Why in news? Kole wetlands of Kerala face threat of alien plants

Highlights:

• Cabomba furcuta, popularly called as Pink Bloom due its massive flowering, has been a new threat in addition to water hyacinth and Salvinia molesta
• Cabomba requires a large quantity of oxygen for its growth and will cause a decline in diversity of native aquatic plants affecting yield of freshwater fishes.

About Cabomba furcuta

• It is an aquatic plant species also known as red cabomba and forked fanwort
• Plant is native to Central and South America also to Cuba and the tip of Florida.
• This is used as an aquarium plant.
• Carbon dioxide addition is usually necessary, mostly because this plant requires high light and regular fertilization for optimal growth.

About Kole wetland

• Location – Between Thrissur and Malappuram districts in Kerala
• Primary inflows – Chalakudy River and Bharathappuzha River
• Nature
  • It is third largest wetland after Chilika Lake in Orissa and Amipur Tank in Gujarat
  • It has been recognised as one of India’s Important Bird Areas by BirdLife International and Ramsar site
  • Wetland comes in Central Asian Flyway of migratory birds.
  • It gives 40 per cent of the Kerala’s rice requirement and acts as a natural drainage system for Ponnani city