Chapter 2
Diversity in the Living World
छायामन्यस्य कुर्वन्ति तिष्ठन्ति स्वयमातपे ।
फलान्यपि परार्थाय वकृषाः सत्पुरुषा इव ॥
(सभाषित)
Trees stand in the Sun and give shade to others. Their
fruits are also for others. Likewise, good people bear all
hardships and bring welfare to others. They give to others
whatever they have earned.
(Wise saying)
It is a pleasant morning after yesterday’s refreshing rain.
Dr Raghu and Maniram chacha (uncle) have been invited
to the school by the science teacher, Madam Sulekha, to facilitate an exciting nature walk. Dr Raghu is a scientist at
the nearby Research Laboratory and Maniram chacha is an
elderly person from a nearby community. Maniram chacha
is an expert in mimicking bird calls. He is also brilliant at
identifying a variety of plants and animals.
To prepare them for the nature walk, Dr Raghu informs
the students that the objective of this walk is to experience
the beauty and variety of plants and animals in the nature.
The students are excited to join them. They are curious
to interact and learn from them. The teacher advises the
students to carry a notebook, a pen and a water bottle.
As they walk, they begin exploring the plants and animals
around them. Dr Raghu advises the students to notice the
variety of smells in the park and emphasises respecting all
living creatures and observing them without disturbing.
Maniram chacha tells the students to not only observe different
plants and animals but also to carefully listen to different
sounds. The students come across a variety of plants, including
grasses, bushes, and large trees. They also observe a variety
of birds sitting on the branches of trees, butterflies moving
from flower to flower and monkeys jumping from one tree
to another. They record their observations in their notebooks
and discuss them with Dr Raghu and Maniram chacha.
The students can hear the chirping of birds. Dr Raghu
informs them that each bird has a unique chirp. This is an
example of diversity in nature. Dr Raghu requests Maniram
chacha to mimic calls of some birds. Maniram chacha
mimics different bird calls. The students enthusiastically
start copying him.
Have you ever observed different plants and animals
around you? Share and discuss your observations with your
friends and teacher
2.1 Diversity in Plants and Animals Around Us
Activity 2.1: Let us explore and record
- Plan for a nature walk with your teacher to a park or a nearby forest.
- While on the nature walk, observe different plants, insects, birds, and other animals. Also, note the weather conditions, whether it is hot, cold, windy and so on.
- You can collect different types of fallen leaves or flowers and create a scrapbook.
- Take care of the plants and animals in nature. Ensure that you do not disturb the plants and animals in the park. Do not pluck leaves and flowers.
- Record your observations in Table 2.1 about the features of stems, leaves, flowers and anything interesting in various plants. Some examples have been given for you in Fig. 2.1 and Table 2.1.
(a) Grass
(b) Tulsi (Holy Basil)
(c) Hibiscus (Gudhal)
Fig. 2.1: Examples of different features of some plants
Table 2.1: Observations of different plants around us
What similarities and differences did you find among the
plants that you observed?
You must have observed that plants have a variety of
features such as—
- tall/short, hard/soft stem
- different shapes of leaves and their arrangement on
the stem or branches
- flowers varying in colour, shape, and scent
Table 2.2: Observations of different animals around us
What are the similarities and differences among the
animals that you have observed and recorded in Table 2.2?
You would have observed that some animals live on land
while some others live on trees. Birds live on trees. Fish live
in water and some animals like frogs live on land as well as
in water. Animals also have a variety of foods they consume
and movements they exhibit.
Sketch the plants and animals observed by you in your
notebook or prepare a scrapbook with leaves, flowers from
different plants and feathers from animals. Write all the
details you have gathered about them.
While travelling to and from school, observe your
surroundings and look out for a variety of plants and
animals. Add the name of any plant or animal that you have
not listed before in Tables 2.1 and 2.2.
Activity 2.2: Let us appreciate
- Close your eyes for 30 seconds and think of one plant
and one animal that you have closely observed and
have appreciated very much.
- Now each one of you can draw the plant and animal that you thought of on the blackboard.
- What are your observations about the various plants
and animals that have been drawn ?
- How many different plants and animals did the entire class draw on the blackboard?
- Do you think that there may be many more varieties
of plants and animals other than those drawn on
the board?
The variety of plants and animals found in a particular
region contributes to the biodiversity of that region. Each member in the biodiversity of a region has a different
role to play. For example, trees provide food and shelter to
some birds and other animals, animals help in spreading
seeds after eating fruits, and so on. Can you think of more
such examples? This shows that plants and animals are
dependent on each other.
