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Abstract
Jatropha is a potential biofuel crop suitable for growth on degraded lands. There is no conflict between food and fuel with the use of this plant. Against this backdrop, the research of our institute has been focused on cultivation on wastelands, where conventional crops cannot thrive. If merely neglected, wastelands are further degraded and eventually become deserts. These barren lands naturally sustain low diversity of flora and fauna and can support only abysmal ecosystem services. Jatropha cultivation has been shown to improve the soil properties of such lands. This article documents different flora and fauna frequently observed in the transformed ecosystem brought about by the resultant land use change. The article also discusses the ecosystem services gained in the process. Thus, economic and climate change benefits result from Jatropha cultivation in wastelands.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Dr Michael Brett-Crowther for proposing the study and to Dr Pushpito K. Ghosh for his meticulous guidance and suggestions. Many thanks also to the following: Dr Bharati Sharma of the Aagharkar Research Institute, Pune, for confirming the identity of lichen taxa; Dr Pradeep Agarwal for helpful discussions; and Mr M Chandramohan for his assistance in preparation of the manuscript. The work was undertaken as part of the projects on J. curcas supported by CSIR’s NMITLI project and the project on Jatropha life cycle assessment funded jointly by General Motors, USA and the US Department of Energy. This manuscript bears CSIR-CSMCRI communication no. 044/2014.