Biodiversity Basics

Prof. Ramesh Chandra, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London is a distinguished scientist and a pioneer leader in the field of Biomedical Sciences. He is known for his appetite for academic progress and vision for establishing state-of-the-art Institutions. He has received global recognition for his work in academia and research in Biomedical Sciences and Medicinal Chemistry. Apart from academia, he has been actively involved in other areas of development too. He is official resource person to the Minister and Department of Science and Technology in the kingdom of Lesotho, South Africa as well as President of the Indian Chemical Society (2004-2006), Member, Planning Commission, Government of U.P. India; Secretary - Zaheer Science Foundation, New Delhi and Non-Official Director, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), Government of India. On 08th March, 2022, Prof. Ramesh Chandra assumed the Vice-Chancellorship of Maharaja Surajmal Brij University, Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Evidently, under his charge the University witnessed inception of new administrative structures and research facilities to the introduction of innovative management concepts, interdisciplinary courses, and global academic initiatives. Prof. Chandra has been Vice-Chancellor, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi for six years (1999-2005). He established 36 institutes and that, too, with minimal financial support of the State Government. These institutes are in the fields Pure and Applied Radiation Biology, Pharmacy, Criminology and Forensic Sciences, Mass Communication & Journalism, Law, Ayurveda and Alternate Medicine, Planning and Architecture, Computer Science, Engineering, Biotechnology, Hotel Management and others. In 1991, Prof. Chandra, established Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research (ACBR) – pioneering Biomedical Education and Research Institute at Delhi University, which has acquired an international status in the field of Biomedical Research through its original and creative research. As an advisor, he has been instrumental in various academic developments of Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT - Allahabad). Prof. Chandra started his research career at the University of Delhi; thereafter he went to pursue his research at The New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical College, New York jointly at The Rockefeller University, New York; State University of New York at Stonybrook as Assistant Research Professor. He conducted advanced research at the Harvard University Medical School-Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) jointly at MIT, Cambridge, USA. Prof. Chandra was awarded Capital Foundation Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award for outstanding Scientific Research and Administrative Qualities (2023) in recognition of his duties for more than three decades. An outstanding Scientist and revered teacher, Prof. Chandra has been the recipient of several professional national/ international recognitions too: J. William Fulbright Scholarship (1993); The Rockefeller Foundation USA-Biotechnology Career Award (1993); Award of the Highest Honor of Soka University, Tokyo, Japan (2000); Millennium Plaques of Honor (Life Time Achievement Award for contribution in Science & Technology) by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) {2017-2018}, Lifetime Achievement Award of the Indian Chemical Society (ICS) (2003); UGC Research Scientist Award (1988); UGC Career Award (1993); Rajib Goyal Award for Young Scientists (2002); Fellowship of: Indian Academy of Biomedical Sciences (IABS); International Academy of Physical Sciences; Institution of Chemists, India; Indian Chemical Society and others.

• Chapter 1 Introduction to BiodiversityChapter 2 Climate Change and BiodiversityChapter 3 Conservation of SpeciesChapter 4 Economics and BiodiversityChapter 5 HotspotsChapter 6 Environmental AssessmentChapter 7 Monitoring Biodiversity