2.2 How to Group Plants and Animals?
How would you arrange your books and notebooks in
groups? Would arranging them in groups help you better
organise your school bag?
Now, let us look at the world around us. We are surrounded
by a variety of plants and animals with different features
about which you have learnt in section 2.1. We can group
them based on similarities and differences among them.
Activity 2.3: Let us group
- Collect pictures of various other plants and animals. Cut their pictures from old magazines, newspapers, charts and other sources. Paste each of these pictures on a different card.
- Divide your class in groups of 5–6 students each.
- Pool the cards prepared by the students in your group.
- Observe various features of plants and animals shown on the cards.
- Recall the features of plants and animals that you have listed in Tables 2.1 and 2.2.
- Group them on the basis of common features.
- Share and discuss the basis of grouping you have made
with other groups in your class.
You will be surprised to see that the basis used by different
groups may vary. What do you think are the reasons behind
it? Different students might have chosen different common
features for the grouping. For example, some students may
have chosen the height of plants as the basis for grouping
while others might have chosen presence or absence of
flowers as the basis for grouping of plants (See Fig. 2.2)
Fig. 2.2: Some possible criteria of groupings of plants and animals
You may have grouped animals based on varied features,
such as what they eat, where they live, what colour they are
and how they move.
What is the importance of grouping? Grouping makes it
easier to understand and study plants and animals on the
basis of their similarities and differences.
You will learn more about the importance of grouping in
our daily lives in the chapter, ‘Materials Around Us’
2.2.1 How to group plants?
You must have noticed that plants show variation in the
features related to stems, leaves, flowers, and more. The
stems of different plants vary in thickness, height, and
hardness, while the leaves vary in shape, colour, size and
arrangement. You might have tried grouping the plants in
Activity 2.3 using one of these features.
You might have also learnt in earlier classes that plants
can be grouped into herbs, shrubs, and trees based on their
height and types of stem. Let us study the features of plants
in more detail and group them on that basis.
Activity 2.4: Let us group
- Let us go on a nature walk again for some more interesting observations.
- Look closely at the heights of different plants. Are these plants shorter than you, as tall as you, or taller than you?
- Is the stem brown or green? Touch and feel their stems and try to bend them gently. Can you bend the stem easily, or is it stiff? Take care that stems do not break.
- Also, observe from where the branches of the plants
arise—whether they arise close to the ground or higher
up on the stem. Fill in your observations in Table 2.3.
A few examples are already given.
What differences do you observe
among herbs, shrubs, and trees? How
can you group plants as herbs, shrubs,
and trees based on the data entered in
Table 2.3?
Some plants grow really tall and have
hard, thick, brown, and woody stems.
Their branches typically start higher up
on the stem and away from the ground.
These plants are called trees. For
example, a mango tree (Fig. 2.3a).
(a) Tree
(b) Shrub
(c) Herb
Fig. 2.3: Types of plants
Some plants are not as tall as trees. These plants often
have many brown woody stems that start branching very
close to the ground. These stems are hard but not as thick
as the stem of a tree. These plants are called shrubs. For
example, a rose plant is a shrub (Fig. 2.3b).
Some plants are typically small with soft and green stems.
These are known as herbs. For example, a tomato plant is a
herb (Fig. 2.3c).
Some plants with weak stems need support to climb and
grow, and are called climbers. Some plants creep along the
ground and are called creepers.
What can be other features on the basis of which you can
group plants? Let us perform another activity.
Activity 2.5: Let us compare
- Look at the leaves of different plants collected by you, during the nature walk.
- Do you notice the variation in the shape and structure
of these leaves?
You may observe thin lines on the leaves of the plants
(Fig. 2.4a). These are veins. The pattern of veins on the leaf
is called venation. What differences do you see in the veins
of leaves shown in Fig. 2.4a and Fig. 2.4b?
(a) Hibiscus leaf with
reticulate venation
(b) Banana leaf with
parallel venation
(c) Grass leaf with
parallel venation
Fig. 2.4: Leaves showing different types of venation
In some leaves, you can observe a net-like pattern of
veins on both sides of a thick middle vein. This pattern is
called reticulate venation. For example, leaves of hibiscus
exhibit reticulate venation (Fig. 2.4a). In some leaves, you
may observe that the veins run parallel. This pattern is called
parallel venation. For example, the leaves of banana plants
and grasses exhibit parallel venation (Fig. 2.4b and Fig. 2.4c).
