A recent study highlighted that the Myristica Swamps are on the cusp of extinction.
About Myristica Swamp:
These are freshwater swamps dominated by evergreen trees belonging to the Myristicaceae family.
They are also denoted as living fossils due to the primitive nature of Myristica plants.
Freshwater swamp forests occupy no more than 2.1 per cent of the Earth’s surface.
The genetic variety of Myristica swamps dates back an astonishing 500 million years.
These forests are characterized by trees with large protruding roots jutting out of waterlogged soil, which remains inundated throughout the year.
Geographical distribution: In India, these unique habitats occur in the Western Ghats, and a smaller distribution exists in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and
Climatic Conditions: These freshwater swamps in the tropics grow on fertile alluvial, waterlogged soils in the plains.
Ecological Role:
They are ecologically crucial in regulating floods, recharging groundwater, offering a perennial flow of freshwater.
These forests have higher ability to sequester carbon than non-swampy forests.
These swamps are home to many vertebrate and invertebrate faunal species.
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