Bhawandeep Kaur
The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth. Biodiversity supports ecosystem services including air quality, climate (e.g., CO2 sequestration), water purification, pollination, and prevention of erosion. Appropriate conservation and sustainable development strategies attempt to recognize this as being integral to any approach. Almost all cultures have in some way or form recognized the importance that nature, and its biological diversity has had upon them and the need to maintain it. Yet, power, greed and politics have affected the precarious balance.
“At least 40 per cent of the world’s economy and 80 per cent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. In addition, the richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries, economic development, and adaptive responses to such new challenges as climate change.”- The Convention about Life on Earth
India including Jammu and Kashmir is very rich in biodiversity. India has a rich and varied heritage of biodiversity, encompassing a wide spectrum of habitats from tropical rainforests to alpine vegetation and from temperate forests to coastal wetlands. India figured with two hotspots – the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas. India contributes significantly to latitudinal biodiversity trend. With a mere 2.4% of the world’s area, India accounts for 7.31% of the global faunal total with a faunal species count of 89,451 species. Likewise the state of Jammu and Kashmir boasts of a rich biodiversity. Same is true about Jammu. It harbours rich biodiversity.
Like anywhere else in the world, the biodiversity of India is also at peril and Jammu is no exception to it. Throughout the globe, the biodiversity faces many threats. Apart from habitat loss which is considered as a major cause for biodiversity loss, the spread of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) is an important and often-overlooked cause of extinctions.
An invasion is under way that is undermining our economy and endangering our most precious natural treasures. The incursion comes not from foreign armies, political terrorists, or extraterrestrials. Instead, the stealthy invaders are alien species. These plants, animals and pathogens have been introduced-either intentionally or by accident-into areas outside their natural ranges. Unchecked by natural controls, invasive species are spreading across our lands and through our waterways, and wreaking havoc with already fragile native species and ecosystems. IAS like Achatina fulica, Pedda oryzivoza, Rana catesbeiana, Lantana camara, Ipomea carnea, Micania micranthia etc. have become widely spread in India and Jammu as well.
Effects:
IAS and Species loss: Invasive species are now regarded as the second-leading threat to imperilled species, behind only habitat destruction. Of 40 North American freshwater fishes that have become extinct over the past century, for example, invasive species were a contributing factor in more than two-thirds of these extinctions.
Homogenisation of earth’s biota: Apart from species loss, the Invasive Alien Species are responsible for ‘McDonaldisation’ or homogenisation of earth’s biota. They significantly reduce the diversity of species in an area. Soon the area once flourishing with abundant species becomes homogenised or dominated by one or a few species. Spread of Parthenium hysterophorous (Congress grass) in India is an eye opening example of this. It has invaded almost all kinds of ecosystems from wasteland to agriculture areas to forest. It can also be found along the roadsides. This is just one example and there are many more. Homogenisation of waters of Lake Mansar by Common Carp is another eye opener. It has destroyed almost all the fish diversity of the lake.
Health: Besides there are health impacts associated with these species. Encroachment of humans into previously remote ecosystems has exposed exotic diseases such as AIDS virus to the wider population. Introduced birds (e.g. pigeons), rodents and insects (e.g. mosquito, flea, louse and tsetse fly pests) can serve as vectors and reservoirs of human afflictions. Swine flu, bird flu are some disease spread by the animal vectors.
Economic Costs: They reduce yields of agricultural crops, forests and fisheries, decrease water availability, cause costly land degradation, block transport routes and contribute to the spread of disease. They also reduce the effectiveness of development investments by choking irrigation canals, fouling industrial pipelines and impeding hydroelectric facilities. Invasive species therefore contribute to social instability and economic hardship, placing constraints on sustainable development, economic growth, poverty alleviation and food security.
Threat to Jammu: Unfortunately being an important trade and travel route, and a place of pilgrimage tourism and Railhead complex Jammu is at great risk of IAS. It has witnessed intentional and unintentional introduction of various plant, animal and pathogen species. But lack of awareness by authorities as well as citizens not only at our state level but also national level has exaggerated the problem. People are unaware of the implications of spread of IAS and are introducing these species as ornamentals and pets. Government is not looking at the gravity of the situation which in future is going not only to eliminate species but also threaten the sustainability of our ecosystem jeopardising food security and promoting poverty. Lately the world has awakened to the threat but we are still in slumber especially at state level. So we need to realise the gravity of the situation and do the necessary.
Control:
Prevention is the best control. A small investment of time and money, early detection and control can save huge amounts later to be spend on failed attempts at eradication and repair the badly disrupted ecological services. Our Government needs to collaborate at global, national as well as local level. Modest investment in training, policy framing and institutional development are required. Strong quarantine measures should be put in place both at national level and state level. People are needed to be educated through organising workshops, advertisement and other means. Public engagement and awareness is the key to solve the problem. And cooperation at the level of people is required. They should not intentionally or unintentionally introduce such species for any purpose.
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