Massive Bush Fires Causing Fast Degradation In Himalayan Foothills: Z.B. Mirza

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd May, 2022 ) :The massive bush fires wreaking havoc and inflicting serious damage to the ecology in the foothills of Himalayas were causing fast degradation of soil in the biodiversity rich ecosystem.

Senior Islamabad Wildlife Management board (IWMB) member Professor Zahid Baig Mirza also referred as Z.B. Mirza during exclusive chat with APP, said, "Over the last 62 years, I have been studying the open book of 'Nature' and whatever I learnt, I wrote it in my books and have taught to my students".

Mirza said a forest fire was deliberate of accidental, was a separate discussion but the havocs of forest fires were frightening if investigated and understood.

"It is not merely burning grasses, bushes and the branches of trees. Imagine, why branches of trees and shrubs are radiating in all directions from the main trunk? These give shade to the soil on which the plant is growing. The dry leaves and pine needles fall on the soil just around the plant. These save the moisture of the top soil from evaporation in hot and dry season of the year", he said.

He explained that the moisture was needed in the soil for the survival and functioning of the soil microbes, which were active just below the insulating layer of dead leaves and needles.

"These are bacteria and fungi, who not only degrade dead organic matter into nutrients, to make available for the plant but in fact all the majestic trees and shrubs depend on these microscopic fungi for their living".

These, he said were called mycorrhiza, which wrap round the root hair and transfer water and nutrients to the root for the ascent of sap up to the leaves for biomass production.

These absorbed water like sponges and supplied it to the plant, if the soil became relatively dry, he added.

Mirza further explained that the hyphae of these fungi were like very long threads, connected to the roots of the nearby plant community around the tree.

"These supply nutrients even to the weaker plants of the plant community. That is one reason, that in nature a tree grows with its companion plants around it.

A forest fire burns grass and the top insulating layer of leaves and the pine needles. Moisture evaporates fast from the topmost soil below this layer in hot and dry season.

The microbes are killed and the system of interdependence, above the topsoil and within the topsoil gets damaged", he informed.

He mentioned that just below the rotting layer of leaves by the microbes, was a layer of soil macroinvertebrates. "If the forest soil, which is also called humus is raked, one will find a variety of living organisms left in the raker. These are springtails, earthworms, beetles, centipedes, millipedes, scorpions, grubs, white-ants, mole-crickets, mites, spiders and many more species".

Apart from their role of making the soil more fertile, their mere mobility in the soil made the soil soft and porous, he said.

Mirza added that not only the soil got aerated but also it became porous and hence the soil's water absorption capacity increased.

"Below the macro-invertebrates are vertebrates, like toads, lizards snakes, mice and shrews, which hide during the day in their burrows and tunnels. These creatures are prey as well as predators, and their role is creation of balance in the species of within the soil biodiversity".

The rainwater absorbed by the 'Topsoil' replenishes subsoil aquifers. Water from these underground water reservoirs flows with gravity down to the valley, where springs flow throughout the year, he said.

To a query, he said, "When above the soil vegetation is burnt, the precious topsoil is subject to erosion. It is not the silt that is washed down the hill slopes, it is in fact precious soil biodiversity that is washed away".

Responding another query, he said in my observations, all Himalayan foothill ranges were subject to fast degradation including the forest fire hazards, particularly in Chir Pine forests.

"During the dry seasons of the year, the springs still flow from those mountains, where the forest are still intact. Main Himalayan ranges are also being degraded fast due to other reasons. Public must realize Himalayan degradation, including the foothill ranges are our only sources of fresh drinkable water. Let us save them, lest we face thirst and hunger," he urged the masses.

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