The Dehradun-based Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) has identified about 75 forest invasive species (FIS) in different parts of the country, which are a threat to the natural forest cover.
Besides there are 36 other FIS which are localised in limited areas.
FIS can displace native plants, eliminate food and cover for wildlife and threaten rare plant and animal species. These species can change the functions of ecosystems and increase loss in forestry and natural resource management costs. FIS pose a danger to the biological diversity and other human enterprises as well as on human health. Many of invasive species have naturalized in India. Few of them are being used for various purposes such as making medicinal uses, furniture making and composting.
A species that reaches its location without assistance from human activity is called native plant. A non indigenous or non-native plant or animal is referred as exotic and introduced into a new location by activity of human, either with any objective or by accident. A non- native species that is able to move aggressively into a habitat and monopolizing resources such as light, nutrients, water and space to the detriment of other species is called invasive species. An invasive species typical of forest ecosystem is referred as FIS.
A special FIS cell has been set up in ICFRE under the chairmanship of the director-general, Jagdish Kishwan. ?We are studying the behaviour of FIS and finding out ways of eradicating them from forest areas also undertaking research on utilization of FIS,? said Kishwan. The ICFRE?s biodiversity and climate change (BCC) division has prepared a country reporton ? Stocktaking of National Activities on FIS ? which has been submitted by the Union ministry of environment and forests to Asia Pacific Forest Invasive Species Network (APFISN).
According to ICFRF out of the identified 75 FIS, 61 are species of plants, including 12 species of fungi and 14 are species of insects. These 75 FIS are found in different forest regions of the country. There are also 36 FIS found localized in some areas. ICFRF also concluded that out of these identified FIS, 28 species are native to India but have but have taken invasive proportions in other bio-geographical regions of the country.
Some of the identified FIS are Acacia mearnsii or De Wild., Ageratum conyzoides or (L.) Sieber, Ageratum houstonianum or P.Mill, Chromolaena odorata or (L.) King and Robinson., Cytisus scoparius L, Eichhornia crassipes or (Mart.) Solms, Eupatorium adenophorum or Spreng, Ipomaea carnea or Jacq, Lantana camara L, Mikania micrantha or (L.) Kunth, Mimosa invisa or Mart, Parthenium hysterophorus L., Salvinia molesta or DS Mitch, Ulex europaeus L, Xanthium strumarium L, Ectropis deodarae or Prout, Lymantria obfuscate or Walker, Pityogenus scitus or Blanford, Polygraphus longifolia or Stebbing, Fusarium monoliforme or Sheldon.