Indian Biodiversity | Environment for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

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INDIAN 
BIODIVERSITY 
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INDIAN 
BIODIVERSITY 
 
India is a recognized as one of the mega-diverse 
countries, rich in biodiversity and associated 
traditional knowledge. 
 The term megadiverse country refers to any 
one of a group of nations that harbor the 
majority of Earth's species and high numbers 
of endemic species.  
Conservation International identified 17 
megadiverse countries in 1998.
 
Many of them are located in, or partially 
in, tropical or subtropical regions. 
 
 
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INDIAN 
BIODIVERSITY 
 
India is a recognized as one of the mega-diverse 
countries, rich in biodiversity and associated 
traditional knowledge. 
 The term megadiverse country refers to any 
one of a group of nations that harbor the 
majority of Earth's species and high numbers 
of endemic species.  
Conservation International identified 17 
megadiverse countries in 1998.
 
Many of them are located in, or partially 
in, tropical or subtropical regions. 
 
 
With just 2.4% of the land area, India accounts for 
nearly 7% of the recorded species even while 
supporting almost 18% of human population. 
In terms of species richness, India ranks seventh in 
mammals, ninth in birds and fifth in reptiles. 
 
In terms of endemism of vertebrate groups, India’s 
position is tenth in birds with 69 species, fifth in 
reptileswith 156 species and seventh in 
amphibians with 110 species. 
 
India’s share of crops is 44% as compared to the 
world average of 11%. 
 
Page 4


 
INDIAN 
BIODIVERSITY 
 
India is a recognized as one of the mega-diverse 
countries, rich in biodiversity and associated 
traditional knowledge. 
 The term megadiverse country refers to any 
one of a group of nations that harbor the 
majority of Earth's species and high numbers 
of endemic species.  
Conservation International identified 17 
megadiverse countries in 1998.
 
Many of them are located in, or partially 
in, tropical or subtropical regions. 
 
 
With just 2.4% of the land area, India accounts for 
nearly 7% of the recorded species even while 
supporting almost 18% of human population. 
In terms of species richness, India ranks seventh in 
mammals, ninth in birds and fifth in reptiles. 
 
In terms of endemism of vertebrate groups, India’s 
position is tenth in birds with 69 species, fifth in 
reptileswith 156 species and seventh in 
amphibians with 110 species. 
 
India’s share of crops is 44% as compared to the 
world average of 11%. 
 
 
 
India Represents 
Two ‘Realms’ 
Five Biomes 
Ten Bio-geographic Zones 
Twenty five Bio-geographic provinces 
 
Page 5


 
INDIAN 
BIODIVERSITY 
 
India is a recognized as one of the mega-diverse 
countries, rich in biodiversity and associated 
traditional knowledge. 
 The term megadiverse country refers to any 
one of a group of nations that harbor the 
majority of Earth's species and high numbers 
of endemic species.  
Conservation International identified 17 
megadiverse countries in 1998.
 
Many of them are located in, or partially 
in, tropical or subtropical regions. 
 
 
With just 2.4% of the land area, India accounts for 
nearly 7% of the recorded species even while 
supporting almost 18% of human population. 
In terms of species richness, India ranks seventh in 
mammals, ninth in birds and fifth in reptiles. 
 
In terms of endemism of vertebrate groups, India’s 
position is tenth in birds with 69 species, fifth in 
reptileswith 156 species and seventh in 
amphibians with 110 species. 
 
India’s share of crops is 44% as compared to the 
world average of 11%. 
 
 
 
India Represents 
Two ‘Realms’ 
Five Biomes 
Ten Bio-geographic Zones 
Twenty five Bio-geographic provinces 
 
REALMS 
Biogeographic realms are large spatial regions within 
which ecosystems share a broadly similar biota. 
 
Realm is a continent or sub-continent sized area with 
unifying features of geography and fauna & flora. 
 
In world Eight terrestrial biogeographic realms are 
typically recognized. 
The Indian region is composed of two realms. 
They are 
The Himalayan region represented by Palearctic Realm  
The rest of the sub-continent represented by Malayan 
Realm