Besides the classical dance forms and handloom weaving, the state of Manipur is known for its lush green hills. In addition, it is also home to one of the most incredible natural wonders in the globe, The Phumdis of Loktak Lake, which is nothing short of a sensational floating ecosystem and is drawing the attention of scientists, ecologists and travelers.
Phumdis are more than mere floating patches of vegetation. In fact, they are complex heterogenous ecosystems comprising patches of soil, plant debris, and living organisms which float on Loktak Lake. There are those that are small and can support only grass, but also those that are large and thick to support small settlements, with cattle grazing, and even huts.
Coexisting with phumdis is part of life for local Meiteis. They have inhabited and used phumdis for fishing and farming for the past hundreds of years. The scientific community is paying more attention to phumdis as they are unique ecosystems.
Phumdis are a natural filter as they retain the arms and toxins that are put into the lake, which contributes to its health. These areas serve as a habitat for migratory birds, aquatic flora, and the endangered Sangai deer.
As the thickness and structure of phumdis change with the seasons, they provide valuable information about the climate, its hydrology, and the interactions of soil and water systems.
Besides phumdis paddy fields, the ecosystem of Loktak lake is facing critically exogenous and anthropogenic pressures.
- The Loktak lake is shrinking due to the construction of dams and siltation.
- Deforestation is balanced out with human activity settlements that disrupt the region’s equilibrium.
- The resource floating biomass is depleting due to the ever-thinning layers over the years.
Phumdis, which currently face an ecological and anthropological predicament, could catalyze ecological sustainability and anthropogenic resilience worldwide as floating agriculture and water ecosystems management models. The phumdis are an innovation that, coupled with climate change, can be a vast attribute and, thus, could prove to be immense for the country’s innovation.