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What do you understand by ecosystem stability? Explain how biodiversity increases the stability of the ecosystem.
Ecosystem stability refers to the capacity of a natural system to apply self-regulating mechanisms to ensure sustained productivity, resistance or resilience to occasional disturbances (natural or man-made). For e.g. resistance to invasions by alien species. Therefore, stability is about maintainingRead more
Ecosystem stability refers to the capacity of a natural system to apply self-regulating mechanisms to ensure sustained productivity, resistance or resilience to occasional disturbances (natural or man-made). For e.g. resistance to invasions by alien species. Therefore, stability is about maintaining a steady state after every disturbance and minimize dynamic fluctuation. Among the different factors effecting ecosystem stability, biodiversity plays a crucial role in the increased stability of the ecosystem. It must be noted that there are certain biomes and ecosystems that are less biodiverse and are still healthy like the Tundra and desert biomes. However, biodiversity is considered an important measure of ecosystem’s health and stability due to the following reasons:
Therefore, while making efforts to enhance an ecosystem’s stability, conserving biodiversity must form a critical component of the strategy.
See lessDiscuss the role of community participation in effective implementation of conservation policies in India.
Indigenous Knowledge: Local populations that reside in or close to conservation areas frequently possess in-depth knowledge of the ecosystems, wildlife, and sustainable practices in the area. This knowledge can be extremely helpful when planning and managing conservation efforts. Customized PRead more
- Constant Monitoring: By keeping an eye on conservation areas, local communities can help identify illicit activities like poaching and logging early on.
- Peer Enforcement: Since locals are more acquainted with one another and the area, community-based enforcement may be more successful in promoting adherence to conservation regulations.
- Environmental Education: Communities can play a significant role in promoting environmental education and awareness, helping to instill a conservation ethic in the next generation.
- Behavioral Shift: Using and conserving resources can undergo major behavioral shifts as a result of grassroots involvement.
See lessHighlighting the need to create Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) in India, discuss the associated issues. Also, mention the recent developments in this regard.
Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) are ecologically important and fragile areas around protected areas designated to be protected from industrial pollution and unregulated development under the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986. As per the National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016), land within 10 km ofRead more
Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) are ecologically important and fragile areas around protected areas designated to be protected from industrial pollution and unregulated development under the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986. As per the National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016), land within 10 km of the boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries is to be notified as Eco- Sensitive Zones (ESZs).
Need for creation of ESZS:
Issues related to the creation of ESZs:
Recently, the Supreme Court (SC) has directed that every protected forest, national park and wildlife sanctuary in the country should mandatorily have a minimum 1 km ESZ, from its demarcated boundary. Further, mining within a national wildlife sanctuary or national park cannot be permitted. According to the SC, no new permanent structure will be allowed within the ESZ. Because of this, protests erupted across the high ranges of Kerala in response to the Apex Court’s directions. Due to the high density of human population near the notified protected areas, farmers’ groups and political parties have been demanding that human settlements be exempt from the ESZ ruling. Thus, certain measures need to be undertaken to avoid such reactions in the future and enable smooth implementation of ESZs. Some of these include undertaking participatory planning of ESZs to balance needs of indigenous people, conducting on-ground investigations to verify environmentally fragile zones, promoting eco-friendly livelihood practices, and building consensus among states. This would require collaboration between the government, civil society and other stakeholders to balance sustainable development with economic growth in the long-run.
See lessDiscuss the impact of wildfires on the ecosystem. Describe the significance of the UNEP's Fire Ready Formula in dealing with the menace of wildfires.
A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns in wildland vegetation. It can start with a natural occurrence-such as a lightning strike-or a human-made spark. According to the European Space Agency, "wildfire affects an estimated four million square kilometres of Earth's land each year." Impact of wRead more
A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns in wildland vegetation. It can start with a natural occurrence-such as a lightning strike-or a human-made spark. According to the European Space Agency, “wildfire affects an estimated four million square kilometres of Earth’s land each year.”
Impact of wildfires on the ecosystem
As per United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) analysis, the number of extreme wildfire events will
increase up to 14% by 2030. By 2050, the increase will climb to 30%. However, the direct responses to wildfires received over half of related expenditures, while planning and prevention received just 0.2 per cent of the total budget for wildfires. In this context, the UNEP called on global governments to adopt a new ‘Fire Ready Formula’.
Further, in future it may pave the way for development of international standards for wildfire management and establishing an integrated fire management approach considering the vagaries of climate change.
See lessIdentifying the potential sites for the re-introduction of cheetahs in India, discuss its significance and mention the challenges associated with the exercise.
After being declared extinct in 1952, Cheetahs are being reintroduced in India under Project Cheetah, the world's first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project. From the historical ranges where Cheetahs were once found, following 10 potential sites from the states of Rajasthan,Read more
After being declared extinct in 1952, Cheetahs are being reintroduced in India under Project Cheetah, the world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project.
From the historical ranges where Cheetahs were once found, following 10 potential sites from the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are found to be suitable:
Significance of reintroduction of Cheetahs in India:
Challenges regarding relocation
The reintroduction of apex carnivores should be seen as “ecosystem conservation” rather than merely as species conservation. However, a thorough disease screening process should be followed, along with counselling and training of local communities.
See lessWhy is biopiracy a cause of great concern to the existing traditional knowledge of the developing world? What steps have been taken by the government of India for protecting the existing traditional Indian knowledge?
Biopiracy refers to a situation where traditional knowledge is used by others for profit, without permission from and with little or no compensation or recognition to the indigenous people. Traditional knowledge is a vast treasure of knowledge susceptible to misappropriation because of its immense pRead more
Biopiracy refers to a situation where traditional knowledge is used by others for profit, without permission from and with little or no compensation or recognition to the indigenous people. Traditional knowledge is a vast treasure of knowledge susceptible to misappropriation because of its immense potential.
