There are a great variety of plants and animals exist surrounding us. They are essential for the well-being and survival of mankind. A major threat to survival of these organisms is deforestation.
Deforestation means clearing of forests and using that land for other purposes. Trees in the forest are cut for some of the purposes mentioned below:
Procuring land for cultivation.
Building houses and factories.
Making furniture or using wood as fuel.
The deforestation increases the temperature and pollution level on the earth. It increases the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Ground water level also gets lowered. It disturbs the balance in nature.
The increase in temperature on the earth disturbs the water cycle and may reduce rainfall. This could cause droughts.
Deforestation is a major cause which leads to the change in soil properties. Physical properties of the soil get affected by plantation and vegetation.
Gradually the fertile land gets converted into deserts. It is called desertification.
The government lays down rules, methods and policies to protect and conserve them. Wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, biosphere reserves etc., are protected areas for conservation of plants and animals present in that area.
The biosphere reserves are the areas meant for conservation of biodiversity.
The biosphere reserves help to maintain the biodiversity and culture of that area. A biosphere reserve may also contain other protected areas in it. The Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve consists of one national park named Satpura and two wildlife sanctuaries named Bori and Pachmarhi.
The animals are comfortable and happy in their own habitat. Some animals and plants typically belong to a particular area. The plants and animals found in a particular area are termed flora and fauna respectively of that area.
Endemic species are those species of plants and animals which are found exclusively in a particular area. They are not naturally found anywhere else. A particular type of animal or plant may be endemic to a zone, a state or a country.
The Wildlife Sanctuaries like reserve forests provide protection and suitable living conditions to wild animals.
National Parks reserves are large and diverse enough to protect whole sets of ecosystems. They preserve flora, fauna, landscape and historic objects of an area. Satpura National Park is the first Reserve Forest of India. The finest Indian teak is found in this forest. There are more than one hundred National Parks in India.
Animals whose numbers are diminishing to a level that they might face extinction are known as the endangered animals.
Survival of some animals has become difficult because of disturbances in their natural habitat. Professor Ahmad tells them that in order to protect plants and animals strict rules are imposed in all National Parks.
An ecosystem is made of all the plants, animals and microorganisms in an area along with non-living components such as climate, soil, river deltas etc.
The Red Data Book is the source book which keeps a record of all the endangered animals and plants. Red Data Book is maintained internationally by an organisation.
India also maintains Red Data Book for plants and animals found in India.
Migratory birds fly to far away areas every year during a particular time because of climatic changes. They fly for laying eggs as the weather in their natural habitat becomes very cold and inhospitable. Birds who cover long distances to reach another land are known as migratory birds
There is another cause of deforestation. The trees to make one tone of paper. Therefore, we should save paper.
Reforestation is restocking of the destroyed forests by planting new trees. The planted trees should generally be of the same species which were found in that forest. In natural reforestation there is no role of human beings.