Tropical forests are the breathing lungs of the world that work as a collective to stabilise climate by absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide. Covering over 12% of Earth’s total land surface. It functions as a harbour for evolution and supplying prerequisite rainfall for healthy vegetation. Recent global climate changes have catalysed drastic effects on the tropical forests and the healthy functioning of the same. A critical understanding of the present state of forest ecosystems is crucial for undertaking necessary measures to prevent further degradation.
Recently, the project entitled Assessment and modelling of carbon and nitrogen dynamics in tropical forests of Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh in response to climate change, has been sanctioned to Dr Javid Ahmad D, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Science by DST – SERB (Science and Engineering Research Board), Govt of India, with a total outlay of Rs. 28.54 lakhs. Dr Javid Ahmad D is the principal investigator of the project.
A complete dataset on long-term dynamics in vegetation, the C and N generated for different tropical forest types in the Eastern Ghats landscape would serve as a baseline data for forest managers and policy-makers. The project aims to gain insight on the response of these tropical forests to changing global climate in relation to multiple factors (elevated CO2, increased temperatures and altered precipitation).