BIODIVERSITY AND ECOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT
MAJOR ECOSYSTEMS
AND SANCTURIES IN
INDIA

Submitted to: Submitted

by:
Dr N Aparna Dharahasitha
Assistant Professor 211FA01103
Dept of Biotechnology IV Biotech B
VFSTR VFSTR
ECOSYSTEM
India, covering 3,287,263 sq. km and spanning 8°4ʹ N to 37°6ʹ N latitude
and 68°7ʹ E to 97°25ʹ E longitude, is the seventh largest country globally.
Its diverse topography—encompassing mountains, plateaus, and plains—
creates a range of climatic zones from sub-tropical and temperate in the
north to tropical in the south. The Himalayas mitigate cold winds, resulting
in a milder climate compared to similar latitudes. This climatic variation
fosters a rich array of ecosystems, including Himalayan ranges, arid
deserts, evergreen forests, and coastal regions. India’s vast biodiversity,
representing about 8% of global species, classifies it as one of the world's
12 mega-diversity countries.
India is a vast country and possess many types of natural ecosystems. They
are 1. Terrestrial ecosystem
2.Aquatic ecosystem

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM
A terrestrial ecosystem is a land-based community of organisms and the interactions of
biotic and abiotic components in a given area. Examples of terrestrial ecosystems
include the tundra, taigas, temperate deciduous forests, tropical rainforests, grasslands,
and deserts. The type of terrestrial ecosystem found in a particular place is dependent
on the temperature range, the average amount of precipitation received, the soil type,
and amount of light it receives.
 Forest Grassland

Mountains Deserts

FORESTS
Forest ecosystems are characterized by their dominance of trees and include
interconnected communities of plants, animals, and microbes, along with the local soils
and climates. They retain their identity through biological and physical remnants, such
as soil and organic matter, even after disturbances like fire or logging. Forests are both
stand-level and landscape phenomena, with varied ages, species, and disturbance
histories. Maintaining their historical character often requires preserving disturbance
regimes. Although short-term structural changes may occur, as long as the essential
ecological processes remain intact, the forest ecosystem persists.

Figure 1. Forest types of India as per classification of Champion and Seth (1968).

GRASSLANDS
Grasslands, characterized by a nearly continuous cover of grasses, are one of the most
extensive vegetation types globally, covering about 20% of Earth's surface. They occur
in both tropical and temperate regions where rainfall is insufficient for tree growth,
typically ranging from 15 to 75 cm per year. Grasslands are known by various names,
including steppes in Europe and Asia, pampas in South America, veldt in South Africa,
and downs in Australia. In India, grasslands are predominantly found in the high
Himalayas and include steppes and savanna formations, with steppe areas often
featuring sandy and saline soils.

Fig.2.Grassland ecosystem

DESERTS
Desert ecosystems, covering about 17% of Earth's surface, are found on nearly every
continent and thrive in areas with minimal rainfall and extreme temperatures. They are
characterized by barren landscapes of dry sands and are classified into hot and cold
deserts. The ecosystem is shaped by complex interactions among species, their
environment, and non-living factors. In these arid conditions, desert plants have brief
life cycles, rapidly growing and dying within days. They are adapted with green,
succulent stems and a waxy coating to facilitate photosynthesis. Deserts often form in
regions of stable high-pressure zones or "rain shadows" created by mountains blocking
moisture from reaching these areas.

Fig.3.Thar Desert
MOUNTAINS
Mountain ecosystems are characterized by diverse habitats and a wide range of plant
and animal species across varying altitudes. Higher elevations typically feature harsh
conditions with treeless alpine vegetation, while lower slopes support montane forests.
At even lower altitudes, mountain lands transition into different landforms and
vegetation types such as tropical or temperate forests, savannas, scrublands, deserts, or
tundra. The Himalaya-Tibet region holds the largest and highest mountain areas, while
the longest continuous range extends along the western coast of the Americas from
Alaska to Chile. Significant mountain regions also include the Alps and Pyrenees in
Europe, the Caucasus and Urals in Asia, New Guinea, New Zealand, and East Africa.

Fig. 4. Himalayan Mountains

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM
An aquatic ecosystem includes a group of interacting organisms which are
dependent on one another and their water environment for nutrients and
shelter. Examples of aquatic ecosystem include oceans, lakes and rivers.
An aquatic ecosystem includes freshwater habitats like lakes, ponds, rivers,
oceans and streams, wetlands, swamp, etc. and marine habitats include
oceans, intertidal zone, reefs, seabed and so on. The aquatic ecosystem is
the habitat for water-dependent living species including animals, plants,
and microbes.

Fig.5.Aquatic ecosystem
Freshwater Aquatic Ecosystem
They cover only a small portion of earth nearly 0.8 per cent. Freshwater
involves lakes, ponds, rivers and streams, wetlands, swamp, bog and
temporary pools. Freshwater habitats are classified into lotic and lentic
habitats. Water bodies such as lakes, ponds, pools, bogs, and other
reservoirs are standing water and known as lentic habitats. Whereas lotic
habitats represent flowing water bodies such as rivers, streams.

