Nature’s Comeback: Case Studies of South Asian Countries Regarding Biodiversity Restoration and Conservation
摘要
Biodiversity encompasses the vast array of living organisms in a habitat, crucial for ecosystem functioning and human health. Humans derive advantages from biodiversity across environmental, economic, and cultural dimensions. Biodiversity provides various ecosystem services such as climate regulation, pollutant control, soil erosion prevention, conservation of natural habitats, and crop pollination. Biodiversity is decreasing at a faster rate in the current situation. Several studies have demonstrated a decrease in biodiversity and the extinction of numerous species. Human actions such as overexploitation, pollution, global warming, and habitat loss are the primary causes of biodiversity decline. Restoring and conserving biodiversity is crucial for maintaining environmental health and human well-being. It is imperative to preserve essential animal and plant species. Various methods, including in-situ and ex-situ conservation, are employed to restore and protect biodiversity. In-situ conservation utilizes strategies like national parks, biosphere reserves, and wildlife sanctuary regions. Ex-situ conservation involves botanical gardens, zoological gardens, aquaria, and in-vitro processes. Hence, preserving biodiversity is crucial to prevent species extinction and protect endangered and indigenous species. This chapter identifies the primary risks to biological diversity resulting from human activities and examines various conservation and restoration techniques for biodiversity.