Editorial Biological diversity or biodiversity – the web of life.

Abstract

Biological diversity or biodiversity – the web of life – includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. A healthier biodiversity is of fundamental importance as it delivers a variety of natural services, viz., ecosystem services, biological resources and social benefits, completely free of charge to the human society. According to the convention of biodiversity, 40% of the world’s economy and 80% of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. A rich biodiversity also ensures a greater ability of the ecosystems to withstand natural disasters more efficiently. Biodiversity acts as both the measure of variety of life and an indicator of overall health of our planet. In the recent decades, interest in biodiversity has grown immensely as a consequence of the rapid loss of it, as well as due to the increasing realization of its biological and commercial importance to human society and the environment. In 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity, worldwide attention was renewed to factors that threaten biodiversity, and to needs/concerns/challenges being faced globally for physical/functional characterization, efficient management and conservation of biodiversity. It led the United Nations to announce 2011 to 2020 as the Decade of Biodiversity with a view to contribute to the implementation of strategic plan for biodiversity conservation. As India is one of the mega centres of biodiversity, these concerns assume paramount importance warranting urgent efforts to catalogue, conserve, manage and utilize our national wealth.