Biopiracy is detrimental for the existing traditional knowledge of the developing world in the following ways:
Some of the examples of misappropriation of existing traditional knowledge of the developing world include patents filed for the use of turmeric in wound healing, fungicidal effect of neem, ‘texmati’ rice, kava grown in the Pacific, quinoa from the Andes, hoodia from Africa, etc. Thus, it is imperative for the governments in the developing countries to take adequate measures in this regard.
The steps taken by the government of India for protecting the existing traditional Indian knowledge include:
Traditional knowledge-based innovations are critical for developing countries like India, not only for the development of indigenous population but also for the country’s economic development. Though the Indian legislations, together with the TKDL, are significant and laudable advances towards the protection of traditional knowledge and the prevention of biopiracy, an enforceable international regime for the acknowledgment and protection of traditional knowledge is still needed.
See lessHighlighting the achievements of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, discuss the reasons behind its success.
The Montreal Protocol, is an international treaty, adopted in Montreal in 1987, that aimed to regulate the production and use of substances that contribute to ozone depletion. Achievements of the Montreal Protocol Truly global participation: In 2009, the Montreal Protocol became the first UN treatyRead more
The Montreal Protocol, is an international treaty, adopted in Montreal in 1987, that aimed to regulate the production and use of substances that contribute to ozone depletion.
Achievements of the Montreal Protocol
Thus, the Montreal Protocol has indeed been successful in protecting the ozone layer. The reasons behind the success of the Montreal Protocol can be attributed to following factors which are generally absent in other environmental treaties:
Thus, the flexible and agile approach to the Montreal Protocol helped it become successful, which is also evident from the Kigali Agreement, which amended the Montreal Protocol to also include phasing out Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as one of aims of the Protocol.
See lessWhat are Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)? Highlighting their significance, discuss the challenges in extending the MPA network in the country.
A Marine Protected Area (MPA) has been defined by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as "any area of intertidal or subtidal terrain, together with its overlying water, and associated flora, fauna, historical and cultural features, which has been reserved and protected by law or other effective meanRead more
A Marine Protected Area (MPA) has been defined by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as “any area of intertidal or subtidal terrain, together with its overlying water, and associated flora, fauna, historical and cultural features, which has been reserved and protected by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed environment”. In the wake of global threats such as climate change, ocean acidification and intensified resource extraction, the world’s seas are at risk. As a result, many nations have adopted Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as a tool for conserving biodiversity and ecosystem functions. There are 24 MPAs in peninsular India and more than 100 MPAs in the country’s islands. The Gulf of Kachchh Marine National Park, Gulf of Mannar National Park, Sundarbans National Park and Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park are some of the important MPAs of India.
Significance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs):
The marine protected area network in India has been used as a tool to manage natural marine resources for biodiversity conservation and for the well-being of people dependent on it.
Challenges in extending the MPA network in India:
Way forward:
Dedicated efforts are required to secure and strengthen community participation in managing the Marine Protected Area network in India. Such efforts will also help to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, especially Target Number 11 and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Target of ’30×30′.
See lessDo you think there is a need to take account of Gross Environment Product (GEP) in the calculation of GDP? Also, bring out the issues in capturing GEP.
Gross Environment Product (GEP) is the total value of final ecosystem services supplied to human well-being in a region annually and can be measured in terms of biophysical value and monetary value. It indicates the overall health of the environment, as the GEP measures prime indicators such as foreRead more
Gross Environment Product (GEP) is the total value of final ecosystem services supplied to human well-being in a region annually and can be measured in terms of biophysical value and monetary value. It indicates the overall health of the environment, as the GEP measures prime indicators such as forest cover, soil erosion, air quality and dissolved oxygen in river water.
Need for GEP accounting in GDP calculation:
Despite its significance, there are several issues in capturing GEP, including:
Therefore, there is an urgent need to incorporate environmental assets in GDP calculation by collecting data on various types of natural capitals like forests, groundwater etc. and converting them into monetary terms. Most recently, Uttarakhand has shown the way by becoming the first state in India to take into account the Gross Environment Product (GEP) while calculating its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
See lessWhat is zero budget natural farming (ZBNF)? Discuss its significance and challenges vis-a-vis traditional farming.
Zero budget natural farming is a type of farming that promotes chemical-free agricultural practices. It was originally introduced by agriculturist Subhash Palekar in the mid-1990s as an alternative to the Green Revolution methods. In the recent years, ZBNF was introduced by the Andhra Pradesh governRead more
Zero budget natural farming is a type of farming that promotes chemical-free agricultural practices. It was originally introduced by agriculturist Subhash Palekar in the mid-1990s as an alternative to the Green Revolution methods. In the recent years, ZBNF was introduced by the Andhra Pradesh government in 2016, as an alternative to chemical-based and capital-intensive agriculture through its implementing agency Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS). The term ‘zero budget’ means zero cost of production of all crops. It is based on four pillars, i.e.
The traditional conventional farming, which is widely practiced in India, is dependent on extensive use of HYV seeds, fertiliser, pesticides, use of modern heavy equipment (like tractors, harvesters) etc. Significance of Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) over traditional conventional farming includes:
Challenges associated with ZBNF as compared to traditional farming:
It is necessary that before pushing the states to adopt ZBNF, the Centre should collect scientific data on how ZBNF technique affects yields after discounting the impact of drought years, soil quality and other external factors. The food security of the country, besides the livelihood of millions of farmers, needs to be borne in mind before plunging into natural farming.
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