Biodiversity, Ecophysiology and Conservation of Freshwater Animals

Heterogeneity is the rule of nature. Even the homozygotic twins with same set of genome are not similar. Heterogeneity (Diversity) in biological system is designated as biodiversity. The word "biodiversity" was coined by Walter G.Rosen at some point during the organization of the "National Forum on Biodiversity" from 21st to 24th September, 1986 held in Washington DC under the auspices of the US National Academy of sciences and the Smithsonian Institution. The term refers to the variety of life inhabiting various ecological niches, in which they live and flourish. Biodiversity is the invaluable gift, which we have inherited from the nature which must be conserved for the welfare of human civilization. Seeing the importance of the conservation of biodiversity of US society for Conservation Biology was founded in 1985. In the United States the human beings were perceived as the main reason for biodiversity depletion. To the contrary the biological conservation in India was viewed to be closely integrated to cultural tradition in which the conservation of biodiversity was seen as part of biocultural restoration of degraded habitats and the preservation of cultural practices that co-evolved in harmony with biodiversity. Biodiversity plays an important part in the maintenance of ecological status of the environment. Ecological status of the environment in turn plays an important part in the physiological adaptations of organisms. The delegates from various parts of the country will like to discuss their findings on ecophysiology with special reference to the complex issues related to biodiversity and protection of endangered species. The deliberations of the symposium, will be used for the synthesis of ideas on ecophysiology and biodiversity. This symposium will bring the researchers nearer from the field of ecophysiology, biodiversity and conservation of freshwater animals in particular. Such meetings will provide a platform for linking physiological investigations with the researches in the field of biodiversity and conservation. Such meetings also provide opportunity for researchers from diverse background and localities to exchange their ideas for the development of science in the country in general and the Univeristy in particular. This volume includes invited papers contributed in the National Symposium on “Perspectives of Biodiversity, Ecophysiology and Conservation of Freshwater Animals” organized by University Department of Zoology, T.M. Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur from 9th-11th September, 2002.