Grassland invaders stifle Assam’s island-like national park home to feral horses: study , Pg12.

Key Highlights:

• A recent study reveals that native plants, Bombax ceiba and Lagerstroemia speciosa, are contributing to the alteration of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park (DSNP) ecosystem alongside invasive species.
• The study, titled "Grasslands in Flux," analyzed land use changes in DSNP from 1999 to 2024, highlighting a decline in grasslands from 28.78% in 2000 to a significant reduction by 2024.
• DSNP, located in eastern Assam, is the only habitat of feral horses in India and is threatened by recurring floods, anthropogenic pressures, and the expansion of shrublands and degraded forests.
• The study emphasizes that the changes in DSNP's landscape threaten grassland-dependent species like the Bengal florican, hog deer, and swamp grass babbler.

Detailed Insights:

• The DSNP's grassland ecosystem is undergoing significant changes due to both invasive species like Chromolaena odorata and native plants, impacting the park's biodiversity.
• Remote sensing data indicates that shrubland became the most prominent class by 2013, covering 81.31 sq. km, while degraded forest expanded to 75.56 sq. km, further increasing to 80.52 sq. km by 2024.
• The conversion of grassland, degraded forest, semi-evergreen forest, and bare land into shrubland has led to a consistent decline in grassland areas within the National Park.
• Forest degradation in DSNP can lead to biodiversity loss, threaten local fauna, reduce carbon storage, and potentially intensify climate change impacts in the region.
• The study suggests a targeted grassland recovery project involving invasive species control, enhanced surveillance, increased staffing, relocation of forest villages, and community-based conservation efforts.
• The DSNP is home to approximately 200 feral horses, descendants of military horses from World War II, whose habitat is threatened by the changing landscape.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Invasive Species: Non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health.
• Anthropogenic Pressures: Environmental changes caused or influenced by human activities.
• Land Use and Land Cover (LULC): The categorization of land based on its use and physical cover, often analyzed to understand environmental changes.