New plateau type discovered from maharashtra.

January 21, 2023

A rare low-altitude basalt plateau has been discovered in Thane region in Western Ghats (a global biodiversity hotspot and UNESCO World Heritage site in India).
This is the fourth type of plateau to be identified in the region; previous three are laterites at high and low altitudes and basalt at high altitudes.
76 species of plants and shrubs from 24 different families have been found.
Plateaus are dominant landscapes in Western Ghats. They are classified as a type of rocky outcrop.
Rocky outcrops are geological features that protrude above the surface of surrounding land.
They are formed by weathering that happens at different rates, causing the less weathered rock to remain exposed.
They are found on all continents, in most climate zones and vegetation types.
Significance of rocky outcrops
- Support high levels of species diversity and endemism.
- They have seasonal water availability, limited soil and nutrients, making them ideal to study effects of climate change on species survival.
- They provide critical breeding sites for many top order mammalian and avian predators; nesting sites for colonial species such as seabirds, bats and swifts.