Invasion Ecology
Project 1 | The Indian Alien Flora Information Database
Plant invasions pose an unprecedented threat to biodiversity and ecosystems at different spatial scales, especially for a biodiversity-rich developing nation like India. Generation and maintenance of country-level checklists have emerged as crucial tools for the effective management of plant invasions. Though checklists with the names and basic details of alien plant species are available for India, an inclusive and easy-to-access database aggregating the different socio-economic, geographical and ecological features of these species is lacking. By curating taxonomical, socio-economic, geographical, and ecological attributes, we are developing a comprehensive catalogue of the alien flora of India. Once developed the database will offer a ready reference for researchers, citizens, and policymakers to comprehend the existing scenario of alien plant species in the country while simultaneously providing the opportunity to identify, scrutinize and prioritize the management of these species.
Project 2 | Identifying factors that influence naturalization and invasion processes
Why do some alien plants become naturalized, and some naturalized become invasive? Do different factors determine successful naturalization and invasion? Most, if not all, studies addressing these questions have focused either on the part of the invasion continuum or a specific group of alien species. To identify the factors influencing the transition across the invasion continuum we studying biogeography, introduction pathway and several other covariates of alien invasive plants of India. The influence of a variable will be determined using structural equation modelling framework. We hope the finding our study would ultimately be translated to achieve better management of invasive species in the country.
