Consider the following statements regarding Conocarpus tree, recently ...
Recently, the Gujarat state government banned Conocarpus tree plantation in forest or non-forest area, underlining its “adverse impacts on environment and human health”.
About Conocarpus tree:
- It is a flowering plant belonging to the family of Combretaceae.
- It is an invasive mangrove species.
- Trees of this species flower in winter and spread pollen in nearby areas.
- It has been used by various public authorities in India as landscaping for road medians, along roads, and in public gardens.
- Countries in the Arabian Peninsula have used the plant to block sand from desert storms and to control pollution.
- This tree is famous for its dark green leaves color throughout the year and withstands harsh environmental conditions such as high and low temperatures.
- It is very adaptive and could grow even in areas with extreme salinity.
- It absorbs more water from soil than other species and is a threat to groundwater.
- This species goes deep into the ground and grows too much to damage the communication cables, drainage lines and drinking water pipelines.
- It is native to parts of North and South America, as well as parts of Africa.
Hence only statement 1 is correct.
Consider the following statements regarding Conocarpus tree, recently ...
Answer:
The correct answer is option 'a) 1 only'. Let's look at each statement one by one to understand why.
Statement 1: It is an invasive mangrove species.
Statement 2: It is native to the Indian subcontinent.
Explanation:
Statement 1: It is an invasive mangrove species.
- The Conocarpus tree is indeed an invasive species, but it is not a mangrove species. It belongs to the Combretaceae family and is commonly known as the Buttonwood or Button Mangrove.
- Unlike true mangrove species, the Conocarpus tree cannot tolerate high levels of salinity, and therefore, it does not grow in intertidal zones or estuaries like mangroves.
- However, it is considered invasive because it can outcompete native species and disrupt the local ecosystem when introduced into non-native habitats.
Statement 2: It is native to the Indian subcontinent.
- This statement is incorrect. The Conocarpus tree is not native to the Indian subcontinent. It is native to coastal areas in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, including the Caribbean, Florida, and parts of South America.
- It has been introduced to various parts of the world, including Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, primarily for its ornamental value and as a coastal windbreak.
Therefore, only statement 1 is correct, and statement 2 is incorrect. The Conocarpus tree is an invasive species, but it is not native to the Indian subcontinent.
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