LIVING WEALTH

Pakistan's biodiversity is a blend of elements from different origins - diverse and interesting species in a number of rich ecosystems. (Biodiversity - An Introduction to the conceptual fundamentals). The flora and fauna consist of a blend of Palaearctic and Indo-malayan elements, with some groups from the Ethiopian region. The dramatic geological pre-history of the Indian subcontinent explains the evolution of these elements. According to the general theory, the landmass of the Indian subcontinent originated in the continent of Gondwanaland, the southern supercontinent that started to break up about 150 million years ago, consisting of what are now South America, Africa, Antarctica, Arabia, Australia, India, Madagascar and New Zealand. The sub-continent is thought to have broken off and drifted across the Indian Ocean and joined mainland Asia some 50 million years ago. This created a land bridge between India and South-East Asia, enabling Indo-malayan life-forms to invade the subcontinent. In Pakistan, these are now predominantly found in the east of the Indus. Palaearctic forms dominate the north and west of the country and there also has been an influx of some of Ethiopian forms in the southwestern parts. Around 20 million years ago the Sea of Tethys dried up to create the Indus lowlands and the upheaval caused by the continent crashing into mainland Asia gave rise to the Himalayas. This together with a series of Pleistocene 'ice-ages', the last ending just 10.000 years ago, has ensured some unique flora and fauna. Because it is endowed with a remarkable geology, and is spread over broad latitude, Pakistan spans several of the world's ecological regions.

Species Richness and Endemics for Major Plant and Animal Groups in Pakistan

Source Biodiversity Action Plan IUCN 1998

Due to man-made borders and the country not being an isolated entity in biogeographic terms, few species are found only in Pakistan. The rates of endemism hence are low:

• Plants 7% s
• Mammals 4%
• Reptiles 23 %
• Birds 0%
• Fish 15%

On the other hand, the proportion of 'restricted range' species is much higher and for many of them, Pakistan contains the bulk of the global population.

>> Factors affecting Biodiversity in Pakistan