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Heatwaves and its effects on India   Prelims: Climate Change, Air mass. Mains (GS3): Conservation, environmental Pollution, Climate Change WHAT IS A HEATWAVE? A heatwave is a period of unusually hot weather with above-normal temperatures that typically lasts for 3 or more days. A heat wave is a situation of high air temperature that, when experienced by a person, is fatal. The period of heatwave in India is mainly during March to June and in some rare cases even in July. The peak month of the heat wave over India is May. It is the third biggest natural killer in India, with 2,040 people dying of them in 2015. The prescription given by IMD suggests that a heatwave is considered if the maximum temperature at a station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius for plains, at least 37 degrees Celsius for coastal stations, and at least 30 degrees Celsius for hilly areas. Credit : Gyan Shahane CRITERIA: If normal maximum temperature is  ≤40 degrees Celsius, then an inc...

Protecting the Hornbills from the Ills of Climate change   Prelims: CBD, Invasive plants in news Mains (GS3): Climate Change, Invasive plants and Mitigation What are invasive alien species? Invasive alien species (IAS) are non-native organisms that have been introduced to a new habitat, either accidentally or intentionally, and have the ability to spread rapidly and cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. These species can include plants, animals, and microorganisms. Invasive alien species often have a competitive advantage over native species because they lack natural predators or diseases in their new habitat. They can quickly establish themselves and outcompete native species for resources such as food, water, and space. This can lead to the decline or extinction of native species, which can have cascading effects on the ecosystem. An invasive species,  Senna spectabilis , an exotic tree, has taken over between 800 and 1,200 hectares of the buffe...