Central Idea
- In an exhibition in Bengaluru, sculptures of elephants made from Lantana camara gained popular attraction.
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About Lantana Camara
- Lantana camara, commonly known as lantana, belongs to the verbena family (Verbenaceae) and originates from the American tropics.
- Lantana was introduced to India in the early 19th century as an ornamental plant during the British colonial period. Its colorful flowers made it popular in gardens.
- This shrub has the ability to spread across forest floors, climb like a creeper over trees, and easily intertwine with native vegetation.
- Lantana is highly adaptable, thriving in diverse ecosystems.
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Impacts on Local ecosystem
- Lantana’s invasive nature poses a serious threat to native flora and fauna. It competes with native plants for resources, often leading to a reduction in native biodiversity.
- It forms dense thickets that alter the structure of habitats that impede the movement of animals and change the microhabitat conditions, such as light availability and soil composition.
- It can invade agricultural land, reducing crop yields, and can also infest pastures, impacting grazing for livestock.
- It is toxic to livestock and can cause health issues if ingested. This adds to the economic burden for farmers who need to ensure their animals do not graze on lantana-infested land.
- The plant increases the risk of fire in the ecosystems it invades because it forms dense thickets that can easily catch and spread fire.
NOTE – This article was originally published in civilsdaily and can be viewed here
Tags: #animals, #elephants, #farmers, #flowers, #forestfloors, #getgreengetgrowing, #greenstories, #ornamentalplan, #plant, #soil, #trees, #vegetation, #gngagritech
