Biodiversity Conservation

Contents: Preface. 1. Plant biodiversity conservation: challenges for the new millennium/Har Swarup Singh. 2. Conservation of plant biodiversity: an Indian perspective/Gunjeet Kumar, N.S. Panwar and S.S. Malik. 3. Nurturing biodiversity: an Indian agenda for this millennium/R.N. Trivedi. 4. Mangrove ecosystem and biodiversity conservation in India/L.K. Banerjee. 5. Disappearance of mangroves from Paradeep and adjoining regions (Orissa) and strategies for solution of environmental problems and biodiversity conservation/B.P. Choudhury. 6. Biodiversity of the Sindhudurg formation in Konkan area/S.D. Bonde. 7. Conservation of floral diversity of the Indian Desert/M.M. Bhandari. 8. Biodiversity conservation: a question of survival in South-
East Asia with special reference to medicinal plants/T.I. Khan and Shikha Devpura. 9. Status of forest and forest resources in Jammu & Kashmir Himalaya: an overview/M.A. Khan. 10. Joint forest management: need for involvement of local communities in biodiversity conservation/S.K. Gupta. 11. Medicinal and ethnobotanical resources of Western Ghats/M.S. Kumbhojkar, D.K. Kulkarni and A.S. Upadhye. 12. Floral biodiversity survival: a case study of the Thar Desert/T.I. Khan, S. Frost and D.M. Solomon. 13. Diversity in Vertebrate Wildlife of India/V.S. Saxena. 14. Ferns and fern allies of Rajasthan with special reference to floristic diversity/N.K. Sharma. 15. Propagation and conservation of endangered anti-cancer plant Taxus baccata in Kumaun Himalaya/R.C. Gupta, A.K. Singh, S.S. Gahalain & R.L. Fotedar. 16. Convention on biological diversity: suggestions for conservation/Har Swarup Singh. 17. Issues of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) and legal concerns of bio-resources/R. Sahai. 18. Biodiversity and human welfare/P.C. Trivedi. Appendices: 1. Biodiversity in the welfare of mankind: some useful species of the plants, animals and micro-organisms from the wild. 2. List of important medicinal plants used by ethnic society of India in healthcare. 3. Some important plants of India with diverse medicinal values used by the ethnic societies. 4. Medicinal plants of India and world which have gained high reputation in the world’s history of medical science.

"Biodiversity is the variety of all the genes, species and ecosystems which are found on our planet. It provides humanity with the cornucopia of goods and services, from food, energy and materials to the genes which protect our crops and cure our diseases. The loss of the earth’s biological diversity is one of the most pressing environmental and development issues. Sustainability highlights the idea that the current use of natural resources should not diminish the options of future generations, and maintaining biodiversity is clearly one of the requirements for meeting this goal.

The present book Biodiversity Conservation incorporates articles on plant biodiversity conservation, mangrove ecosystem, floral diversity of the Indian desert, forest resources, joint forest management and diversity in vertebrate wildlife in India. This volume contains chapters covering holistic information on biodiversity and its conservation with special reference to the Indian scenario. Chapters on medicinal plant conservation and intellectual property rights and patenting of bioresources have added to the value of the book. A comprehensive account of the biodiversity of vascular plants and ferns is given to throw light on the importance of preservation of vanishing species from this planet.

This book will definitely serve as an excellent reference material and practical guide for teachers, research workers, students and environmentalists." (jacket)