INVASIVE SPECIES (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: A new study recently highlighted that over half of India's natural systems are threatened by invasive plant species.

Key Points

• The findings are a result of a national-level survey conducted in India, which noted that 158,000 plots in 358,000 square kilometres of wild area are invaded by alien species.
• The 11 high-concern invasive plant species that showed presence in 20 states of the country included Lantana camara, Prosopis juliflora and Chromolaena odorata.
• Project Tiger was envisaged to serve as a flagship to monitor the changing status of carnivores, herbivores, and their habitat. 
• Plant invasions alter habitats and reveal intricate ecological changes across biomes,” Qureshi said in a press statement issued by WII.
• Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Western Ghats was one of the largest impacted hotspot areas due to invasion dominated by Lantana camara, Prosopis juliflora and Chromolaena odorata.

Invasive Species

• About: An invasive or alien species is a species introduced to a new environment that multiplies excessively and causes harm to its new surroundings.
• Modes: Invasive species can be introduced to an area through various means, including ship ballast water, accidental releases, and most commonly, human activities.
• Characteristics of Invasive Species
• Invasive species possess several key characteristics:
• Rapid Reproduction and Growth
• High Dispersal Ability
• Phenotypic Plasticity (the capacity to adapt physiologically to new conditions)
• Versatility in Surviving on Different Food Sources and in a Wide Range of Environmental Conditions.