Bengaluru: At first glance, Dr M. Sanjappa knew that there was something different about the plant in front of him.Earlier in the day, Dr N. Dhatchanamoorthy from the Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) chanced upon a leguminous plant species while surveying the scrub forest areas near Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru. He decided to consult Sanjappa, Indian National Science Academy Honorary Scientist, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK (Gandhi Krishi Vigyana Kendra), who has a keen interest in leguminous plants and has been studying them for decades.The scientists knew that the specimen represented the Teramnus genus but were debating which of the eight known species under this group it belonged to.“A characteristic of this genus is that the fruit has a hook-like structure, and when I saw that, I knew that we needed to collect more specimens to look into the details of the flowers, fruits and seeds, which will aid in confirming its identity,” Sanjappa says.Along with Dr A.N. Sringeswara, curator, Mahatma Gandhi Botanical Garden, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, the researchers returned to where the specimen was collected the previous day. To their dismay, they found the patch of land, close to a residential community, completely cleared out. On inspecting the surrounding area, they encountered the plant in plenty and managed to collect samples for their identification.Comparing every part of the plant to existing records, the team realised they were in the presence of one that had never been described before — a new leguminous species which they named Teramnus kameswararaoi after C. Kameswara Rao, former chairman of the botany department at Bangalore University.Teramnus kameswararaoi’s existence is restricted to the Hesaraghatta village in Bengaluru, making it an endemic species, one that has a limited geographic range. In the article outlining this discovery, the researchers name urbanisation as a ‘looming large’ threat to the species owing to the plant’s presence close to residential and industrial areas. Immediately after its discovery, T. kameswararaoi’s fate hangs in the balance, much like the teeming biodiversity of developing India.Endemic species are everywhereThe term endemic often conjures up images of a plant or animal shrouded in the mystery of the Western Ghats or high up amidst the Himalayan abodes. But just like Teramnus kameswararaoi, endemic flora and fauna are present all around us.In 2023, researchers discovered a new gecko species in the Vairengte town of Mizoram. Named Cyrtodactylus vairengtensis after the place of discovery, the gecko was found to be endemic to the state. Similarly, while studying the floral diversity along the banks of the Mutha River that runs through the city of Pune, researchers found the region playing host to eight previously described endemic plants. In fact, in 2022, Sanjappa also co-authored another study where they discovered a tree species endemic to Karnataka. They first spotted the tree in a sacred grove opposite a bus station in Agumbe village, Shivamogga district.Cynometra sampathkumaraniana, endemic tree from Karnataka. Photo courtesy: A.N. SringeswaraWhile these discoveries make us look at the verdure around us with a renewed fascination, they add another layer of discussion to conserving biodiversity in and around human-dominated spaces. Considering the fact that the need for such spaces is increasing exponentially, it does become imperative to understand the role of endemism in a rapidly changing landscape.The United Nations Habitat’s World Cities Report 2022 — Envisaging the Future of Cities states that India’s urban population will reach about 675 million by 2035. How can we account for expansion that is mindful of a region’s biodiversity so plants like T. kameswararaoi are not wiped out even before we learn of their existence?Understanding endemism and its impacts on conservationIn 2022, a group of researchers from India tested the claim that savannah landscapes in the country lack the presence of endemic plants, thereby making these ecosystems a lower priority from a conservation standpoint. Combing through decades of national, regional and local taxonomic descriptions, the team documented the presence of 206 endemic flora in these grassy biomes, of which 43% were described only in the last two decades.Lead author Dr Ashish Nerlekar of Michigan State University explains that while there is a greater appreciation for endemics in forested ecosystems compared to others, endemism is not the only benchmark to value a place.“We have to keep in mind that people change environments and environments change people. This dynamic view of nature across time needs to be accepted,” says Nerlekar.“If you look at old pictures of cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, and parts of Tamil Nadu, you will see that even a couple of centuries ago, these were savannah landscapes. People added a lot of the green cover because of its tangible benefits,” he adds.Highlighting how this evolution is ongoing, Nerlekar states that a unidimensional approach to conservation based on the presence of endemics is a flawed one.