Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC.: an invasive alien in community grazing lands and its control through utilization in the Indian Thar Desert

AbstractProsopis juliflora (Swartz) DC., an invasive alien plant species, is known as a threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services world over. It has heavily invaded community grazing lands (CGLs) in the Indian Thar Desert. The present study reports effects of four canopy sizes, (i.e. small, medium, large and no-canopy/open plot), of P. julflora shrub on native vegetation and soil fertility (0–20 cm depth) in the CGLs distributed in Jodhpur, Pali, and Sirohi districts in the Desert. In addition, economic profitability of P. juliflora based three enterprises, (i.e. charcoal making, pod-flour making, and sheep rearing in the grasslands if developed in the CGLs), was evaluated to find out invasion control measures of the shrub through utilization. Soil organic carbon (SOC), total N, available P and K, and mineral N (NO3−–N, NH4+–N) and soil-moisture contents were higher under the shrub canopy than in open plot; and they were the highest under the large and lowest under the small canopy sizes. But, light i...