With great pleasure we would like to share with you that Ministry of Environment Forest and climate change (MOEFCC) has sanctioned an ENVIS (Environmental Information System) Centre to disseminate scientific, technical, and semi-technical information on various issues related to biological invasion (Invasive Alien Species) and conduct related research and extension activities.
Preventing and mitigating biological invasions is crucial to protect biodiversity, as well as food security, human health and the global economy. By recognizing the fact MOEFCC has recognized Centre for Sustainable Future at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as ENVIS Resource Partner on the theme Invasive Alien Species.
ENVIS network has been designed as the National Focal Point (NFP) for INFOTERRA, a global environmental information network of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Some of the objectives of the Envis centre (Invasive Alien Species) are
Impact of Alien Invasive Species on Native Biodiversity
Alien Invasive species have been identified as the second greatest threat to biodiversity after habitat loss. A species is labelled ‘invasive’ when it can grow and reproduce rapidly, and spread aggressively, with the potential to cause harm. Alien invasive species are either accidentally or deliberately introduced into an ecosystem that is remote to them. The species could be any living organism from bacteria and fungi to plants, insects, marine life, amphibians, mammals and so on.