Yes Anand ji...very interesting point. Human beings sometimes cause degradation of ecosystem by intentional introduction of exotic species. A thorough research and proper understanding of the species is required before introducing a palnt or animal species in a country or area. The following points should be considered during introduction: whether the species is beneficial to us whether the species is potent enough to outcompete the other species, whether the species can spread very rapidly, and go out of control. whether the growth of that plant can affect the soil quailty and ecosystem. whether the species is toxic for native animals and birds. and other factors....
I am citing an example from the animal kingdom where the introduction of a species in a new country proved to be a disaster. Indian Grey mongooses were taken from India, and introduced in the island of Hawaii to control the field mice population which destroys the crops. The mongooses started multiplying very fast in the absence of other predators, and besides killing mice and insects. they also consumed the eggs and chicks of many ground dwelling endemic island birds. So there was decline in the endemic bird population in Hawaii....and now the mongoose has become a nuisance. Same is the story of introduction of Brown Catsnake in the island of Guam. This snake came into the island possibly with the cargos of ships, and so it was accidental. It not only preyed upon the ground birds, but also climbed the trees with agility and ate the eggs of birds , and hunted the endemic smaller birds at night. Bird population started reducing. and now the snakes are killed at sight. Many birds of Guam are now threatened due to this snake-hazard. regards Shantanu : ) Shantanu Bhattacharya. B.Sc, M.Sc (Zoology) University of Calcutta. Teaching Faculty. Dept. of Biology. Vivekananda Mission School(ICSE). Joka. Kolkata. On 9/27/10, Anand Kumar Bhatt <[email protected]> wrote: > > I dont know how it happened that all the exotic plants which we brought to > India with great enthusiasm and high hopes were proved to be invasive or > injurious in some other way. Let us reel off the names: water hyacinth which > was brought by an English lady for the beautiful flowers, ipomea which was > supposed to solve the fodder and firewood problem in the villages, > eucalyptus which was thought to be an excellent tree for forest plantation, > subabool and now acacia auriculiformis which was thought to be a useful > plant for covering degraded forest area as it is non-browsable. I am not > mentioning lantana and parthenium. > The moral of the story is that one should go for native plants, not search > for exotic plants to be imported for large scale plantation. > Another plant which is being propagated by a reputed religious organisation > is Simarouba glauca. Well one has to wait for a few years to see how useful > and harmless the tree is. > ak > > > On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 12:39 AM, Pankaj Kumar <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Acacia auriculiformis to be precise..... >> Pankaj >> >> >> >> On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 12:35 AM, Shantanu Bhattacharya >> <[email protected]> wrote: >> > Hi >> > sharing a pic of the Phyllode Acacia (Acacia auriculoformis)...an >> invasive >> > species from Australia. >> > Pic taken at Narendrapur. >> > >> > this plant now grows in profusion in many parts of Bankura and Puruliya >> > districts of West Bengal...the red soil is ideal for its growth...but it >> > doesnt allow other plants to grow...and its outcompeting other trees in >> the >> > area. >> > >> > i was shocked to see that there were no other trees in Mukutmanipur- a >> nice >> > tourist spot near Bankura. >> > >> > >> > Shantanu :) >> > >> > >> > Shantanu Bhattacharya. >> > B.Sc, M.Sc (Zoology) >> > University of Calcutta. >> > Teaching Faculty. >> > Dept. of Biology. >> > Vivekananda Mission School(ICSE). >> > Joka. Kolkata. >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >> >> >> >> -- >> *********************************************** >> "TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!" >> >> >> Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) >> Research Associate >> Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project >> Department of Habitat Ecology >> Wildlife Institute of India >> Post Box # 18 >> Dehradun - 248001, India >> > > > > -- > Anand Kumar Bhatt > A-59, B.S.F.Colony, Airport Road > Gwalior. 474 005. > Tele: 0751-247 2233. Mobile 0 94253 09780. > My blogsite is at: > http://anandkbhatt.blogspot.com > (A NEW BLOG HAS BEEN ADDED ON 3 SEPT 2010.) > And the photo site: > www.flickr.com/photos/akbhatt/ > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Ten most common surnames of Indians: Singh, Kumar, Sharma, Patel, Shah, > Lal, Gupta, Bhat, Rao, Reddy. Cheers! > >
