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he term ‘conservation’ means ‘the prox { keeping and protecting something from damage’., So, the conservation of plants and anin near plants and animals which occur in the, forests should be kept i way that they nr protected in the natural environment in, , which they are ! 1. Before further and discuss the conservation of plants and animals in, detail, we should kr the 1 f some terms such as biosphere, wildlife, biodiversity,, and ecosystem w, , Biosphere is that part of the earth in which living organisms exist (or which supports life)., , , , , , Biosphere includ phere of ¢ irth, as well as water bodies on the, earth (like rivers, ponds, lakes ar t t ng organisms are found on land, in the, atmosphere as we, , Tie animals 1t environment (like forests, etc.) are called wild animals. The wild, animals are not domesticated by m « plants growing in the natural environment on their own,, , are called wild plants. The wild plants are not cultivated (or grown) by man. The term ‘wildlife’, means all the animals and plants which are found naturally in the forests and other natural, habitats. Though the term ‘wildlife’ also includes wild plants but it is most commonly used for wild, animals and binds, , The term ‘diversity’ means ‘a variety’. And ‘biodiversity’ means ‘biological variety’. Biodiversity, Tefers to the variety of organisms (plants, animals and micro-organisms, etc.) found in a particular, atea or habitat. In other words, the presence of a large number of species in a particular area (or, habitat) is called its biodiversity. Biodiversity denotes the richness of species in a particular area or, , , , ; An ecosystem is a ‘system’ which includes all the living organisms (plants, animals and microof an area and the physical environment (soil, air and water) in which they live, In an, the various living organisms interact among themselves (through food chains), and also, , 109

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a, , with the physical environment in which they live. An ecosystem is a self-sustaining unit of liv, ©rganisms and non-living environment, needing only the input of sunlight energy i its functionin, !, The wild animals and birds are comfortable and flourish in their own, natural habitat (which js Usui), @ forest), The biggest threat to the existence and survival of wild animals and birds (or Wildligg, ‘, deforestation. Let us discuss deforestation first, ., , DEFORESTATION AND ITS CAUSES, , The clearing of forests (by cutting down forest trees) over a wide area is called deforestat ion, The, forest land cleared of trees is used for other purposes. The various causes of deforestation (07 cutting doy,.,, of forest trees) are the following :, , (#) The forest trees are cut down to obtain wood, for using as fuel., , (fi) The forest trees are cut down to obtain wood, (timber) for making doors, windows and, furniture., , (iit) The forest trees are cut Gown to obtain wood, for making, paper., , (iv) The forest trees are cut down to obtain more, agricultural land for cultivation of crops for the, increasing population,, , (0) The forest trees are cut down to get land for, building houses, factories, roads and dams, ete., , All the above causes of deforestation are the, man-made causes of deforestation. There are alsv, natural causes of deforestation (which involve the destruction of forests by natural processes). Some of the, natural causes of deforestation are : Forest fires and Severe droughts. Forest fires can burn down all te, trees and other vegetation of the forest and cause deforestation. And when severe droughts occur, the forest, trees die out because of lack of water. A great variety of organisms like plants and animals exist on the, earth. These plants and animals are essential for the well-being and survival of mankind. Today, a major, threat to the survival af organisms (plants and animals) on the earth is deforestation., , (110), 10) AWARENESS SCIENCE FOR EIGHTH CLASS, , , , , , Figure 1. Cutting cown of trees of the forests on a Jame, scale is called deforestation., , Consequences of Deforestation, , The destruction of forests by the excessive cutting down of forest trees can make the forests disappear, completely one day. The defurestation (or destruction of forests) will have the following consequences fo", us, other animals and the environment : ., , () Deforestation will lead to a shortage of wood and other forest products, , The wood obtained from forest trees is used as a fuel ; for making doors, windows and furniture; até, for making paper. Deforestation will lead to a shortage of wood for all these purposes. Forests also giv?, useful products such as honey, gum, sealing wax (lac) and catechu, etc. We will also face shortage of #, these forest products if we continue to cut down forest trees., , (i) Deforestation will cause an increase in temperature of earth's atmosphere leading to, global warming, Trees (and other plants) use carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere for the process of food makiné, called ‘photosynthesis’. When a Jot of trees are cut down during deforestation, then lesser number e, will be left. The lesser number of trees will use up less carbon dioxide due to which the amount of ca i:, dioxide in the atmosphere will increase. In this way, deforestation increases the level of carbon dioxiae, , atmosphere.

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carbon dioxide gas — CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS @ [111, ? © sun’, , prappins of heat rays by Sardon di i a os "YS Teflected by the earth (causing greenhouse effect)., jobal warming, The 8tadual ; on "creases the temperature of earth’s atmosphere. This will lead to, 5 house ie caused hy . Hie In the OVer-al] temperature of earth’s atmosphere due to, » sean The global Warming can Melt pol “vel of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is called global, yoding 1 4 TSE IN the sea leva) Or ICe caps TaPidly producing a tremendous amount of water, 1w3e loss of life and Props, , R2ler level yi) flood the low-lying coastal areas causing, (i Deforestation, , The roots of trees (i, wricles, the wind and We,, “sion. The tree cover also go, wot become loose quickly,, , , , , , , , , , , , “othe heavy Tains on the forest soil due ‘0 which the top soil does, T Way in which trees of, , the forest help prevent soil erosion., , cut down dur: : PP, , Prevent ine deforestation, there are no roots of trees which can bind the, NO tree egy Ng Carried away by strong winds or flowing rain water., y the force of fife © soil to soften the effect of heavy rains, the bare top soil, co erosion. The top Mayer of soi) ig th ferh net 24 erodes rapidly, Thus, fewer, exposes the lower, hard and rocky Ja, , coil particles together a, Moreover, since there, , trees result in more, , end meat he removal of top layer of soil during soil erosion,, , ale oe This leer ayer of soil has less humus andi ne fertile. Plants, * Gradually, i ines ; cg, , ty which fertile land becomes degen 4. 10” the fertile land Bets converted into a desert. The process, , ification. Thus, deforestation is che cause of, , help in absorbing some of the rain water and make it, , ich rushes quickly into rivers and, 10 i € forest trees (and plants) are cut down, the percolation of rain water into, scilis reduced. A lot of rain water fram deforested soil rushes into the rivers quickly, causing floods. In this, , way, deforestation decreases the water holding cupciLy of soil whick leads {0 floods. Another reason for the floods, isthe soil erosion caused by deforestation, The eroded soil is cartied by flowing rain water into rivers. The, , aoded soil keeps on collecting on the river bed and decreases the depth of rivers gradually. Due to, decreased depth, the water-carrying Capacity of the river is reduced, When heavy rains occur, the river is, , not able to carry away all the rain water quickly. The excess water overflows from the banks of the river, inta the adjcining areas causing floods. These floods damage standing crops, houses and even drown, people Living in nearby areas., () Deforestation affects the water cycle leading to decrease in rainf, , rainfall lowers the groundwater level and could cause droughts, , The forest trees put a lot of groundwater, sucked through their roots, into the, “apour by the Process of transpiration (evaporation from the leaves), This Water vapour helps in bringing, ‘ain in that area. When the forest trees are cut down, then the lesser Number of trees put less water Vapour, into atmosphere through transpiration. Since less water vapour is put into the atmosphere, there is |, ‘ainfall in that area, When there is less rainfall in an area, then less water percolates into the, ‘Ottis, the groundwater level also gets lowered. The shortage of surface water (in ponds, lakes, ete.) and, Foundwater due to persistent low rainfall in an area can lead to droughts (A prolonged Period of, aby Ctmally low rainfall leading to severe shortage of water is called drought) From the above discussion, ve “Onclude that as a consequence of deforestation, there will be increased chances of natural calamities such as, J00ds ang droughts,, , all. The decrease in, , atmosphere as Water, , CSS, , ground. Due, , (vi Deforestation leads to the extinction of many wild animals and plants, Fotests are the natural habitats of many wild animals, birds as well as plants. When forest trees and

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F r, 112] @ AWARENESS SCIENCE FOR FIGHTH CLASS, , other forest plants are cut down, the natural habitat of wild animals and oe pacesge lea, homeless wild animals fall prey to human beings and get killed. Moreover, 1 aah. nage hapa, and plants, the wild animals and birds do not get enough food and ste "k ests are cleared ome, animal and bird species become extinct (oF vanish) from that area. When - Hing, deforestation, many wild plant varieties growing in the forest also get ee, id leads to floods on, We have just studied that deforestation reduces rainfall on the one hand an the, , : : : Deforestation red,, other. These are two contradictory situations which can be explained as . ae feunapicatge, rainfall because less groundwater is put into the atmosphere (as water vapoul tion,, , Deforestation leads to floods because : (i) percolation of rain water into the soil is aan oe «i soi}, e river bed and decreases its water-carrying capacity. We will now, , eroded by rain water deposits on thi, discuss the conservation of forests and wildlife, CONSERVATION OF FORESTS AND WILDLIFE, , effects of deforestation (large scale cutting down of forest, animals (and birds). So, deforestation poses a serious, threat to the survival of wild animals and their natural environment. The large scale poaching (killing) of, wild animals residing in the forests by man (to obtain their skin, etc.) is also a big threat to the survival of, many animal and bird species. The death or killing of