Invasive Plant Species in India
Context:
A new study published in Nature Sustainability reveals that invasive alien plants are expanding across 15,500 square kilometers of India's natural areas every year
The study warns that invasions are accelerating due to climate change, land-use shifts, and biodiversity loss
Scale of the Crisis:
By 2022, invasions had affected nearly 266,954 sq. km of natural areas
Almost two-thirds of India's natural ecosystems now contain at least 11 major invasive plant species
Vulnerable Regions:
High-risk clusters include: -
Shivalik-Terai belt
Duars in the northeast
Aravalli ranges
Dandakaranya forests
Nilgiri region of the Western Ghats (Shola’s)
Key Invasive Species:
Lantana camara (tropical regions of the Americas and Africa) emerged as the most dominant invader across most states
Chromolaena odorata (native to Tropical shrubs of Northern America) is expanding the fastest (at a rate of nearly 1,988 sq km per year) especially in the Western Ghats and the northeast
Prosopis juliflora (leguminous tree native to arid regions of central and south America), historically introduced to prevent desertification, has displaced native shrubs and grasses in dry regions
Drivers and Impact:
The spread is driven by systemic disruptions like warming temperatures, altered fire regimes, and increased rainfall in dry biomes.
India's economic losses from invasive species between 1960 and 2020 are estimated at Rs 8.3 lakh crore.
Entire ecosystems could shift from native to invasive dominance within a generation if current rates continue.
Recommendation:
The study calls for the creation of a National Invasive Species Mission to integrate scientific monitoring, evidence-based management, and inter-sectoral coordination.