Nature Sustainability Report on Invasive Plants
Why focus: GS3 Environment. Lantana and Prosopis are UPSC trap favorites. High probability for species-in-news How-Many-Correct questions.
In News
What Happened
Why It Matters
Background
History & Context
What Changed
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BEFORE: Invasive species management was largely sporadic, allowing plants like Senna spectabilis to heavily infest the Western Ghats and form dense monocultures. NOW: Tamil Nadu is executing a systematic, time-bound eradication drive, actively partnering with paper mills to convert the removed invasive biomass into eco-friendly paper pulp.
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BEFORE: Prosopis juliflora was actively promoted in arid states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu to stabilize sandy soils and act as a bio-shield. NOW: It is scientifically recognized as an aggressive invader that destroys pastoral ecosystems, prompting massive, state-funded uprooting efforts to recover native grasslands.
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BEFORE: Tiger reserves like Bandipur and Kanha maintained a healthy balance of native grasses and shrubs, supporting robust herbivore populations. NOW: Over 1 lakh sq km of tiger habitats are choked by unpalatable weeds like Lantana camara, which starves herbivores and forces them into human settlements, exacerbating human-wildlife conflict.
Prelims Angle
NCERT Connection
Practice Questions
Q1
With Reference ToWith reference to the ecological impact of invasive plant species in India, consider the following statements: 1. Prosopis juliflora was originally introduced in India to prevent desertification but has now become highly invasive in arid and semi-arid regions. 2. The spread of Lantana camara in tiger reserves increases the long-term carrying capacity of the habitat by providing highly nutritious fodder for native herbivores. 3. Tamil Nadu's PIPER initiative is India's first state policy aimed at the systematic eradication of invasive alien plants like Senna spectabilis. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?