The number of species of plants and animals that are present in a region constitutes its species diversity. This diversity is seen both in natural ecosystems and in agricultural ecosystems. For e.g.: natural undisturbed tropical forests have much greater species richness than monoculture plantations developed by the Forest department for timber production. Similarly an island with two species of birds and one species of lizard has a greater diversity than an island with three species of birds but no lizards.
A natural forest ecosystem provides a large number of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) like fruit, fuel wood, fodder, fiber, gum, resin and medicines. Timber plantations do not provide the large variety of goods. In the long-term, the economic sustainable returns from NTFPs is said to be greater than the returns from felling a forest for its timber. Areas rich in species diversity are called ‘hot spots’ of diversity.
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