KARACHI: A recently published study has revealed unprecedented growth of exotic species — one of them an invasive shrub that has invaded more than five million hectares in the country — across Karachi, causing destruction of indigenous flora.
It also shows that there is no significant relationship between heatwaves and exotic species, especially the Conocarpus erectus, a mangrove shrub widely planted in the city over a decade ago.
The study — Mapping spatial distribution of invasive alien species through satellite remote sensing in Karachi, Pakistan: an urban ecological perspective — has been published in the International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology.
The study focusing on two exotic species is conducted as a joint venture by Karachi University’s department of geography in collaboration with the Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany.