Question.
What are the negative factors that cause such fearful depletion of the flora and fauna?
( Chapter - 2 -Forest and Wildlife Resources, Cass X NCERT Contemporary India -II )
Answer.
Flora (Plant species) and Fauna (Wildlife species) are an integral part of our life because without their diversity man cannot survive.
It is estimated that at least 10 percent of India's wild flora and 20 percent of mammals are on the verge of extinction.
There are many reasons for the fearful depletion of flora and fauna-
The following unfavorable factors cause the fearful depletion of flora and fauna.
- Habitat loss and deforestation
- Overexploitation of resources, technological development, and human population explosion.
- Introduction to Exotic Species
- Environmental pollution
- wildfire
- Illegal hunting
As we know the forest is the home of natural flora and wildlife, and any damage to the forest ecosystem and destruction of forest land leads to a huge loss of flora and fauna. Large-scale development projects such as building dams and setting up industries lead to large-scale habitat loss of wild animals and large-scale deforestation. Since 1951, more than 5000 sq km of forest was cleared for the river valley project alone. Mining is another major factor in deforestation and habitat loss.
The increasing human population and technological advancement have increased the rate of exploitation of natural resources of flora and fauna. The consumption rate of flora and fauna is higher than the regeneration of flora and fauna which leads to the decline of flora and fauna.
The entry of alien species into the ecosystem causes extensive damage to the ecosystem as there are no other species to control their numbers. For example, wild varieties of flowers and grasses were introduced to the Western Ghats from Africa and Australia, which damaged the biodiversity of the Western Ghats and is still being damaged.
Environmental pollution such as air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and plastic waste is harming the reproductive system of flora and fauna as well as pollution is disrupting the energy flow in the ecosystem. Environmental pollution causes the loss of flora and fauna.
Forest fires cause large-scale destruction of forests and ecosystems leading to the depletion of flora and fauna.
Since wild animals and some types of plants are used in traditional medicine (mostly in Asian countries), there is a great demand for wild animals in the international market. Illegal killing of wild animals leads to the loss of flora and fauna.
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