INvenTree Dataset for Indian Forests

Why in News?

Recently, researchers from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) and partner institutions compiled the InvenTree‑meta dataset.

InvenTree

• The largest meta‑dataset of tree inventory studies from India, covering 465 published studies (1991–2023) across 4,650+ hectares of forests.

Key Features

• Scope – Harmonises fragmented datasets into a unified framework.
• Coverage – All major Indian biomes.
• Accessibility – Over 80% of datasets remain non‑public, due to high costs, lack of incentives, and global publishing biases.
• Under‑sampled Regions – Biodiversity-rich landscapes like Northern Western Ghats, Northeastern India, the Western Himalayas, and the Nicobar Islands remain relatively under‑sampled.
• Critical Areas – Regions facing rapid forest loss (North East and Eastern India) lack sufficient ecological data.

Significance

• Carbon Storage – Helps assess forests’ role in climate mitigation.
• Biodiversity – Supports species richness and ecological monitoring.
• Climate Change – Tracks forest responses to warming.
• Conservation – Provides evidence for sustainable forest management.

Reference

The Hindu | InvenTree