New plant species found in Western Ghats

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Context

• In countries one of the bio-hotspot, Western Ghats, 60 plant species are found by researchers which can withstand extreme dehydration conditions.
• These species can range from algae to angiosperms.
• These are desiccation-tolerant (DT) vascular plants which can be used to develop high temperature tolerant variety of crops.

Other Details

• These species mainly were found in rocky outcrops in the tropics.
• These DT plants can tolerate a loss of water content up to 95 per cent and still survive and recover quickly.
• They change color or fold/shrink their leaves during the period of desiccation.

Plant species

• Out of 62 plant species found –
  • 16 are endemic to India.
  • 12 are exclusive plant species of Western Ghats
• There are mainly found in extreme habitats, like hot and cold deserts, estuaries, rock outcrops, glaciers and other arid and semi-arid regions.
• These are also found in Northern Western Ghats (NWG) cliff habitat, deep soil depressions, boulders, gravelly patches and cryptogamic crusts etc.
• However the preferred habitats are
  • Ferricretes (layers of sedimentary rock) - Glyphochloa goaensis, Glyphochloa ratnagirica and Glyphochloa santapaui are found here exclusively.
  • Basaltic plateaus
• The study estimates global population of such plant varieties in a range between 300 and 1,500.
• A total of 9 generic records to global list are from India which are –
  • Pyrrosia, Aleuritopteris, Corallodiscus, Arundinella, Bhidea, Bothriochloa, Danthonidium, Dimeria and Glyphochloa

Significance of Discovery

• These plants can help in improving climate resilience of other crops.
• The agriculture can be taken up and promoted in areas where water is scarce.
• Increasing temperatures, due to global warming impacting crop produce. Such discoveries may help in creating crop varieties which can survive at high temperatures.
• In general this will ensure the food security across world.
• It highlights the significance of Western Ghats for Biodiversity conservation.

Biodiversity Hotspots

• Biodiversity hotspots are regions that contain a high level of species diversity, many endemic species and a significant number of threatened or endangered species.
• These are heavily threatened by habitat loss and other human activities.
  • Endemic species are those species which are limited/restricted to a particular region and are not found in other parts/areas of the world.
• This concept of hotspots was introduced in the late 1980s.
• A total of 36 regions across the globe are considered as Biodiversity Hotspots, which represent 2.5% of Earth’s land surface.
• These support more than half of the world’s plant species as endemics and more than 40% Mammals /birds/reptiles species as endemics.

Criteria for a Biodiversity Hotspot –

• It must have at least 1,500 vascular plants as endemics — which is to say, it must have a high percentage of plant life found nowhere else on the planet. A hotspot, in other words, is irreplaceable.
• It must have 30% or less of its original natural vegetation. In other words, it must be threatened.

Biodiversity Hotspots in India

• India has 4 Biodiversity Hotspots which are –
  • Himalayas
  • Indo-Burma region
  • Western Ghats
  • Sundaland

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Must Read Article:

Climate-Resilient Agriculture

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/the-need-for-climate-resilient-agriculture

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/climate-resilient-agriculture

Western Ghats

https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/kasturirangan-committee-on-western-ghats

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/over-60-species-of-plants-that-can-survive-extreme-dehydration-found-in-western-ghats-90725