Climate change and human intervention threaten the Myristica swamps of Kerala
- Naturalists opinioned that Climate change and human intervention threaten the Myristica swamps of Kerala
Myristica swamps
- These are freshwater swamps predominated by members of the Myristicaceae family.
- These forests are characterized by trees with large protruding roots jutting out of waterlogged soil which remains inundated throughout the year.
- They have evolved over millions of years and are comprised of old-growth trees.
Geographical distribution
- In India, these unique habitats occur in the Western Ghats and a smaller distribution exists in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Climatic conditions
- The formation of these swamps is dependent on abiotic conditions like the shape of the valley between the forested hills, the amount of rainfall a place receives (with an average of 3000 mm), and water availability throughout the year.
- Typically, Myristica swamps are seen next to rivers and help in retaining water and act as a sponge, ensuring perennial water availability.
- These swamps are home to many vertebrate and invertebrate faunal species.
- This is due to stable macroecological conditions like high humidity, moderate temperature, and macrohabitat availability.