Context:
Mikania micrantha weed is spreading quite fast in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve and threatening its biodiversity.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
Dimensions of the Article:
- Mikania micrantha
- Bhadra Tiger Reserve Insights
Mikania micrantha:
- Mikania micrantha is a perennial vine that exhibits aggressive and expansive growth. It originates from Central and South America.
- Recognized as a significant invasive species, it affects regions across Southeast Asia, India, and the Pacific Islands.
- Introduced in the 1940s for ground coverage in tea plantations, it now poses a threat to various agricultural and forest regions throughout India.
- Thrives in areas with high fertility, organic content, moisture, and humidity.
- The plant deprives neighboring flora of sunlight by overgrowth, leading to their damage or death. It uses its climbing ability to reach sunlight, enhancing its spread.
- Produces chemicals that suppress the germination and growth of surrounding plant seeds.
- Capable of producing numerous lightweight seeds that disperse through the wind and can also propagate vegetatively from its roots.
Bhadra Tiger Reserve Insights:
- Nestled in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India.
- The reserve is surrounded by various hill ranges, housing a robust population of elephants and is designated as an Elephant Reserve.
- Home to a significant number of tigers, it was declared the 25th Project Tiger Reserve in 1998.
- The area is well-watered by the Bhadra River and its tributaries.
- Features a mix of dry deciduous, moist deciduous, shola, and semi-evergreen vegetation, with species such as Teak, Rosewood, and other medicinal plants.
- Supports diverse fauna including tigers, leopards, Dholes, and various ungulates like Gaur and Sambar.
-Source: The Hindu
