Germplasm Ex-situ conservation is the chief method for the preservation of germplasm obtained from cultivated and wild plant materials. The genetic materials in the form of seeds or from in vitro cultures (plant cells, tissues or organs) can be preserved as gene banks for long term storage under suitable conditions. There are several advantages associated with in vitro germplasm conservation: Large quantities of materials can be preserved in small space . ii. The germplasm preserved can be maintained in an environment, free from pathogens. iii. It can be protected against the nature’s hazards . iv. From the germplasm stock, large number of plants can be obtained whenever needed v. Obstacles for their transport through national and international borders are minimal (since the germplasm is maintained under aseptic conditions). There are mainly three approaches for the in vitro conservation of germplasm: 1. Cryopreservation (freeze-preservation) 2. Cold storage 3. Low-pressure and low-oxygen storage Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

35. Cryopreservation: Cryopreservation ( Greek, krayos-frost ) literally means preservation in the frozen state . The principle involved in cryopreservation is to bring the plant cell and tissue cultures to a zero metabolism or nondividing state by reducing the temperature in the presence of cryoprotectants. Cryopreservation broadly means the storage of germplasm at very low temperatures : i . Over solid carbon dioxide (at -79°C) ii. Low temperature deep freezers (at -80°C) iii. In vapor phase nitrogen (at -150°C) iv. In liquid nitrogen (at -196°C) Among these, the most commonly used cryopreservation is by employing liquid nitrogen . At the temperature of liquid nitrogen (-196°C), the cells stay in a completely inactive state and thus can be conserved for long periods. In fact, cryopreservation has been successfully applied for germplasm conservation of a wide range of plant species e.g. rice, wheat, peanut, cassava, sugarcane, strawberry, coconut. Several plants can be regenerated from cells, meristems and embryos stored in cryopreservation. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

36. Mechanism of Cryopreservation: The technique of freeze preservation is based on the transfer of water present in the cells from a liquid to a solid state . Due to the presence of salts and organic molecules in the cells, the cell water requires much more lower temperature to freeze (even up to -68°C) compared to the freezing point of pure water (around 0°C). When stored at low temperature , the metabolic processes and biological deteriorations in the cells/tissues almost come to a standstill . Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT

37. DR.SAURABH KUMAR HOD, Department of Botany Khandelwal college of Management Science & Technology Bareilly. Dr. Saurabh Kumar, HOD, Botany, KCMT