“This is the approach we took about 50 years ago when resources and ecosystem knowledge were limited. But now we know that ecosystems can be of value for various reasons — being an important landscape for the pastoralist communities, for migrant birds, providing carbon storage or simply because it is a region where we find several common, old trees. Endemism can be clubbed with these factors to provide a fitting canvas for conservation,” he adds.Protecting urban biodiversityReferring to recent endemic discoveries across cities in India, Nerlekar adds that these are just the tip of the iceberg. “From reptiles to insects and more plants, several species remain to be discovered. Our study shows that it’s only been 20 years since most of the endemic plants have been described, which means we can expect to add 100-200 new ones in the coming decades,” he says.While it is exciting to await these discoveries, it looks like we have placed ourselves in a catch-22 situation with several species going extinct even before their names are registered in our records.In 2019, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) published a Global Assessment Report that underscored the unprecedented decline in biodiversity, ‘faster than at any time in human history’.According to the report, within decades, many of the 1 million species that face extinction will disappear from the planet. The report also highlights that human-led activities are significantly impacting local biodiversity, leading to a loss of endemic species.“We don’t even know what we are losing to begin with,” says Seema Mundoli, faculty at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, pointing at the lack of baseline data for urban ecology.Savannas in western Maharashtra. Photo: Ashish NerlekarThe author of Cities and Canopies: Trees in Indian Cities and Shades Of Blue: Connecting the Drops in India’s Cities, Mundoli is deeply interested in understanding the socio-ecological impacts of urban commons (collectively managed public spaces and resources) and the ramifications of development on urban green areas.“Let’s face the fact that urbanisation is inevitable. The bigger question is how do we choose places that are no-go areas? Do we always wait to discover an endemic species to say that this area is off-limits for development? That wouldn’t be feasible,” she says.Adding to Nerlekar’s argument that endemism cannot be the only consideration, Mundoli shares that a more pragmatic approach to protecting natural environments in developing cities is to secure biodiversity-rich green areas with multiple uses for people to engage with these spaces.For example, in 2022, Mundoli and other faculty members at Azim Premji University published a book called Chasing Soppu, highlighting the importance of urban foraging, where people gather edible plants from public and private green spaces in cities.Both Nerlekar and Mundoli add that emphasising the presence of endemic species is a great way to introduce people to a landscape and encourage dialogues about its conservation. Still, the overall goal must be to protect the biodiversity of a given place as a whole.“Urbanisation presents a tricky situation and has complicated impacts on its surrounding nature. In some cases, the presence of endemics depends on human interactions,” explains Nerlekar.In one study on the conservation of Indian Peninsular Wolves (Canis lupus pallipes), which are endemic to the subcontinent, the researchers found that while the wolves avoided areas with high human densities, they did frequent places where livestock husbandry was practiced.Nerlerkar explains that understanding these dynamics will aid in devising better conservation measures.But as urbanisation moves towards the peri-urban areas and smaller towns, starting these conversations early on will be crucial in mindful development, says Mundoli.“Our biggest challenge now is talking to people who make decisions on urban planning. Also, how do we reconnect children and adults with the natural world and protect the existing green spaces in our cities?” she questions. Looks like one way to set context is to share details about plants or animals found only in that state or region and nowhere else.Meanwhile Sanjappa and his team continue to unearth new species, a task that is easier said than done. With the aforementioned tree they discovered in Agumbe, the team had to wait for four years to collect its fruits, making it possible to distinguish it from other known candidates.“There are several examples of endemic species in cities, but we need sufficient funds and resources for extensive surveys and to understand their range. Additionally, there is a dearth of taxonomists who can identify such flora and fauna, which is why capacity building is vital for future discoveries,” says Sanjappa.Amidst frogs that don’t cross state lines and trees that overlook the frenzy of human commute, endemic species bring greater reverence for the biodiversity that envelops us.Sharmila Vaidyanathan writes about food, agriculture and environmental conservation.