CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -The bench directed the committee, which shall be headed by Cherukuri Raghavendra Babu, chairman, Expert Committee on Invasive Species, National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai, to file a report on the ways to weed out such species within two months.

Detailed explanation-2: -While invasive species of flora like eucalyptus, wattle, pine and cypress trees, as well as Lantana camara plants, are proliferating across the Nilgiris upper slopes, Prosopis juliflora , parthenium and eupatorium have spread ón the biosphere’s lower slopes, forest officials said.

Detailed explanation-3: -According to its report, the area under five major invasive alien species is estimated to be 2,68,100 hectares. Lantana camara was found in 1,85,000 ha, Prosopis juliflora (56,000 ha), Acacia mearnsii (wattle, 22,400 ha), Senna spectabilis (2,400 ha), and Opuntia sp.

Detailed explanation-4: -Senna spectabilis, along with Lantana camara, is among five major invasive weeds that had taken over vast swathes of the Nilgiris, with wattle being the other major invasive species.