Osmania Varsity Greenery Protective Cover for Birds

Hyderabad: Tree cover, plant diversity and semi-natural patches inside Osmania University continue to function as critical habitats for urban biodiversity, including birds, even as the surrounding area undergoes rapid construction and land-use change, a new scientific study has found.

The finding emerges from ‘Flora of Osmania University’, a comprehensive botanical account that maps the campus vegetation structure and explains why such green systems remain ecologically important in expanding cities like Hyderabad.

The diversity and layering of plant life directly sustains bird activity by providing food sources, nesting spaces and seasonal shelter, says the study.

The book documents 839 plant species belonging to 130 families across the campus, based on intensive field surveys conducted between 2022 and 2025. Of these, 520 species are native, and 319 are introduced.

The survey spans gardens, academic zones, open grounds and semi‑natural habitats, illustrating how diverse vegetation types together form interconnected ecological niches.

A. Vijaya Bhasker Reddy, one of the principal authors, said the continued presence of birds on campus was closely linked to this plant diversity — especially native trees and understorey vegetation that support insects and fruiting cycles. He warned that disturbances to small, sensitive microhabitats could break these ecological connections even if the overall green cover appears unchanged.

OU Vice Chancellor Prof. Kumar Molugaram, who released the book, emphasised the need for scientific documentation before making decisions that affect campus land use. “Understanding what exists on the ground is essential if we want development to coexist with ecology,” he said.

The publication was prepared by the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation studies, OU and authored by A. Vijaya Bhasker Reddy with Paramesh Lingala and P Usha Reddy from the department of Botany as co-authors. C. Srinivasulu, director of the centre, served as editor.

Researchers noted that the book highlighted how older university campuses can function as biodiversity refuges within cities, provided vegetation patterns and microhabitats are protected rather than fragmented. The university said the publication was intended to support research, student learning and more ecologically informed campus planning.