Fig.6.Freshwater ecosystem
 Lotic Ecosystems
They mainly refer to the rapidly flowing waters that move in a
unidirectional way including the rivers and streams. These environments
harbor numerous species of insects such as beetles, mayflies, stoneflies and
several species of fishes including trout, eel, minnow, etc. Apart from these
aquatic species, these ecosystems also include various mammals such as
beavers, river dolphins and otters.
 Lentic Ecosystems
They include all standing water habitats. Lakes and ponds are the main
examples of Lentic Ecosystem. The word lentic mainly refers to stationary
or relatively still water. These ecosystems are home to algae, crabs,
shrimps, amphibians such as frogs and salamanders, for both rooted and
floating-leaved plants and reptiles including alligators and other water
snakes are also found here.
 Wetlands
Wetlands are marshy areas and are sometimes covered in water which has
a wide diversity of plants and animals. Swamps, marshes, bogs, black
spruce and water lilies are some examples in the plant species found in the
wetlands. The animal life of this ecosystem consists of dragonflies and
damselflies, birds such as Green Heron and fishes such as Northern Pike.
Marine Aquatic Ecosystem
Marine ecosystem covers the largest surface area of the earth. Two third of
earth is covered by water and they constitute of oceans, seas, intertidal
zone, reefs, seabed, estuaries, hydrothermal vents and rock pools. Each life
form is unique and native to its habitat. This is because they have
adaptations according to their habitat. In the case of aquatic animals, they
can’t survive outside of water. Exceptional cases are still there which shows
another example of adaptations (e.g. mudskippers). The marine ecosystem
is more concentrated with salts which make it difficult for freshwater
organisms to live in. Also, marine animals cannot survive in freshwater.
Their body is adapted to live in saltwater; if they are placed in less salty
water, their body will swell (osmosis).

Fig.7.Marine ecosystem
 Ocean Ecosystems
Our planet earth is gifted with the five major oceans, namely Pacific,
Indian, Arctic, and the Atlantic Ocean. Among all these five oceans, the
Pacific and the Atlantic are the largest and deepest ocean. These oceans
serve as a home to more than five lakh aquatic species. Few creatures of
these ecosystems include shellfish, shark, tube worms, crab small and large
ocean fishes, turtles, crustaceans, blue whale, reptiles, marine mammals,
seabirds, plankton, corals and other ocean plants.
 Coastal Systems
They are the open systems of land and water which are joined together to
form the coastal ecosystems. The coastal ecosystems have a different
structure, and diversity. A wide variety of species of aquatic plants and
algae are found at the bottom of the coastal ecosystem. The fauna is diverse
and it mainly consists of crabs, fish, insects, lobsters snails, shrimp, etc.
Plants and animals in an aquatic ecosystem show a wide variety of
adaptations which may involve life cycle, physiological, structural and
behavioural adaptations. Majority of aquatic animals are streamlined
which helps them to reduce friction and thus save energy. Fins and gills are
the locomotors and respiratory organs respectively. Special features in
freshwater organisms help them to drain excess water from the body.
Aquatic plants have different types of roots which help them to survive in
water. Some may have submerged roots; some have emergent roots or
maybe floating plants like water hyacinths.

SANCTURIES
India is home to numerous wildlife sanctuaries, each offering unique
opportunities for conservation and wildlife viewing. Here are ten of the
most notable sanctuaries:

1.Kaziranga National Park (Assam)

Famous for its population of the one-horned rhinoceros, Kaziranga is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site and also hosts tigers, elephants, and various
bird species.

2.Jim Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand)

India's oldest national park, renowned for its population of Bengal tigers.
It also supports a diverse range of flora and fauna.

3. Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan)

Known for its tiger population and historic Ranthambore Fort, this
sanctuary offers a mix of wildlife and cultural heritage.

4. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala)

Located in the Western Ghats, Periyar is famous for its elephants and
scenic lake. It's a crucial biodiversity hotspot.

5. Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal)

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sundarbans is the largest tidal
halophytic mangrove forest in the world and is home to the Bengal tiger
and various bird species.
6. Gir Forest National Park (Gujarat)
The last refuge of the Asiatic lion, Gir is also known for its diverse
ecosystems and conservation efforts for the lion.

7. Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

Renowned for its efforts in saving the Barasingha (swamp deer), Kanha
offers rich biodiversity and scenic beauty.

8.Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

Known for its high density of tigers, Bandhavgarh also features ancient
forts and a rich variety of wildlife.

9.Hemis National Park (Ladakh)

Located in the high-altitude region of Ladakh, Hemis is known for its
population of snow leopards and unique high-altitude flora and fauna.

10. Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala)

Part of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, Wayanad is known for its
elephants, tigers, and diverse plant species, along with its scenic beauty.