| Lantana known as phool lakhari in local parlance is a shrub found in abundance in Himanchal Pradesh. Which of the following statements are correct about it? |
| 1. It is a toxic weed and has affected the mountain diversity of southern states of India. |
| 2. It acts as fodder to the herbivores. |
| 3. It is endemic in India. |
| Select the correct answer using the codes given below. |
A) 1, 2 and 3
B) 2 and 4
C) 1 and 2
D) All of these
Correct Answer: C
Solution :
[c] The foliage and ripe berries of the lantana plant contain toxic substances, which affect cattle, sheep, horses, dogs, guinea pigs, and rabbits. This invasive species is causing damage to the biodiversity across the tropical and sub- tropical regions of our country and other parts of the world, it's not endemic to India and found Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific regions. Lantana spreads very fast and does not allow anything else, including grass or other plant or shrub, grow in the area leading to the migration or decline in the number of herbivores. This can lead to starvation of tigers, leopards and other carnivores at the top of the food chain. The tiger population in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu is facing threat because of the rapid growth of the lantana plant has brought to the fore the havoc. In fact, India is one of the countries from where incidence of lantana poisoning has been reported regularly, both sporadic cases round the year to heavy outbreaks during drought or floods when the fodder becomes scarce. For Himachal Pradesh, where over 177,000 hectares of forest and other land have been encroached by lantana.
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