UPSC Articles
Areas suitable for grassland restoration and conservation identified in Tropical Montane Grasslands (TMG)
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Environment
In news
- Tropical montane grasslands (TMG) in the Shola Sky Islands of the Western Ghats have suffered big reductions due to invasions by exotic trees.
- However, researchers have now identified areas suitable for grassland restoration and conservation to reverse the decline.
Key takeaways
- TMG are high elevation grasslands forming only 2% of all grasslands in the world.
- Function: Regulating the global carbon cycle and serving as a source of water to downstream communities.
- In India, TMG have been classified as wastelands in forest management plans since they are unlikely to generate revenue, contrary to the timber found in forests.
Do you know?
- In the Western Ghats, 23% of montane grasslands were reportedly converted into invasive exotic tree cover over a period of 44 years.
