UPSC Prelims 2018 Question:

Why is a plant called Prosopis juliflora often mentioned in the news?

Explanation:

• Prosopis juliflora (P juliflora), an exotic tree, occurs spontaneously in arid-tropical zones with annual rainfall below 100 mm. It is a dominant invasive tree species India.
  
  
• A native of South and Central America, it was introduced in India to meet the fuel wood requirement of the rural poor and to restore degraded lands. It tends to reduce the diversity in the areas in which it grows.
  
  
• A recent study by Madurai Kamaraj University has shown that apart from threatening local plants, with whom it competes for resources, this tree is also affecting the nesting success of birds.
  
  

Therefore, option (2) is the correct answer.

Subject: Environment | Biodiversity and Conservation