The inventorisation
and mapping of bio-diversity in the ecologically important hot-spot
regions i.e. North-East India, Western Ghats, Western Himalayas
and Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been successfully completed.
This was one of the joint initiatives of the Department of Space
and the Department of Biotechnology taken up under the Jai Vigyan
Mission. India with 2.4 percent of world’s area has 8 percent
of global bio-diversity. It is one of the 12 mega-diversity hot-spot
regions of the world.
The study was based
on existing knowledge base, intensive field sampling, mapping
using satellite remote sensing and geospatial modelling tools.
For the first time different types of vegetation- cover maps,
fragmentation in forest area, disturbance regimes and biodiversity-rich
areas have been mapped on 1:250,000 scale. Over 5000 sample points
distributed in different vegetation types have been used to derive
species variability, ecological status of medicinal plants, endemism
and their ecological sensitivity.
Genetic profiling
using molecular marker was also done for a number of species linking
to their chemical profiling. Stress tolerant genes have been isolated
from species of the cold desert and the mangroves of the coastal
region. A number of bio-active molecules and enzymes have also
been isolated for product development.
For the first time
maps of the major hot-spot regions of India which provide information
on habitat, habitat quality and bio-diversity richness at macro
level have also been produced. The species database on bio-prospecting
has been linked to the bio-diversity spatial database in the form
of web enabled geospatial information system. Books, maps and
atlas on the bio-diversity characterisation at the landscape level
of the three vital ecological regions, are now available for various
user agencies.
