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.