Do you think that plants can be grouped on the basis of
venation present in their leaves?
Now, let us try to explore roots of the plants. Do all plants
have roots? Are these roots similar?
Activity 2.6: Let us find out
- Visit an open area where wild herbs and grasses are growing. You may use small herbs for this exercise.
- Using a khurpi (trowel), carefully dig out a few different herbs without damaging the roots. To do this, you may wet the soil and loosen it.
- Wash the roots with water and observe them.
- After you are done observing, make sure to replant the herbs so that they may continue to thrive and grow.
What are the similarities and differences in the roots of
the plants collected by you? What differences do you see in
the roots of plants shown in Fig. 2.5a and Fig. 2.5b?
(a) Taproot system in
a mustard plant
(b) Fibrous root system
in common grass
Fig. 2.5: Types of roots
Observe carefully the roots of a mustard plant in Fig.
2.5a. The roots of this plant consist of one main root and
small side roots arising from it. The main root is called
taproot. Another example of a plant having taproots is
hibiscus observed by you in Activity 2.1. The plant in Fig.
2.5b is a common grass plant. The roots of this plant appear
as a bunch of similar-sized thin roots arising from the base
of the stem. Such roots are called fibrous roots (Fig. 2.5b).
Does your collection include any other grasses? What kind
of roots do they have?
Is there any relation between the type of leaf venation
and the type of root of the same plant? How do we find
this out?
Activity 2.7: Let us relate and analyse
- Collect saplings of five common plants from your school nursery or any other nurseries to plant in your school garden. Examples of such plants can include lemongrass, marigold, sadabahar (periwinkle), and others.
- Before planting them, observe their roots and the venation in their leaves.
- Record your observations in Table 2.4.
Table 2.4: Types of leaf venation and roots
Do you observe any relation between the leaf venation
and types of root in these plants? A sadabahar plant has
a taproot and its leaves have reticulate venation. Do
other plants with reticulate venation have taproots too?
Lemongrass, on the other hand, has fibrous roots and its
leaves have parallel venation. Do other plants with parallel
venation have fibrous roots too? Generally, plants with
reticulate venation have taproots while those with parallel
venation have fibrous roots.
Chickpea (chana) is another example of a plant with
taproots and reticulate venation in leaves. Wheat is an
example of a plant with fibrous roots and parallel venation
in its leaves.
Is there any relation among the seed of a plant, types of
root and leaf venation? Are all seeds similar?
Activity 2.8: Let us compare
- Soak some chickpea and maize seeds in water for two or three days.
- Remove the seed coat of a chickpea. Now, observe the
structure of the chickpea and maize seeds. Are they
similar or different?
(a) Dicot seed (chickpea)
(b) Monocot seed (maize)
Fig. 2.6: Dicot and monocot seeds
You would notice that chickpea seeds are split into two
parts (Fig. 2.6a). Each part is called a cotyledon. Plants that
have seeds with two cotyledons are called dicotyledons
(dicots). Maize has a single thin cotyledon (Fig. 2.6b). Plants
with such seeds are called monocotyledons (monocots).
What relation do you observe among leaf venation, root
types and the number of cotyledons in seeds of a plant?
Dicot plants have reticulate venation and a taproot system
while monocot plants have parallel venation and a fibrous
root system.
You have learnt about some features used for grouping
plants. Now, let us explore the grouping of animals in more
detail.
2.2.2 How to group animals?
Just like plants, animals too are significantly different from
one another. How can we group such a wide variety of
animals? What features can you think of to group them? In
Activity 2.3, you have already set some bases for grouping
animals. Let us explore a few of these in more detail.
Activity 2.9: Let us find out
You have recorded the movement of a few animals in
Table 2.2. You may have also observed how other animals
move from place to place. Let us now think about the types
of movement in animals. A number of animals are shown
in Fig. 2.7. You can add more animals that you may have
observed and create a poster on the variety of animals.
Which body parts are used by the animals in the poster you
created and those in Fig. 2.7 for movement?
Fig. 2.7: Diversity in animals
- List these animals in Table 2.5.
- Note the ways in which these animals move and name
the body parts used for movement. Some examples are
given in Table 2.5
Table 2.5: Movements in animals and their body parts involved
What conclusions can you draw from the data given in
Table 2.5?
Different animals have different types of movement.
Animals can fly, run, crawl, walk, hop or jump, and so on.
These animals use different body parts for moving from
one place to another. They may use wings, legs, and other
parts that help them to move. Here, we have identified
animals based on the types of movement and the body
parts used for movement. How can we group animals
based on their movements? Additionally, many animals
differ from each other in shape, size, structure, colour, and
other features. Some of these features can also be used to
group animals in various ways. Like plants, grouping of
animals is important for understanding their diversity.
Know a scientist
Janaki Ammal (1897–1984) was an Indian botanist
dedicated to environmental work and helped
to document and preserve India’s rich plant
biodiversity. She played a key role in the ‘Save Silent
Valley’ movement. As the head of the Botanical
Survey of India, she initiated programmes to
document the plant diversity of India.
More to know!
Success Story—Save Silent Valley Movement
This is a real story of a forest in Palakkad district of Kerala.
It is about preserving untouched beauty of a moist evergreen
forest and its rich biodiversity. The now-famous Silent Valley
was saved by a remarkable movement led by common people
who were not even residing in the vicinity of the forest. The
battle against the proposal of a hydroelectric dam across
the Kunthipuzha river persisted for 10 years. At that time,
people used all possible available means, such as widespread
awareness programmes, letters to editors, articles in,
newspapers, seminars, and petitions and appeals in court. The
movement was successful in saving the Silent Valley
2.3 Plants and Animals in Different
Surroundings
You might have observed during nature walks that
different animals live in different surroundings. You
have also recorded movement of animals in Table 2.5.
Does the movement of these animals depend upon their
surroundings? Let us consider fish and goats as examples.
Fish live in water. They have streamlined bodies and fins
for movement in water (Fig. 2.8a). Goats live in grassy
areas and move with the help of legs (Fig. 2.8b). The sizes
and shapes of animals also differ from one another.
(a) A fish swims in water
with the help of fins
(b) A goat walks on ground
with the help of legs
Fig. 2.8: Body parts used by animals for movement
Activity 2.10: Let us compare and analyse
- Look at Table 2.6. Recreate a similar table on the blackboard.
- List the names of plants and animals you or your
classmates have observed in these regions or already
know about. A few examples are given. You can add more.
What are your observations
regarding plants and animals
found in various regions? Discuss
your observations with your
classmates.
You might observe from Table
2.6 that the plants and animals
found in one kind of region are
different from those found in
another kind of region.
Fig. 2.9: Cactus with thick and
fleshy stems in a desert
During a discussion in the classroom,
Alex recalls that he observed cactus
plants with thick and fleshy stems in
the deserts of Rajasthan (Fig. 2.9). Maya
shares that she saw deodar trees in
the Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh
(Fig. 2.10). These trees are conical in
shape and have flexible and sloping
branches.
Fig. 2.10: A deodar
tree in the mountains
Notice that these two types of plants
found in different regions are different
Chapter 2.indd 24 10-07-2024 18:17:08
Diversity in the Living World
25
Activity 2.10: Let uscompare and analyse. Look at Table 2.6. Recreate a similar table on the
blackboard. List the names of plants and animals you or your
classmates have observed in these regions or already
know about. A few examples are given. You can add more.
from each other. Why is it so? Why does the biodiversity of
a region vary from that of another? Let us find out.
There is very little water available in the deserts. A hot
desert is typically very hot during the day and very cold at
night. Therefore, you will find plants and animals in these
areas that can tolerate and survive both the hot conditions
during the day and cold conditions at night. The fleshy stems
of plants found in the desert can store water and help them
tolerate the hot conditions in these places.
The mountains in extremely cold regions experience
frequent snowfall. In order to survive in such conditions,
some of the trees have the ability to let the snow slide off
easily. Conical shape and sloping branches of deodar trees
enable them to do so easily.
You must have understood by now that the biodiversity
varies from region to region because of diverse conditions.
Look at the images of a camel from the hot desert of
Rajasthan (Fig. 2.11) and a camel from the cold desert of
Ladakh (Fig. 2.12). What are the differences you observe
between them? What advantages do these differences
provide to these camels?
Fig. 2.11: A camel living in the hot
desert of Rajasthan
Fig. 2.12: A camel living in the
cold desert of Ladakh
The camel in the hot desert has long legs with wide hooves.
Alex shares that his grandmother told him that the long legs
and wide hooves help these camels to walk on the sandy
desert without sinking into the sand. On the other hand, the
height and legs of camels in a cold desert are comparatively
shorter than those found in a hot desert. These short legs
allow them to walk easily in mountainous regions.
