Biodiversity and its Conservation

Paper Code: 
LSC 144 H
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
50.00
12.00
Unit I: 
Biodiversity-Perception , Concept and Values
  • History, definition and concept of Biodiversity
  • Biodiversity Values
  • Hierarchical components of Biodiversity- Species Diversity, Genetic diversity and Ecosystem diversity
  • Causes of Biodiversity Loss-Habitat fragmentation, habitat degradation, hunting,Over exploitation of Natural resources, Population growth, International trade of biotic resources, pollution of various habitats, exotic introductions
  • Extinction
12.00
Unit II: 
Biodiversity Measurement
  • Sampling, Inventorying and Monitoring
  • Biodiversity indices: Simpson Index, Shannon Weiner Index
  • Remote Sensing as a tool for measuring biodiversity

 

12.00
Unit III: 
Conservation Practices
  • History of Conservation
  • Conservation ethics
  • In-situ and ex-situ conservation
  • Social Forestry
  • Joint Forest Management
  • Sacred Groves
  • The Biodiversity Act,2002
12.00
Unit IV: 
Earth Environment
  • Physiochemical characteristics: Solid phase, liquid phase, atmosphere
  • Soil sampling
  • Physico-chemical analysis of soil sample
  • Biological parameters affecting soil fertility
  • Soil as a microbial environment :Biotic and abiotic stresses
12.00
Unit V: 
Study of Microbial Diversity
  • Microorganisms in soil-Bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, algae, protozoa
  • Distribution of microorganisms in soil
  • Biochemical based techniques to assess microbial diversity-Plate count, Sole carbon source utilization patterns, Fatty acid methyl ester analysis
  • Molecular based  techniques to assess microbial diversity-PCR based approaches
Academic Year: