This contributed book is based on the current status of biodiversity in India, issues and challenges faced by the authorities involved in conservation efforts, and the imperative role of various direct and indirect stakeholders in biodiversity conservation. The book discusses the current status of different forms of biodiversity in India, challenges faced by stakeholders, issues and reasons for biodiversity losses, and efforts by the government through various laws, policies, and programs in a concise and comprehensive manner throughout its many chapters. In this way, readers can access diverse information on Indian biodiversity through this book. It is compiled by leading experts in the field of conservation. In 18 chapters, it covers the biodiversity of both fauna and flora, on land and in aquatic ecosystems, legal and policy aspects, as well as innovative conservation tools and techniques. It is useful for undergraduates and graduate students and also educates policy planners, bureaucrats, foresters, and researchers in India and abroad.
Section 1
Chapter 1. Introduction
Section 2. Plant Diversity
Chapter 2. Status, issues and challenges of biodiversity:Lower plants (Non-vascular)
Chapter 3. Status, issues and Challenges of Biodiversity:Higher Plants
Chapter 4. Status, issues and challenges of biodiversity: Trees and Shrubs
Chapter 5. Underutilized Plant Strength of India
Section 3. Faunal Diversity
Chapter 6. Status, Issues and Challenges of Biodiversity: Invertebrate
Chapter 7. Diversity, Distribution and Endemicity of Herpetofauna in Different Biogeographic Zones and Biodiversity Hotpots of India
Chapter 8. Status, Issues, and Challenges of Biodiversity: Wild Animals
Chapter 9. Indian Avian Diversity:Status, Challenges and Solutions
Chapter 10. Status, Issues and Challenges of Indian Livestock Biodiversity
Section 4. Ecosystem Diversity
Chapter 11. Agricultural Crop Diversity: Status, Challenges and Solutions
Chapter 12. Biodiversity of Agriculturally Important Insects: Status, Issues and Challenges
Chapter 13. Biodiversity Issues and Challenges:Non-Agriculture Insects
Chapter 14. Status, issues and challenges of biodiversity: Forest Insects
Chapter 15. Status, Issues and Challenges of Biodiversity: Marine Biota
Chapter 16. Diatoms the living jewels their biodiversity, phycosphere and associated phenotypic plasticity: a lesson to learn from current pandemic of corona virus
Chapter 17. Plant Diversity at Ecosystems level in India: Dynamics and Status
Chapter 18. Faunal Diversity at Ecosystems level in India: Dynamics and Status
Section 5. Challenges and reasons of Biodiversity loss
Chapter 19. Challenges on Account of Invasive Alien Terrestrial Plants
Chapter 20. Alien Invasive Aquatic Fauna:Challenges and Mitigation
Chapter 21. Reasons of Biodiversity Loss in India
Section 6. Efforts Conservation
Chapter 22. Conservation of National Biodiversity: Efforts of the Indian Government
Chapter 23. Legal Framework for Conservation of Biodiversity in India
Chapter 24. Index
Shalinder Kaur, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. She is the recipient of the KK Nanda Gold Medal for Best Thesis in Plant Sciences by Panjab University, and Junior Scientist Award by National Environment Science Academy, India.
D.R. Batish, PhD is a Professor, and former Chairperson of the Botany Department at Panjab University, Chandigarh. She has the honour of getting the Rajib Goyal Young Scientist Award and the University Grants Commission’s Research Award. In addition, she is the recipient of V. Puri Memorial Award of the Indian Science Congress Association, given to a distinguished scientist of the country and conferred with a fellowship from the International Society of Environmental Botanists, Lucknow. She has also served as Visiting Faculty at the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand twice and is deputy coordinator of IUFRO Working group 8.02.04 on Ecology of Alien Invasive Species.
H.P. Singh, PhD is a Professor, and former Chairperson of the Department of Environment Studies at Panjab University, Chandigarh. He had been a post-doctoral researcher at National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Thailand; and visiting faculty at the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. He is the recipient of the Shiv Nath Rai Kohli Best Mid-Career Award, and Young Scientist Awards by the Indian Science Congress Association, Dalela Educational Trust, and the Punjab Academy of Sciences.
Ravinder Kohli Ph.D., FNA, FASc, FNASc, FNAAS, FPASc, FBS is a certified Emeritus Senior Ecologist ESA, USA. Currently, the Vice-Chancellor of Amity University, Punjab, he is a JC Bose National Fellow of the Government of India. Before this, he had been the Vice-chancellor of the Central University of Punjab for 6 years and the DUI and Dean of Research at Panjab University, Chandigarh. He had been the coordinator of IUFRO Working Group 8.02.04 on Ecology of Alien Invasive Species for 10 years. He is a recipient of the Best Scientist Award of the Haryana Government and Punjab Ratan and was honoured by the Government of UT Chandigarh for teaching and research in Environment. He has guided 53 PhD theses on Ecology and Environment.