Kerala State Biodiversity Board submits policy document to mitigate threats due to invasive species

Document suggests laying emphasise on prevention and monitoring of the spread of invasive alien species and generating public awareness and capacity-building to handle the menace

The Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has come up with a seven-point strategic plan to mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) on the State's biodiversity.

The policy document drawn up by the board, which was recently submitted to the State government, has suggested laying emphasise on prevention and monitoring of the spread of invasive alien species and generating public awareness and capacity-building to handle the menace.

The document calls for strict quarantine measures; public awareness and capacity building; conducting risk assessments and prioritising research on invasive alien species impacts; managing of invasive alien species, which prioritises prevention, engaging local communities; and scientific identification and taxonomic validation, which lays thrust on developing methods to verify species' invasiveness. The document also suggests economic utilisation of invasive species in instances where eradication is not feasible.

Invasive fish

A total of 32 alien species, including four plants and 28 fish species, have been documented in Keralam's inland aquatic ecosystems. The most widespread invasive fish is the Mozambique tilapia, which is found in all 44 rivers, 18 reservoirs, and two lakes, according to the document.

The invasive species in forest ecosystems include species such as Chromolaena odorata, Lantana camara, and Mikania micrantha. These species hinder the regeneration of native plant species, leading to altered ecosystems and biodiversity loss, it notes.

The document also talks about alien invasive insect pests, which are a major concern in the State's agriculture, causing crop damage, among others. Intentional ways of introduction of these species occur via aquaculture, ornamental trade, or agriculture, while the unintentional ways include ballast water, nursery trade, or natural disasters like floods, the document suggests.

It points out that the major pathways in Keralam include ballast water, ornamental trade, and horticulture and agriculture.

KSSB chairperson N. Anil Kumar says that the invasive species deeply affected the ecosystem by eliminating the native species.

'Strong measures required'

"The invasive species spread fast, are competitive, and have huge ramifications on ecology and native species. The naturalised biodiversity gets disrupted as they spread rapidly, and costs much to remove them. Strong measures need to be taken to prevent the spread of these species," says Mr. Anil Kumar.

Former Kerala Forest Research Institute director K.V. Sankaran suggests an exclusive legal framework to mitigate the threats due to invasive species.

No study

"The initiative has to come from the Union government. No study has been carried out to ascertain the native species lost to the invasive species," says Mr. Sankaran, who is also the co-ordinating lead author of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

"A unified government system dedicated to addressing the invasive species is crucial," he adds.

A recommendation to develop a policy to mitigate threats from invasive alien species was provided to the Ministry of Forests, Environment and Climate Change by the Zoological Survey of India based on discussions during a national conference on invasive species last year, he says.