Fatal coincidence

Forest fire season in Uttarakhand coincides with flowering and breeding months of several vulnerable species, many of them native to Himalayas

- SUNIL PRASAD

FOREST FIRES are becoming more frequent and fierce in Uttarakhand. Such regular burnings can be catastrophic for the state as well as the rich biodiversity it harbours. Uttarakhand is home to at least 102 species of mammals, 70 reptiles, 19 amphibians, and 124 species of fish. The state also boasts of 600 species of birds. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies 55 of the bird species as "threatened", of which six are critically endangered and four are endangered. Several mammalian fauna found in the state are also classified as endangered. The list includes the Asian elephant, tiger, Alpine musk deer, Himalayan musk deer, leopard, snow leopard, blue sheep, Himalayan Thar, leopard cat, Himalayan black bear, sloth bear and pangolin. With 7,000 species of plants, Uttarakhand contributes 31 per cent of the country's floral diversity. As many as 119 flowering plants are endemic to the state. The impact of recurrent forest fires in Uttarakhand is therefore not limited to the direct loss of trees and wildlife, their displacement and subsequent colonisation of unwanted species.

Forest fires can meddle with the life cycle of species and push many of the threatened and endemic species closer to extinction.

For instance, by destroying the leaves and foliage, a forest fire can significantly reduce the photosynthetic activity of surviving trees and thereby affect their growth. It can also damage the seed bank, both above and below the ground, and wipe out the seedlings and saplings growing on the forest floor. Species that are sparsely distributed and have small or patchy populations suffer the worst impacts as they lose their habitat, territories, shelter and food. The loss of keystone organisms in forest ecosystems, such as invertebrates, pollinators, and decomposers, can significantly slow the recovery rate of the forest.