Concerns about deforestation, desertification and fuel wood shortages prompted a wave of introduction of the species- Prosopis juliflora to various arid and semi-arid regions of the world including India in 1870s which was extraordinarily beneficial to its native habitat. It is one of the few tree species across the world which has survived wide variety of soils and varied climatic conditions. It has drawn concern in some regions of India like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana since its introduction as its encroachment on grasslands, rangelands, inhabiting most dry lands brought about significant changes in dry land ecosystems, such as soil conservation, livestock forage provision, water resources and the support of biodiversity. Given the above negative impacts, local people qualify Prosopis juliflora as an invasive species that calls for its eradication. However, already realized, the potential of certain socio-economic and ecosystem services and benefits of the species needs to be assessed against its negative effects, and this on a regional, local, and the community scale. In general, there is inconclusive discussion about its management. This calls for a comprehensive assessment of its socio-economic and ecological impacts in the region of its invasion and strategic procedure needs to be developed accordingly to manage P. juliflora in an economically and ecologically viable manner. The research focuses on assessment of impacts of P. Juliflora in arid and semi-arid regions of Gujarat

Education:
M.Tech in Environmental Studies - NIT Surat

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C, Design Expert, Venism

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ResearchGate