Green Till The Eye Can See
<p><em>Azure waters, white sandy beaches and salubrious weather make tropical islands attractive to those lucky enough to visit. But, beyond these attractions, islands are tiny laboratories for nature to ‘experiment’ on various species, resulting in high levels of species endemism, with scientists able to observe evolutionary changes and speciation, as seen in the Darwin’s Finches on the Galápagos Islands.</em></p>
<p>Unlike the coral islands of Lakshadweep, the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago – comprising 836 islands, outcrops and islets – are formed on account of a submerged mountain range that extends from the Mentawai Islands of Indonesia. About 90 per cent of the islands are covered in monsoon forests and tropical rainforests, and form one of the 11 biogeographical regions of India.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;">Photo:Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj.</span></strong></p>