wild animals disturbs the food chains in which these, animals take part, resulting in undesirable consequences for the whole ecosystem. We should conserve, forests and wildlife to preserve biodiversity (variety of species), to prevent endangered species from, becoming extinct, and to maintain ecological balance in nature. Some of the measures which can be taken, for the conservation of forests and wildlife are given below, ling (cutting) of forest trees for timber trade and fire-wood should be stopped, depletion of forests destroys the natural habitats of wild animals and birds,, , We have just studied that one of the adverse, trees) is the destruction of natural habitats of wild, , (i) The unauthorised fel, immediately. This is because, and exposes them to the cruelty of man as well as nature,, , (1) In case of Government authorised felling of forest trees, for every acre of forest cut down, an equal, area of land should be planted with saplings of trees to make up for the loss in the long run., , (ii) The natural habitats of wild animals should be preserved by establishing conservation areas such, , as Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks where the wild animals can flourish in, , natural surroundings protected from the outside world., (ic) A total ban should be imposed on the poaching (killing) or capturing of any wild animal or bird., , Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks, There are three types of protected areas which have been established (or earmarked) by the, Government for the conservation of forests and wild animals. These are :, (i) Biosphere Reserves,, (ii) Wildlife Sanctuaries, and, (iii) National Parks., , Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks are the areas protected by law which have, been established throughout our country for the conservation of plants and animals (flora and fauna), present in the area. The human activities such as cutting of forest trees, cultivation of crops, plantations,, grazing of cattle, hunting and poaching of wild animals are prohibited (not allowed) in these protected, areas. The purpose of establishing several Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks, in India is to conserve wild animals and their natural surroundings (such as forests) so as to maintain é, healthy balance in nature, and to prevent the extinction of endangered wild animals. We will no“, discuss Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in detail, one by he.

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CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS @ [113, , BIOSPHE, A Biosphere Reserve jg 4 1 ——SPHERE RESERVE, , jodiversity, and the traditional m Protected area of land meant for the conservation of wildlife,, c conservation called Biosphere — oof the tribal People living in the area. In creating the large areas, ; has been kept in mind. So, a gyect S, the need of local people to have access to the resources of this, a people or tribals are an integer. *2*%t® of the protected areas called Biosphere Reserves is that, vedi versity and economic acti nape (necessary part) of it. Thus Biosphere Reserves jointly manage, , “| Biosphere Reserve is oe Will now describe the basic design of a Biosphere Reserve., zone and transition zone (oe Fearon area which is divided into three zones : core zone,, , (i) The innermost zone of aB : ,, , ofa Biosphere Reserve is devoteg losphere Reserve is known as core zone (see Figure 2). The core zone, , isallowed in the core zone of a Biosphen age of wildlife. No human activity (or economic activity), , Core zone, , fonly pratection, of wildlife;, , , , a, , <¢— Transition zore, environmental — Hy / (human settlements:, : « a ne Cultivation of crops), , ’, , , , ee Human, Te setthements, , Figure 2. Design of 3 Biosphere Reserve,, , (ii) The middle zone of a Biosphere Reserve is called buffer zone (see Figure 2). Buffer zone, surrounds the core zone. In the buffer zone only limited human activity (compatible with conservation) is, allowed. For example, research, environmental education and tourism are allowed in the buffer zone of a, Biosphere Reserve., , (iit) The outermost zone of a Biosphere Reserve is called transition zone (see Figure 2). In the, uansition zone, several non-destructive human activities such as settlements (houses) of tribals and, cultivation of crops, etc., are allowed which are necessary to sustain the life of tribals., , Some tribal people live in the outermost zone (transition zone) of a Biosphere Reserve who depend on, the local natural resources to fulfil the various needs of life. In a Biosphere Reserve, the conservation of, , wildlife and biodiversity are combined with the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of local, people (called tribals). No commercial exploitation of natural resources is allowed in a Biosphere Reserve., , A Biosphere Reserve may also contain other protected areas in it. For example, a Biosphere Reserve, may contain Wildlife Sanctuary and /or National Park in it. Biosphere Reserves are open to tourists up to, the buffer zone. No tourists are allowed in the core zone of a Biosphere Reserve. There are 14 Biosphere, Reserves in India. The names and locations of some of the Biosphere Reserves of India are given below :, , 1, Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve (Andaman and Nicobar}, , 2. Kaziranga Biosphere Reserve (Assam), . Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve (West Bengal), . Kanha Biosphere Reserve (Madhya Pradesh), . Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve (Madhya Pradesh), , = we, , ow