A Status of Invasive Alien Species Plant Diversity in Tehri District Forest Ecosystem of Garhwal Himalayan Region

Abstract

Invasive alien species that is non-indigenous to an area, and which may have harmful effect on human, animal, plant health as habitat destruction, degradation and fragmentation of ecosystems. During the study observed the present status of plant diversity of invasive alien species (IAS) in Tehri District of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand. Data were collected through extensive field survey and quadrat method. Result observed that 75 Forest Invasive Species (FIS) and 47 weed species documented from the area. Among the 75 FIS, 12 species belonging from Asteraceae, 7 species from Poaceae, 7 species of Solanaceae, 5 species of Lamiaceae, followed by four species of each Ranunculaceae and Polygonaceae while the other belongs to Papilionaceae, Cyperacea, Euphorbiaceae and various other angiospermic families were recorded. Weed Species from 5 different angiospermic families were recorded. The highest diversity was reported for Asteraceae family. Species diversity of IAS indicated that study area was distinctly dissimilar or unlike in diversity and unhealthy. An investigation of the habitat depicts that herbs prevail (11 species) followed by shrubs (8 species) and trees (2 species). However, major impact of these species on the indigenous flora, change in hydrology and function of ecosystems is yet to be studied. There is an urgent need to develop regional data, information on their ecology, morphology, reproductive biology, phenology and physiology for effective management and control of IAS. Present Study will helpful in further study on developing effective management and control protocol of IAS on spreading outside their natural habitat and most prominent menaces to biodiversity.

Cataloguing Phytosociological Pattern of Flora in Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, Western Ghats, Southern India

“…Similar reports were also given by Curtish Oplismenus burmanii possess maximum density followed by Apulda mutica, Chrysopogon aciculatus, Cynodon dactylon and Heteropogon contortus because it is attributed due to the fact that buried seeds could survive in the soil for long periods of time and they germinate under favourable climatic condition; Moreover, these grasses are spread by rhizomes and interconnected stands with extensive root systems which provides a rapid growth and makes them spread and proliferative. Consistent result was observed by Khanduri et al (2017) for Apluda mutica, Anaphalis busua and Echinochloa colonae in Garhwal Himalaya. The species richness was more in Tree layer when compared to other three layers.…”

“…Lantana camara invasions in natural communities are frequently linked to a reduction in species diversity as well as changes in ecosystem structure and function. Similar dominance of Lantana camara was also reported in moist deciduous forest of Odisha byReddy and Pattanaik (2009);Khanduri et al (2017);Tiwari and Ravikumar (2018) In herb layer the higher dominance was shown by Abutilon indicum (Fig.3a) which is due to survival, establishment and vigorous growth pattern of this species. The similar nding was given by Mohammed et al (2014) for Kanawa forest.…”

A Review on Some Ecological Aspects of Invasive Flora Based on Comparative Analysis of “Tehri” and “Pauri” Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India

“…In present context a review on the diversity of alien invasive plants was felt that could add more knowledge base to this area of research along with other objectives such as the expansion of invasive plants to higher elevation zones. Keeping in mind the above perspectives, the studies in Tehri and Pauri have been reviewed by many authors [10,11] on the following aspects:…”

“…A total of 75 Forest Invasive Species (FIS) from Tehri District of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand were identified as invasive through extensive field survey and Quadrat method [10] . Among the 75 species, 12 invasive plant species belonging to family Asteraceae, 7 from Poaceae and Solanaceae each, 5 of Lamiaceae, followed by 4 species each of Ranunculaceae and Polygonaceae while the other belonging to Papilionaceae, Cyperaceae, Euphorbiaceae and various other angiospermic families were recorded.…”

The Rising Threat of Invasive Alien Plant Species in Agriculture

“…It is estimated 20-30 percent of all introduced species worldwide cause a problem. The impact of climate change on invasive weeds indicated that weeds on the whole have a large growth in the increase in atmosphere CO 2 concentration relation to plant species and rising CO 2 can be sustainable for invasive noxious species within plant communities [19]. Global efforts are very important to control the invasive weed species.…”