February 03 & 04, 2021
Habitat fragmentation and its lasting impact on biodiversity of Indian subcontinent
by [Swami Sahjanand College, Jehanabad, Bihar]
in Collaboration with
[Mandar Nature Club, Bhagalpur]
&
[Science for Society, Bihar]
A two-day International e-Symposium
About the topic
Modern era is witnessing a large scale clearing of vegetation from forest to meet the demand partly for agriculture, and partly to provide shelter for accelerated growth of human population. It is still continuing and in doing so, we are reducing forest cover which is actually a habitat of small and large animals native of that place and native plant species, some of them also have immense ethnobotanical importance.
Himalayan pine forest
Habitat is degraded through various means and methods, resulting in a shortage of habitat on the one hand and fragmentation on the other hand. The fragmentation of habitat that results in patchy habitat are said to be primary cause of biodiversity loss worldwide. Habitat fragmentation is, in fact, a reduction of continuous stretch of habitat to narrow, smaller, spatially distributed remnant patches which occurs side by side to habitat loss. Though, patchy habitat are also found either naturally or due to some catastrophic events, anthropogenic interventions have profoundly fragmented major habitat across the world.
Indian subcontinent is not an exception in this front. In recent years, a heavy destruction and fragmentation of natural habitat results in an increase in the number of endangered species of wild animals and plants of this region. Though, several studies have been undertaken worldwide to study the biodiversity by considering different plant and animal species under threat, but studies in the context of Indian subcontinent are scanty and wanting, however Indian subcontinent is characterized by the presence of a variety of environmentally distinct regions, terrains, river system and deltas, large lakes of fresh, salty and brackish water, coastal areas, mountains and plateaus, etc. Therefore, it is a demand of time that we should discuss about the effect of habitat shrinkage and fragmentation on the biodiversity of Indian subcontinent and draw a consolidated approach to protect the habitat as well as biodiversity without compromising the development goals of recent times.
Rain forest of Western Ghats, India
Backwaters of Kerala, India
Consequence of habitat loss
It is consensus that extent of loss of ecological habitat is a good predictor of the state of biodiversity of the ecological habitat of the particular region. Habitat loss has posed a threat to biodiversity in degraded ecosystem which is due to loss of shelter, loss of food, shrinkage of mating grounds, loss of other vital resources, etc., at the macro level. It may cause extinction of some of the species of highly sensitive flora and fauna. Due to shrinkage of habitat, large animals often move to residential area and/or city, causing a human - animal conflict. In recent years, many fold increase in human - wild animal conflict has been observed that also, undoubtedly, posed a threat to these animals.
The goal of this event is to bring researchers in the field of habitat & biodiversity together from Indian subcontinent to discuss present day scenario and future prospects for the conservation of native wildlife and plants of ethanobotanical importance
Expected Outcome
Expected outcomes of the e-symposium are:
Sharing of knowledge about current trends in research in biodiversity in the region.
Shared understanding of possible approach to conserve the ecosystem, ecological habitat and biodiversity.
Drawing a road map of developmental plan stating the strategies that could be applied without harming wild habitat for the policymakers.
Target audience
This e-symposium welcomes all professionals, scientists and NGO worker working in the field of ecological habitats and conservation of biodiversity in Indian Sub-continent. The e-symposium is also open to all staffs, faculty members and students from higher education. Participation of the students from this region is highly encouraged.