VALUE BASED QUESTION (Write in about 50-100 words)

Consider the following two cases:

(i) A forest that is rich in biodiversity sees a decline in the animal population and clearing of a large part of the forest. The Government declared it as a biodiversity hotspot and the forest regained its species richness in few years.

(ii) A lake that is rich in marine fishes sees a decline in its species population due to over harvesting. The people living in the area made the lake a sacred grove and started worshipping it. The species population of the lake again became normal.

Answer the following questions based on the above information:

(i) Which values are being promoted in the above cases?
(ii) Suggest some ways in which you can contribute to this concern.
(iii) What would have been the effect if the forest was not declared a biodiversity hotspot?

The values promoted in this case are conservation. We can contribute by creating awareness about biodiversity. If the area was not declared a biodiversity Hotspot, the species of forest would have gone extinct.

What is a biodiversity hotspot?

The variety of plants and animals that are found in a particular area is referred to as the biodiversity of that area. The major components of biodiversity are species evenness and species richness.

The region of high endemic species richness is called biodiversity hotspots. Two criteria for an area to be classified as a biodiversity hotspot are -

1500 species of vascular plants.
30% or less of its original habitat.

Therefore, the values promoted in these cases are conservation.