Designing a monitoring system for agricultural biodiversity in the selected village of the LLS (Livelihood and Landscape Strategies) project and assess the available options for improvement in the biodiversity and livelihood in the Yamuna Nagar District
Student name: Ms Neha Bisht
Guide: Dr Joachim Schmerbeck
Year of completion: 2010
Host Organisation: IUCN-India
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr J.S. Rawat
Abstract: The study involved assessing the agroforestry systems in the area, plant diversity and the ways
diversity can be enhanced. Biodiversity monitoring is an essential step towards implementing
plans for conservation and protection. This study was conducted under the LLS project (IUCN)
in the pilot area of the Haryana landscape to monitor the agricultural biodiversity in the Thaska
village. It was conducted using the line transect method of sampling. The different elements in
the landscape falling in line with transect were sampled. The agroforestry systems showed high
variety in the number of species used but the area was dominated by Eucalyptus based systems
that could be found as pure plantations, mixed plantations and also grown along with crops as
boundary plantations. The reason for this was identified to be the income generation by these
plantations and the high number of programmes being run to advocate the plantation of
Eucalyptus sp. Shannon Wiener Index was used to measure species richness for each transects
and life form. The highest diversity was shown by the Transect 1 with a value of 1.21 and the life
form with maximum diversity was herbs with a value of 2.78. General measures to increase the
plant diversity have been given and the ones that are applicable in the area based on the
resources and socio-economic condition of the farmers have been highlighted. The proposed
monitoring system has generated the baseline data and will be used to assess the diversity for the
entire landscape and will be done on a continued basis to check for the changes occurring in the
landscape due to the interventions in future by different agencies under different programs.
Key words: Agricultural Biodiversity, Landscape, Monitoring, Shannon-Weiner Index,
Biodiversity Enhancement
