Study
A group of ground forest team, including deputy rangers, watchers, and a protection watchers team, visited Chinnakkanal recently and interacted with local people and panchayat officials about steps to mitigate human-elephant conflict in the region.
Removing exotic plants from forest areas will help ensure food for wild elephants at Chinnakkanal in Munnar, says the study by the Kerala State Forest Protective Staff Organisation
In many areas in forests filled with exotic trees, no other plants are growing.
Wild animals, including elephants, are unable to move through these areas.
If these areas change to natural grasslands, it will ensure food and water for wild elephants.
Exotic plants
Exotic plants are those that are not native to the area in which they are growing.
Some common exotic plants that are grown in gardens include bromeliads, orchids, cacti, and succulents.
These plants often require special care, as they may not be accustomed to the local climate or soil.
It is important to research an exotic plant before bringing it home, to make sure that it will be able to thrive in its new environment.
Exotic tree species grow faster than their indigenous counterpart.
They can also be more profitable than native tree plantations in terms of timber.
The exotic species like Eucalyptus species are fast growing and were introduced for paper and pulp production as well as oil production.
Poplar and Prosopis juliflora were mostly planted for curbing desertification.
These trees are also grown in commercial purpose for their high market value.
These species are more dominant in comparison to the native species, as they easily acclimatize to the environment.
Growing exotic species is like walking on egg shells.
Several of them turn out to be invasive and interfere with the delicate balance of ecosystems.
Since these plants easily acclimatize with their surroundings, they spread like wild fire.
Soon enough, we have higher population of exotic plants than native ones in our forests.
This causes a cascade of changes where the organisms which are dependent on these native plants are adversely affected
Difference between Exotic and invasive species:
Exotic and invasive species are two types of non-native species.
Non-native species can be found in a second ecosystem apart from the ecosystem they evolved from
Non-native species spread by natural process or human activities.
Most non-native or indigenous species are harmless. They are called exotic species.
When an exotic species becomes harmful to the ecosystem, it is called an invasive species.
The main difference between exotic and invasive species is that exotic species is harmless to the ecosystem whereas invasive species is harmful to the ecosystem.
Invasive species can be harmful the native habitats, natural areas such as lakes, forests, and rivers, agriculture, economy, and humans.
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