1. Living World - part 03 - Museum,Zoological and biological Parks and key

 

1. Living World - part 03 - Museum,Zoological and biological Parks and key


Museum :

  • Museums are the places where, collections of preserved plant and animal specimens are kept. 
  • Plant and animal specimens may be preserved in formalin (10% to 40% formaledehyde) in transperent jars.
  • Jars are labelled. 
  • Larger animals like birds and mammals are usually stuffed and preserved.This science is known as taxidermy. 
  • Specimens in dried form are also kept in museum.
  • We can even find systematic collections of shells, skeletons of animals, insect boxes in museums.
  • Thus, biological museums in educational institutes are reference hubs of biodiversity studies.
Zoological Parks :

  • Zoological Park generally known as zoo, is a place of interest for common man.
  • In a zoo, wild animals are kept in captivity.
  • They are protected and care is taken to provide conditions similar to their natural habitat. (exsitu)
  • In a zoo, a naturalist can study food habits and behavior of animals.
  • Flora, manuals, Monographs and Catalogueare some other tools of maintaining biodiversity records. 
  • Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular area on time.
  • A Monograph describes any one selected biological group where as manual provides information, keys about identification of species found in a particular area.
Biodiversity parks :
  • It is an ecological assemblage of species that form self-sustaining communities on degraded / barren landscape 
  • e.g. Late Uttamrao Patil biodiversity park Gureghar, Mahabaleshwar. 
  • This park is the best model for conservation of natural heritage in urban landscape.
  • Systematic classification of living organisms is helpful in understanding the interrelations. 
  • In order to understand interrelations between organisms and maintain harmony on planet earth, study of biodiversity is a must.
Know the scientists :

  • Dr. S. P. Agharkar One of the leading botanists of India, Dr. S. P. Agharkar was born in November 1884 in Malvan, Maharashtra. 
  • He explored biodiversity of Western Ghatswhere he came across a species of freshwater jellyfish, which was until then only known to be found in Africa. 
  • These findings were published in scientific journal Nature in 1912. 
  • Dr. Annandale, the Superintendent of the Indian Museum in Kolkata, helped Dr.Agharkar in his further endeavours to collect, preserve and conduct microscopic examinations of animal and plant specimens. 
  • The institute ARI, Pune has been named after his name.
Key :
  • Key is taxonomical aid used for classification of plants and animals. 
  • The keys are based on contrasting characters. 
  • One of the contrasting characters gets accepted and other rejected. 
  • The statement in key is called a lead. 
  • Normally keys are analytical in nature. 

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