Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) are considered to be an important driver of global change in biodiversity, community structure, and ecosystem processes of the invaded ecosystem, fundamental to human well-being (access to secure livelihoods, health, good social relations, security and freedom). There isa lack of studies on IAPS, concerning its economic quantification, livelihood considerations and human health risk assessments. In this article, we review the role of invasive alien plant species in modulating native plant species diversity, environment, ecosystem, climate change, land-use change, socio-economic security and also tried to discuss the role of IAPS on the health of humans and human well-being. We suggest some management practices and use of advance tools such as remote sensing and GIS to assess, map and monitor the vulnerability of IAPS. These advance technologies may also help in the detection of impact of IAPS on ecosystems, and its conservation and restoration.

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Assessing the impact of invasive alien plant species on environment, ecosystem services and human health

The diversity of bioactive phytochemicals in plants of medicinal importance is the most precious gift of nature. The floral and phytochemical diversity of earth has been exploited as a primary source of life-supporting plant-derived bioactive phytochemicals to fight against common ailments and disorders in traditional-, herbal-, and ethnomedicine since the beginning of human civilization. Despite certain challenges associated with plant-derived drugs, modern medicine also is keenly interested in exploring this phytochemical diversity for the discovery of new bioactive molecules or unique templates or scaffolds for the development of novel synthetic or semi-synthetic drugs due to the inability of alternative drug discovery strategies, the huge structural diversity of plant-based therapeutic phytochemicals, their superior quality, higher curative properties with fewer adverse side effects, safety, affordability and acceptance across multiple cultures, and ethnicities in contrast to synthetic chemical drugs. Nations with a wealth of biodiversity have been an eagle’s eye for the global pharmaceutical sector to identify new therapeutic agents or develop new drugs to manage specific chronic diseases throughout the last two centuries. The discovery of new phytochemicals from medicinal plants is a complicated, challenging, and/or time-consuming scientific task, usually involving the selection and collection of biota, extraction of phytochemicals, isolation, and purification of each or targeted compound, structure elucidation and identification of innovative phytochemicals, bioactivity tests (biochemical and pharmacological tests) using various techniques according to the structural variety, and stability. A comprehensive and in-depth systematic phytoanalysis and phytopharmacological investigation of the full spectrum of phytochemical diversity of medicinal plants should be performed to achieve the dreams of plant-derived drug discovery via exploration of recent advances in technologies, instruments, and integration of different disciplines, such as ethnobotany, phytochemistry, analytical chemistry, biotechnology, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and pharmacology. These will help to overcome challenges associated with phytochemical discovery, screening, isolation, separation, purification, detection, identification, and structural characterization in the realm of phytochemicals. Simplification in comprehensive and effective regulatory governing systems of biodiversity-rich countries for the accessibility of plant resources and techniques and conservation of threatened, endangered plants may motivate phytochemical-based drug research programs and many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. 

Medicinal Plants and Bioactive Phytochemical Diversity: A Fountainhead of Potential Drugs Against Human Diseases

Biodiversity conservation and using natural resources in a sustainable manner have always been a part of India’s moral code of conduct. With about 2.4% of the world’s landmass, India boasts a high percentage (7–8%) of world's recorded species. India’s rich biodiversity can be easily assessed from the fact that India ranks ninth in avian, seventh in mammals, and fifth in reptile diversity. For a country as populous as India, conserving biodiversity is crucial not only because of the goods and services obtained (necessities of survival) but also because it provides direct or indirect livelihood opportunities for millions of people and helps increase their socioeconomic status. For this, a series of measures both at international and national/regional levels have been commenced for monitoring biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. Conventions and treaties have been signed at the international level, and national legislative framework and policies have been formulated and executed by the Government of India (GOI), making its stance on biodiversity conservation very clear. However, the end goal cannot be achieved by the efforts of any government alone unless the local communities support the same vision. 

Conservation of National Biodiversity: Efforts of the Indian Government

India is a mega diverse country and is known for its prodigious biodiversity encompassing varied floral and faunal species, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and rich agricultural and genetic diversity. However, factors like hotspots, extinction of species, changes in the climatic conditions, adverse effects of pollution, decline of traditional knowledge and alien invasive species are a threat to India’s Biodiversity. Effective measures have been taken by formulation of legislative and national policies in line with NBSAP (National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan) stated under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The implementation of these measures is supervised from grass root level to national level to combat the biodiversity loss. There are several success stories which highlight the initiatives taken up towards safeguarding and enriching India’s rich biodiversity of which two case studies have been discussed in this chapter.

S. Usha

Papers

Biodiversity and Conservation: India’s Panoramic View