Of late, we have all seen the devastation a single shower can cause in cities. The rural part of the country is also not far behind. In a short period of time after famine followed by landslides, and floods, the overall climate pattern seems to be largely disturbed. For example, Agumbe in Shivamogga district of Karnataka received the highest rainfall in the state for as long as it has been documented. But this Taj is now near other places – because it is changing again and again. The latest figures point to Purdalu village in Udupi district, which has received the highest rainfall in a 24-hour period (215.5 mm between May 19-20).
Why has the rain changed its pattern? Global warming, deforestation, over-farming and ecological imbalance are the big pictures the world is aware of. But to be precise on the logic, it is the change in the pattern of trees that is misguiding the rains, noted scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.
Prof TV Ramachandra and his team have studied the Western Ghats of the country which are spread over Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra and found enough data to support the conclusion. He has published papers on these facts. Here are excerpts from his words and published figures:
What do you understand by change in the pattern of trees?
The Western Ghats, for example here, are full of native evergreen trees. With the increasing area of cultivation, the green cover although looks protected, is not the same. The evergreen trees have now been replaced by silver, acacia, rubber and coconut trees in a vast area. Soil quality and biodiversity have gone for a toss because of this.
Just imagine there is a row of acacia trees which have fewer leaves than the native jackfruit tree.
Everything from the strength of the soil to the size of the canopy, from sunlight to pollination, is affected. And these are huge numbers which are giving shock to the whole system.
How much of the original forest are we losing?
Now we have only 10 percent forest area. With the rate of loss of green cover becoming so fast and fast, it will surely be 5 percent in the next 10 years. All these numbers are far below the national average, which says 18 percent as healthy forest coverage for the population to thrive.
What is the direct effect of change in tree pattern?
Landslide. The same is happening in Kodagu in Karnataka and in many places in Kerala and Maharashtra. It’s the same everywhere. When you plant a native tree, you should replace it with a native plantation. Instead, when you bring in a foreign plant (not of that region) it will not serve the real purpose. The whole ecological composition of the new plants will be different. They will basically be invaders. There is already a difference in temperature (0 to 5 degrees) that we can see now. Soil seepage has also come down by 40-50 per cent.
What are the other major factors troubling?
pollinator. When there is forest, pollinators will be abundant. They will strive for greater variety. Therefore, if there is a field near the forest, the yield will certainly be higher than that of the distant ones. A farmer whose farm is close to the forest earns about Rs 1.54 lakh annually. Whereas the farmer whose land is away from the bio-diversified forest can earn up to Rs 32,000 annually. This is an average number and varies from crop to crop. But the difference is almost the same. For example, taking paddy, the fields close to the forest yield 12 to 14 quintals of grain per acre, while the faraway fields yield only 6 to 8 quintals.
How are tree patterns affecting water?
Both surface and ground water are affected. The overall water retention is disturbed. Streams inside forests where native trees dominate, flow throughout the year. But if you look at a turbulent forest pattern, the currents there flow only four months a year – only around rain. The land becomes barren when the water supply is interrupted. This directly affects the fertility of the soil which in turn pushes the boundaries of the barren land further.
All these factors and much more have affected the rainfall pattern in a very harmful way. It doesn’t rain when one wants to sow but it does rain during the harvest season, which is a disaster on both occasions. Those who consume green are directly bearing the brunt of the greed. There is a responsibility not only to increase the number of trees, but also to preserve the native land of the forest.
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