Invasive networks: An environmental history of the introduction of Prosopis juliflora to Banni grassland, India

Abstract

The global transport of economically significant plants by colonial forces is deeply rooted in two pivotal phenomena: the Columbian Exchange and Ecological Imperialism (Crosby, 2004, Crosby, 2003). Beyond bolstering colonial power, these transfers reshaped native ecosystems, making current invasive alien species challenges a legacy of colonial practices. Ecological models, primarily focusing on species’ invasive traits or ecosystem vulnerabilities, provide an incomplete picture of why only some species become pervasive invaders. Others have argued that invasion patterns are influenced more broadly by intricate networks — a meld of cultural, historical, political, and ecological interrelationships (Beinart and Middleton, 2004a, Kull and Rangan, 2008, Robbins, 2004a). This paper delves deeper into these intricate invasive networks and examines Prosopis juliflora, a known invader introduced to India during the colonial era, and its invasion of the Banni grassland, Gujarat. Analysing the invasive network from 1819 to the present, we present our account of Prosopis juliflora’s integration into contemporary Banni’s socioeconomic fabric. Historical and archival research reveals that colonial and post-colonial policies–such as wasteland and pastoralist policies–regional shifts in political economy, local disputes, and environmental ideologies contributed to its proliferation in the Banni grassland. This nuanced understanding sheds light on the multifaceted interrelations and perceptions surrounding its invasive status.