DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY
Extension Activity 2020 – 2021
As per the ardent demand of the current scenario and keeping importance of youth’s role for sustainable environment, the department of Botany has ignited and raised the level of environment consciousness among students and made them responsible towards the conservation of Sasthamcotta lake. Department of Botany plays an active role in not only promoting environmental consciousness among the Stakeholders community of the college but also in promoting environmental conservation among society.
Department of Botany has organized a study of Invasive alien species of Sasthamcotta Lake, under the supervision of Ms Dhanya S.R, Asst. Professor in Botany. Dr. Geethakrishnan Nair.P ,H.O.D, Dept. of Botany and Ms Lekshmy Sreekumar, Asst.Professor in Botany also extend great support to this venture. A total number of 15 students of B.Sc Final year students participated and got field experience and gained the knowledge of the impact of invasive alien species in the different areas of Sasthamcotta lakeside. The study was conducted from 7/1/21 to 20/3/21. Invasive Alien species are major threat to biodiversity after habit destruction and are a major cost to the economic wellbeing of the ecosystem. They cause enormous and often irreversible harm to biodiversity around the ecosystem by displacing native and useful species and changing ecosystems. They are responsible for the extinction or decline of many species. Local field trips were conducted about the invasive species in Sasthamcotta lakeside and the information were taken into consideration for the study.
A total of 24 species of invasive aliens of the terrestrial vegetation of Sasthamcotta lakeside have been documented. Our field observation and discussion with local people indicate that there are 6 most noxious invasive plant species in this region. Some species such as Merrimia vitifolia, Mikania micrantha and Chromolaena odorata are harmful to native species. Merrimia vitifolia alters the natural growth of native plants because it not only obstructs plenty of sunlight to reach surface layer but also its allelopathic exudates cause retardation in seedling growth of native plants and destruct the natural riparian vegetation of Sasthamcotta lake.
FIELD STUDY
YouTube link : https://youtu.be/x0jPf-GWLEo