📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Shyamal
Science
Keralam researchers catalog 3,261 flowering plant species in Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 22 Sep 2026, 12:01 PM
👁 8
A new checklist compiled by the Keralam research team records 3,261 flowering plant species within the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, highlighting the region's rich biodiversity.
The Keralam research team has released a comprehensive checklist documenting 3,261 flowering plant species in the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO‑designated hotspot spanning parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The inventory, compiled after extensive field surveys, underscores the ecological significance of the Western Ghats' southern stretch.
Researchers say the checklist fills critical gaps in existing flora records and will aid conservation planning, habitat management, and future scientific studies. By establishing a baseline of species presence, the team aims to monitor changes driven by climate variation, land‑use pressure, and invasive species.
The Agasthyamalai Reserve, named after the legendary sage Agastya, is home to several endemic and threatened plant taxa. The new data will be shared with the Forest Department and biodiversity agencies to strengthen protection measures and promote sustainable ecotourism.
The publication, featured in The Hindu, also calls for continued collaboration between academic institutions, local communities, and policymakers to preserve the reserve's botanical wealth for generations to come.
Researchers say the checklist fills critical gaps in existing flora records and will aid conservation planning, habitat management, and future scientific studies. By establishing a baseline of species presence, the team aims to monitor changes driven by climate variation, land‑use pressure, and invasive species.
The Agasthyamalai Reserve, named after the legendary sage Agastya, is home to several endemic and threatened plant taxa. The new data will be shared with the Forest Department and biodiversity agencies to strengthen protection measures and promote sustainable ecotourism.
The publication, featured in The Hindu, also calls for continued collaboration between academic institutions, local communities, and policymakers to preserve the reserve's botanical wealth for generations to come.