Biodiversity of India
Introduction
When we talk about biodiversity at the global level, some countries shine brighter than others. These are called mega-diverse countries—nations that act like “banks of life,” holding a disproportionately high share of the world’s species.
What makes a country mega-diverse?
- These countries have extraordinary ecosystem richness.
- They occupy only 10% of the Earth’s surface, but hold at least 70% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity.
- They also contain large numbers of endemic species—plants and animals found nowhere else.
Think of them as the “powerhouses of global biodiversity.”
17 Mega-Diverse Countries Identified by UNEP-WCMC
The World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) identifies 17 mega-diverse countries:
Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Ecuador, United States, Philippines, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Venezuela.
India as a Mega-Diverse Country
India proudly figures in this elite group.
Why does India qualify?
- High biodiversity + strong traditional knowledge
- 24.62% of India’s land is under forest and tree cover.
- Despite having only 2.4% of the world’s land area, India supports:
- 7–8% of recorded species
- 18% of the global human population
This means India sustains huge ecological diversity with limited resources and high population pressure—a remarkable achievement in biological richness.
Species Data for India
India hosts:
- 91,000 species of animals
- 45,500 species of plants
Of these, a significant proportion is endemic:
- Mammals: 12.6%
- Birds: 4.5%
- Reptiles: 45.8%
- Amphibians: 55.8%
- Plants: 33%
Amphibians and reptiles are especially unique to India—mainly due to ecosystems like the Western Ghats and Andaman Islands.
Realms of India
A biogeographic realm is a very large region where ecosystems share similar evolutionary history and species groups.
Globally, eight terrestrial realms exist.
India belongs to two biogeographic realms:
1. Palearctic Realm
- Covers the Himalayan region
- Species here show affinity with Central Asia and Europe
(e.g., snow leopard, Himalayan brown bear)
2. Malayan Realm
- Covers the rest of the Indian subcontinent
- Influenced by Southeast Asian biodiversity
(e.g., elephants, tigers, hornbills, lush tropical forests)
So, India is like a meeting point of two evolutionary worlds.
Biomes, Biogeographic Zones, and Provinces of India
What is a Biome?
A biome is a large ecological community defined by:
- Climate
- Vegetation
- Animals
- Soil type
India contains five major biomes:
- Tropical Humid Forests
- Tropical Deciduous (Monsoon) Forests
- Warm Deserts and Semi-Deserts
- Coniferous Forests
- Alpine Meadows
This variety shows India’s wide climatic and geographical range—from Rajasthan’s deserts to the snowfields of Ladakh.
Biogeographic Zones and Provinces
Biogeography studies how species are distributed across geographical areas.
To scientifically plan wildlife conservation, India is divided into:
- 10 Biogeographic Zones
- 25 Biogeographic Provinces
Think of zones as “chapters” and provinces as “sub-chapters” in the ecological textbook of India.
Below is the structured list:
1. Trans Himalaya
- 1A: Ladakh Mountains
- 1B: Tibetan Plateau
- 1C: Trans-Himalaya Sikkim
2. The Himalaya
- 2A: North West Himalaya
- 2B: West Himalaya
- 2C: Central Himalaya
- 2D: East Himalaya
3. The Indian Desert
- 3A: Thar
- 3B: Kutch
4. The Semi-Arid Zone
- 4A: Punjab Plains
- 4B: Gujarat–Rajputana
5. The Western Ghats
- 5A: Malabar Plains
- 5B: Western Ghats Mountains
6. Deccan Peninsula
- 6A: Central Highlands
- 6B: Chotta Nagpur
- 6C: Eastern Highlands
- 6D: Central Plateau
- 6E: Deccan South
7. The Gangetic Plains
- 7A: Upper Gangetic Plains
- 7B: Lower Gangetic Plains
8. The Coasts
- 8A: West Coast
- 8B: East Coast
- 8C: Lakshadweep
9. North-East India
- 9A: Brahmaputra Valley
- 9B: North-East Hills
10. Islands
- 10A: Andaman
- 10B: Nicobar