EnvironmentThursday, 10 September 2026·The Hindu - Science
Bamboo mass flowering can trigger invasive weeds, fires, rodent outbreaks and elephant conflict
A KFRI study warned that bamboo flowering and die-off can cause ecological shocks in forests, especially in the Western Ghats.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In September 2026, a study by Dr. T.V. Sajeev of the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), Peechi, Thrissur, warned in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution that synchronous bamboo flowering and die-off can trigger ecological crises across forest landscapes.
Key specifics
- Bamboo flowering can occur at intervals ranging from 40 to more than 120 years.
- Dense bamboo stands normally allow only 2% to 5% of photosynthetically active radiation to reach the understory.
- The study named invasive species such as Senna spectabilis, Mikania micrantha and Lantana camara as likely to spread after bamboo die-off.
- It linked bamboo seed bonanzas to rodent outbreaks involving Rattus and Melomys species, with risks of crop loss and zoonotic infections.
- The study cited Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and warned of increased human-elephant conflict in fragmented landscapes like the Western Ghats.
Exam lens
TNPSC environment question type: species and concept-based MCQ; remember KFRI, Dr. T.V. Sajeev, 40 to 120+ years flowering cycle, 2% to 5% light penetration, and the Western Ghats link.