"Climate change disrupts forest phenology across Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve ecosystems"
Forest Phenology
the study of seasonal biological events in forests, such as leaf flush, flowering, and fruiting, and how they respond to climate.
Start of Season (SOS)
the point in the year when vegetation begins active greening, used as a phenological indicator in remote sensing studies.
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) is India's first biosphere reserve, established in 1986. It spans parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, covering approximately 5,520 sq km. It sits within the Western Ghats, one of the world's eight biodiversity hotspots and a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised in 2012. The Western Ghats stretches roughly 1,600 km along India's western coast across six states and is the source of major peninsular rivers including the Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, and Periyar.
The ecological sensitivity of the region prompted two landmark expert assessments. The Madhav Gadgil Committee Report (2011) recommended classifying approximately 64% of the Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), using a three-tier grading system. The Kasturirangan Committee Report (2013) took a more development-permissive approach, recommending ESA status for only about 37% of the region. This tension between conservation and development continues to define policy in the Ghats. Climate change now adds a third, less visible pressure: the disruption of the biological rhythms that hold these ecosystems together.
Forest phenology, the study of seasonal biological events such as leaf flush, flowering, and fruiting, is a key indicator of ecosystem health. When climate variables like temperature and rainfall shift, phenological cycles shift with them. This has cascading effects on pollinators, seed dispersers, herbivores, and the entire food web. Satellite-based remote sensing has made it possible to track these changes at landscape scale over long periods, providing a scientific basis for conservation planning.
The study published in Remote Sensing (2024) used satellite imagery to examine four forest types within the NBR over two decades (2000–2020): moist deciduous, dry deciduous, semi-evergreen, and wet evergreen forests. Researchers tracked three phenological metrics: Start of Season (SOS), End of Season (EOS), and Length of Season (LOS), together capturing when vegetation greens up, when it stops, and for how long.
The study recorded a temperature increase of 0.01°C per year across the NBR between 1950 and 2018, and a rainfall decrease of 3.97 mm per year over the same period. These are not dramatic single-year events; they are slow, compounding shifts. The study found that phenological responses were not uniform. In Phase I (2001–2010), the SOS was delayed across all four forest types, shortening the growing season for most. In Phase II (2011–2020), the pattern reversed: SOS advanced across all four types, lengthening seasons. This phase-shift is itself significant. It shows that climate change does not produce a single, predictable directional trend; it produces instability and unpredictability. …
From the ecological point of view, which one of the following assumes importance in being a good link between the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats?
Which of the following are in Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve?
With reference to the 'New York Declaration on Forests', which of the following statements are correct?
1.It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014.
2.It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of forests.
3.It is a legally binding international declaration.
4.It is endorsed by governments, big companies and indigenous communities.
5.India, at its inception, was one of the signatories.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Achieving sustainable growth with emphasis on environmental protection could come into conflict with poor people's needs in a country like India. Comment. (Answer in 250 words)
With reference to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), consider the following statements:
1.It was India's first biosphere reserve, established in 1986.
2.It spans the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.
3.A study covering 2000–2020 found that the Start of Season consistently advanced (became earlier) across all four forest types throughout the study period.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following best describes the ecological significance of 'Shola forests' in the Western Ghats?
With reference to the Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) recommendations, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1.The Madhav Gadgil Committee (2011) recommended classifying approximately 64% of the Western Ghats as ESA.
2.The Kasturirangan Committee (2013) recommended ESA status for approximately 37% of the Western Ghats.
3.Both committees recommended the same three-tier ESZ grading system.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The concept of 'photoperiod' in the context of forest phenology refers to:
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