In deserts, food is not available easily. Camels store food
in their humps. Camels in the hot desert have one hump
each that helps them to survive during the scarcity of food.
Camels in the cold desert have two humps each. These two
humps shrink in late winters because there is not much food
available in the cold desert and they have to use food stored
in their humps during that time. Moreover, they grow long
hair from head to neck, which help them survive the cold
winters of Ladakh.
What other features can help camels to survive in the
desert?
Other students also start sharing their observations.
Kashi from Rajasthan says that camels excrete small
amounts of urine, their dung is dry, and they do not sweat.
As camels do not lose much water from their bodies, they
can survive for many days without drinking water.
Maya talks about seeing plants
with beautiful bright flowers,
rhododendrons, in the Shola
forests of Nilgiris (Fig. 2.13a). Here,
rhododendrons are of shorter
height and have smaller leaves to
survive through the heavy winds
on mountain tops. However, Pema,
who is from Sikkim, mentions that
she has observed rhododendrons in
the nearby mountains to be taller
(Fig. 2.13b). So, even plants such
as rhododendrons may exhibit
different features in different
regions to survive the conditions of
those regions.
Sagar tells his classmates that he
went to the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands with his parents for a special
event. He saw huge whales and
colourful fish in the ocean. His father
explained that the streamlined body
of fish makes it easier for them to
swim in water.
(a) Rhododendron in Nilgiris
(b) Rhododendron in Sikkim
Fig. 2.13: Different features of
rhododendrons in two different regions
We have learnt that the plants and animals living in a
particular region have special features that make them fit
to survive there. The special features that enable plants
and animals to survive in a particular region are called
adaptations.
The shape of the deodar tree and the height of the
rhododendron are adaptations that enable them to survive
in the mountainous regions.
The place where plants and animals live is called their
habitat. For example, the habitat of sea turtles is the sea
or the ocean. The habitat of a camel is the hot or the cold
desert, and the habitat of a rhododendron is the mountains.
The habitat of plants and animals provides them food,
water, air, shelter and other needs for their survival. Many
types of plants and animals may share the same habitat.
Habitat plays an important role in shaping the biodiversity
of a region.
Know a scientist
Salim Ali (1896–1987) travelled across India
to observe diversity in birds. He prepared a list
of birds and documented their travel routes
and habitats. He recorded the regions with
high diversity of birds and took measures to
conserve these regions. Keoladeo National Park
in Bharatpur, Rajasthan and Ranganathittu Bird
Sanctuary in Mandya, Karnataka are examples of
regions he preserved. He wrote a landmark series
of 10 books on birds of the Indian Subcontinent.
He is referred to as the ‘Birdman of India’. He was
awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1976.
What are the different ways you can group plants and
animals based on their habitats? One way is to group them
into those ‘that live on land’ and those ‘that live in water’.
The plants and animals that live on land are said to live in
terrestrial habitats. Some examples of terrestrial habitats
are forests, deserts, grasslands, and mountains.
The plants and animals that live in water are said to live
in aquatic habitats. Some examples of aquatic habitats are
ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans.
Some animals, such as frogs, can live in water as well as
on land. These are called amphibians.
What would happen if the habitat of a plant or an animal
is damaged? What would happen if a goat does not get grass
to eat? Can a fish survive without water?
Check with your parents, grandparents and neighbours
to know about the plants, birds, insects or any other animal
they used to see frequently in their childhood but do not see
as often now. These changes often happen when habitats
are damaged. The damage to habitats of plants and animals
results in loss of their homes, food, and other resources.
This leads to the loss of biodiversity.
Do you know!
The populations of the Bengal Tiger, Cheetah, and Great Indian
Bustard have declined in India due to loss of natural habitats
caused by human activities. The Government of India has
initiated several projects to conserve our biodiversity. ‘Project
Tiger’ was initiated in 1973 to protect the declining population
of the Bengal Tiger. The ‘Cheetah Reintroduction Project’ was
initiated in 2022 to restore the population of the Cheetah.
Similarly, habitats of the Great Indian Bustards have been
declared as Protected areas in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan
and Maharashtra.
Bengal Tiger
Cheetah
Great Indian Bustard
More to know!
Traditionally Protected Forests: Sacred Groves
Sacred groves are undisturbed patches of forests. Their sizes
may vary from quite small to very large. Sacred groves are
found all over India. They are home to different kinds of
plants and animals, including
numerous medicinal plants.
These are protected by the
local community and no one is
allowed to harm any animals
and cut trees in these groves,
or disturb the area. This
way, sacred groves are
a community protected
treasure of biodiversity.
