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Birds return to forest patches where Lantana was removed: Study
Weeding out the invasive tropical American shrub, Lantana camara, appears to alter the composition of bird species in a forest, according to a new study conducted in Central India.However, the research was carried out over only three years. Long-term assessments of how birds and insects respond to the removal of this invasive species are needed, the study published in journal Restoration Ecology, stressed.
Lantanas arrived in India as a decorative shrub in the British colonial period but quickly took over several ecosystems as an invasive plant. The shrub can spread on the forest ground, climb over trees an a creeper and entangle with other native plants with ease.
The researchers focused on tropical dry forests, which don’t often get enough attention. “Peatlands or humid forests get more emphasis for their ability to sequester carbon,” Pooja Choksi, who has just completed her PhD at Columbia University and the lead author of the study, told Down To Earth.
Though dry forests sequester less carbon, people heavily depend on them, she added. Forest restoration by removing lantana was done for the convenience of people, Choksi highlighted. Local communities carried out the removal, the state forest department and a non-governmental organisation.
The team used sound recorders to assess how lantana removal in Madhya Pradesh’s Bichhiya, a critical tiger conservation site, impacted animals that vocalise in frequencies between the frequency range of 2-8 Kilohertz. Bioacoustics, which is the study of animal vocalisations, helps researchers monitor species.
They focused their research on three forest sites: Restored, unrestored, and those with little or no lantana. The team found no difference in species richness or the cumulative number of species across the sites.But differences emerged when they looked at the composition of bird communities or differences in species present at a site.
“What is interesting is that restoration for people’s livelihoods and convenience does not hurt biodiversity,” Choksi highlighted.
They also found differences in acoustic space use (ASU), which quantifies the amount of time soundscapes (animal sounds) are active in 24 hours. A higher ASU can indicate more diversity or abundance of vocalising species.
This change could be temporary, the expert speculated. When lantana is removed, it causes a shift in habitat. Some species will likely leave while others move in, she added.
“When such sudden changes happen, animal communities could be reorganising their community,” she said, adding that long-term studies could provide more concrete answers.
Choksi and her team are currently analysing the data to get a better understanding of the effects a change in soundscapes and the vocalising species composition could mean.
“We have seen a change in composition, but does that mean we are seeing more pollinators or more insectivores — we are currently assessing that,” she said.
Choksi plans to investigate the links between socio-ecological changes and restoration and how people perceive Lantana camara and forest restoration.
– Down to Earth
Latest News
Financial contribution from Gift Sri Lanka Foundation and the Georgia Buddhist Vihara, USA, for disaster relief
In support of relief efforts for communities affected by the Ditwah cyclone, Gift Sri Lanka Foundation and the Georgia Buddhist Vihara (GBV), USA, have made a financial contribution of USD 16,000 to the Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund.
The relevant cheque was formally handed over on Thursday (18) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat by the Chief Incumbent of the Georgia Buddhist Vihara, Most Venerable Panamwela Vajirabuddha Nayaka Thero, to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The European Union has allocated a total of Euro 2.35 million of financial assistance to Sri Lanka. This includes Euro 500,000 through IFRC and Euro 1.85 million through DG-European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) partners, WFP and UNICEF as humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, in response to the impact of Tropical Cyclone Ditwah,
In addition to the above allocation, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), which brings together 37 participating States, all 27 EU member States, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine, is providing in-kind assistance to Sri Lanka.
As a part of the UCPM in kind assistance being provided, on Wednesday, 17th December, Sri Lanka received an aid shipment, with two air cargo flights arriving in Colombo from Germany, France and Luxembourg. This aid shipment included 83 tonnes of relief items such as family tents, mattresses, hygiene and kitchen kits, beds and water filters. The supplies are intended for distribution among communities most affected by the cyclone.
The arrival of the assistance was welcomed by the EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Carmen Moreno, French Ambassador, Rémi Lambert, and the Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy, Sarah Hasselbarth. On behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, the donations were received by Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, Director General / Europe & North America, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism and Chathura Liyanarachchi, Director, Disaster Management Center (DMC).
Italy has also provided a team of structural engineers to support Sri Lanka’s disaster assessment and recovery process.
Furthermore, the EU has activated its Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) in rapid mapping mode, with around 30 maps produced so far.
The European Union has committed continued cooperation and support to Sri Lanka’s disaster recovery and rebuilding process, reaffirming the enduring friendship and strong partnership between Sri Lanka and the European Union.
… hands over proposal asking for PSC probe into govt.’s lapses
Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday accused the government of having gagged the Meteorology Department officials, who, he said, had been placed under virtual house arrest. He claimed that they had been barred from speaking to the media.
Speaking in Parliament, Premadasa said withholding information from the public was unacceptable. He insisted that the Meteorology Department and international agencies had repeatedly issued warnings about extreme weather events between November 11 and 26. He demanded to know why Sri Lanka’s disaster management mechanism had not been activated in a timely manner.
“The key issue is why the country’s disaster management system failed to respond when the risks were clearly identified,” he told the House, describing the lapse as a serious failure of governance.
Condemning attempts to silence officials, Premadasa said acknowledging mistakes was the only way forward. “If we are wrong, we should admit it. If we are right, we should say so. Silencing professionals will help solve problems.
The Opposition Leader also called for a National Disaster Response Force and amendments to the Disaster Management Act to strengthen preparedness and response mechanisms.
Premadasa and several other Opposition MPs have submitted a formal proposal to the Speaker seeking the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the government’s failure to mitigate the impact of Cyclone Ditwah.
The Opposition has demanded a 30-member select committee tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the institutional and administrative failures during the disaster.
Describing the government’s lack of preparedness as deeply regrettable, the MPs have said that timely action would have helped save many lives and reduced the scale of destruction caused by the cyclone.
By Saman Indrajith ✍️
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