Newfound swamp could throw up surprises

Giji K. Raman
IDUKKI,  
The Hindu, April 29, 2015

Patches of Myristica swamps, described as the most endangered forest ecosystem in Kerala, have been identified in the Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary, raising prospects of a rich diversity of plants and unexplored organisms there.

The patches are freshwater swamps with trees of the Myristica family, which are water-tolerant with dense stilt roots helping them stay erect in the inundation-prone wetland. P.A. Jose of the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), who has widely researched plants and organisms in Myristica swamps, says this is for the first time that the patches are being reported in Idukki district. There are five species of the Myristica family in Kerala and the KFRI has submitted a proposal to the Forest Department to protect Myristica swamps and restore the plants in areas where they are threatened.

It is believed that the widely spread Myristica swamps disappeared from the Indian subcontinent long back. Now they are confined to Siwalik, the Doon valley, and the Brahmaputra valley in addition to the Western Ghats.

Kulathupuzha, Anchal, and Shendurney also have patches of the swamp, covering a total area of under 2 sq km in the State.

Myristica swamps are rich in trees, shrubs, fishes, spiders, amphibians, snakes, and butterflies and are confined to the low-lying waterlogged areas undisturbed by humans.

Wildlife warden P.R. Suresh says the identification of the freshwater swamps has significance as its biological evolution has widely been researched by scientists. Human intervention and climatic changes often put the swamps in danger. The sanctuary, with mostly dry grasslands and limited valleys, is now being more closely studied.

A survey of plants and other organisms in the swamps could spring surprises as the Western Ghats still throws up unexplored botanical and biological diversity.

The importance of the Myristica swamps lies in the fact that many animals and plants documented there in the past are on the endangered or endemic list. Mr. Suresh says that an exclusive survey is needed to assess the swamp’s biodiversity in the sanctuary.