Find out about the sacred
groves in your region.
Sacred grove from the Western
Ghats
We must protect biodiversity to ensure our planet is full
of life, helping plants and animals to survive and thrive.
Keywords
Summary
- We are surrounded by a large variety of plants and animals. Such variety of plants and animals is a part of biodiversity.
- Plants and animals can be grouped on the basis of similarities and differences among them.
- Plants have similarities and differences based on features associated with roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and so on.
- The method of arranging things into groups based on their common features is called grouping. Plants can be grouped into herbs, shrubs, and trees based on their heights, types of stem, and branching patterns.
- Plants can also be grouped as dicotyledons (dicots) and monocotyledons (monocots) based on the number of cotyledons in their seeds.
- Monocots generally exhibit parallel venation in their leaves and possess fibrous roots while dicots typically exhibit reticulate venation in their leaves and possess taproots.
- Animals have different types of movement that can be a basis for their grouping.
- Biodiversity of different regions varies because of distinct environmental conditions.
- The special features that enable plants and animals to survive in a particular region are called adaptations.
- The place where plants and animals live is their habitat.
- Based on their habitats, animals and plants can be grouped into terrestrial and aquatic.
- Due to damage of their habitats, plants and animals lose their homes, food and other resources resulting in the loss of biodiversity.
- We must protect biodiversity to ensure that our planet is full
of life, helping plants and animals to suvive and thrive
Let us enhance our learning
1.Here are two types of seeds. What differences do you find
among the roots and leaf venation of their plants?
(a) Wheat
(b) Kidney bean
2. Names of some animals are given below. Group them based
on their habitats. Write the names of aquatic animals in the
area marked ‘A’ and terrestrial animals in the area marked
‘B’. Enter the names of animals living in both habitats in
part ‘C’.
Horse, Dolphin, Frog, Sheep, Crocodile, Squirrel, Whale,
Earthworm, Pigeon, Tortoise
3. Manu’s mother maintains a kitchen garden. One day, she
was digging out radish from the soil. She told Manu that
radish is a kind of root. Examine a radish and write what
type of root it is. What type of venation would you observe
in the leaves of radish plant?
4. Look at the image of a mountain goat and a goat found in the
plains. Point out the similarities and differences between
them. What are the reasons for these differences?
(a) Mountain Goat
(b) Goat found in the plains
5. Group the following animals into two groups based on
any feature other than those discussed in the chapter—
cow, cockroach, pigeon, bat, tortoise, whale, fish,
grasshopper, lizard.
6. As the population grows and people want more comfortable
lives, forests are being cut down to meet various needs.
How can this affect our surroundings? How do you think
we can address this challenge?
7. Analyse the flowchart. What can be examples of ‘A’ and ‘B’?
8. Raj argues with his friend Sanjay that “Gudhal (hibiscus)
plant is a shrub”. What questions can Sanjay ask for
clarification?
9. Based on the information in the table, find out examples of
these plants for each group
(a) What other similarity do plants of group A have?
(b) What other similarity do plants of group B have?
10. Observe the labelled part of a duck in the picture given
below. What differences do you observe in the feet of the
duck compared to the other birds? Which activity would the
duck be able to perform using this part?
(a) Duck
(b) Pigeon
Learning further
- Read about one Indian scientist or a wildlife biologist who is working towards protection of India’s biodiversity. Prepare a brief report.
- Explore the contributions of Divya Mudappa, Usha Lachunga,
Ghazala Shahabuddin, Nandini Velho, Vidya Athreya, Uma
Ramakrishnan and Divya Karnad towards biodiversity in
India. Prepare a report of the work done by any three of them.
- Label the plants in your school with their local names with the help of your teacher or the gardener. List them in your notebook.
- With the help of your teacher, plan a field visit or a nature walk. Record your observations. Prepare a class biodiversity register by consolidating the observations and notes of all the students taken during the field visit or nature walk.
- Find out about ‘Project Tiger’ and other similar projects initiated in India to protect our biodiversity. Prepare a presentation for your class.
- Divide your class into groups of six students each. Initiate a discussion in the class on how you can protect biodiversity around you. Prepare a group-wise report that includes suggestions given by members of each group.
- Interact with elders in your family or neighbourhood to find
out various plants and animals that they see now but were
not seen earlier and vice-versa. Collect pictures of these
plants and animals and paste them in a scrapbook. Find out
more about them from your teacher.