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Ecology and Impacts of the Invasive Species, Lantana camara, in a Social-Ecological System in South India: Perspectives from Local Knowledge

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Abstract

We explored how the forest-dwelling Soliga community of South India views and explains biological invasions, and how local knowledge can inform scientific knowledge on biological invasions. We used an interview schedule with open-ended questions to solicit Soliga opinion on Lantana camara (lantana) invasion. The Soliga cited three reasons for lantana spread: its prolific fruit output and wide seed dispersal, change in fire management, and historical extraction of grass and bamboo. The Soliga believe that lantana invasion has had negative effects on the ecosystem and their livelihoods. Tabling scientific knowledge with local knowledge has improved our understanding of lantana invasion. The role of existing lantana in colonizing neighboring areas, and the response of native tree communities to lantana were common to both local and scientific sources. However, the Soliga view provides a more nuanced perspective of the lantana-fire relationship (contextually based on lantana density) with fires suppressing lantana when lantana density was low. This is contrary to views held by foresters and biologists, that fires are uniformly detrimental and promote lantana. Our study shows that examining Soliga observations has improved understanding of the invasion process and presents avenues for future lantana management.

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Acknowledgments

Comments from Nitin Rai and three anonymous reviewers greatly improved the quality of this manuscript. H.M. Krishnan assisted with Soliga interviews. We thank ATREE field station personnel in BRT for their support. This work was supported by the International Foundation for Science, Sweden, the Department of Science and Technology, India, and a collaborative project between ATREE and the Department of International Environment and Development Studies (NORAGRIC) of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

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  1. Bharath Sundaram

    Present address: Azim Premji University, 5th Floor, Pixel Block ‘A’, PES College Campus, Hosur Road, Bangalore, 560100, India

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  1. Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Sriramapura, Jakkur Post, Bangalore, 560064, India

    Bharath Sundaram, Siddhartha Krishnan & Gladwin Joseph

  2. Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), 2nd Floor, 1, K Block Commercial Complex, Birbal Road, Jungpura Extension, New Delhi, 110014, India

    Ankila J. Hiremath

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Appendix 1

Appendix 1

Broad conversation topics about lantana invasions in BRT that were used in the interview schedule. Topics were not necessarily broached with respondents in the order in which they are listed here.

1. Where did lantana originate?

2. When did lantana begin to spread rapidly?

3. Why is lantana such a successful plant?

4. What is the relationship between forest fires and lantana invasion?

5. Does lantana affect native plants?

6. Does lantana affect wild animals?

7. How has the forest changed after lantana invasion?

8. Does lantana affect your livelihood?

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Sundaram, B., Krishnan, S., Hiremath, A.J. et al. Ecology and Impacts of the Invasive Species, Lantana camara, in a Social-Ecological System in South India: Perspectives from Local Knowledge. Hum Ecol 40, 931–942 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-012-9532-1

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