Kohima, Aug 9: Although Nagaland has a geographical area of only 16, 579 sq km, it harbours very rich and unique biodiversity with the state being a part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
The alpine vegetation of the Sikkim Himalaya has received limited attention despite being a part of the Eastern Himalaya global
biodiversity hotspot. The current study undertaken in the third highest landscape in the world—the Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP)—provides information on the different alpine vegetation communities and aspects of their ecology. The transverse spurs from the unique north–south Khangchendzonga range result in a landscape level differentiation of the Outer, Inner, and Tibetan Himalaya in just 50 km.
The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel will soon hold a regional consultation meeting, likely in Thrissur, for identifying areas to be declared ecologically sensitive zones in the Kerala part of the biodiversity hotspot.
The meeting will be followed by visits to the identified areas, V.S. Vijayan, member of the panel, says.
Arunachal Pradesh, being a largest state of Northeast India, harbours great number of plant species which are endemic to region. The diversity and endemism of state has kept it in the category of biodiversity hot-spot. Though, in recent past, numbers of plant species are being listed as rare, endangered and threatened because of increasing threats from anthropogenic and other natural factors.
Sacred groves are (small or large) patches of vegetation of varying sizes, conserved on the basis of the religious beliefs of the community. In India 13,720 sacred groves have been identified from 19 states and named differently in various parts of India as Law lyngdhoh in Meghalaya, Kovil Kadu in Kanyakumari, Dev Bhumi in Uttarakhand, etc.
