Studies on Species Distribution Patterns in Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests of Karnataka Using Permanent Preservation Plots (PPPs)

M.L. Karthik and S. Viswanath Improvement and Propagation Division, IWST, Bangalore - 560 003

Introduction

ature distributes its valuable biodiversity unevenly across Earth’s surface. Biodiversity, as measured by the number of and vertebrate Nspecies, is greatest in the Western Ghats and the North-Eastern Region. This is because of the presence of tropical rain forests that are typically the richest habitats for species diversity. Of the two, the Western Ghats which extend upto 1,500 km along the western edge of Indian subcontinent have more endemic species, those that are found nowhere else. It is a region with high endemic flora and fauna since more than 60 per cent of amphibians, 50 per cent of reptiles and 25 per cent of flora of Western Ghats are endemic (WCMC, 1992). The vegetation structure and composition of forests in the Western Permanent preservation Ghats is not adequately known and the effects of human activities, including plots (PPPs) are also an logging and fragmentation have also not been adequately quantified. In addition to the floristic composition, studies on regeneration pattern of individual individual treasure species can be a useful tool in analyzing the existing trend in vegetation succession and in obtaining a foresight into the future vegetation composition. house of information However, the ecological significance of germination has to be clearly and should be preserved understood in any conservation strategy (Viswanath, 1999). Natural regeneration is important in maintaining the numerical stability and stable age structure of diligently along with species in a community. But unfortunately, there are very few studies conducted records to study the on regeneration process in the ecosystem, and much less about its functioning. The regeneration of a species and their survival are determined by ecological succession many factors such as light penetration below canopy, edaphic and other biotic and stand dynamics in factors. Boraiah (2001) reported that mild disturbance accomplished by little light penetration rather than a fully dense or highly disturbed conditions favored the coming years. These natural regeneration. Protection from biotic interferences also has a major role records could also be in natural regeneration. The density of regenerating individuals recorded in sacred groves in Kodagu, Karnataka was comparable to that of adjacent used to monitor impact evergreen forest in Western Ghats. Regeneration status of Ougenia of climate change on dalbergioides (Hareesh, 2000), in the Bhagavathi Range of Uttara Kannada revealed a population structure with less numbers of individuals in lower girth vegetation dynamics class suggesting lower regeneration of the species in that area, which is

78 ENVIS attributed to the different biotic factors. Bhat et al. (2000) II. Malemane reported that in evergreen forest of Western Ghats, the This is a tropical western wet evergreen forest patch on number of species, regeneration and occurrence of other Mavinagundi-Honnavar road about 15 km further from the species varied from plot to plot and over a period of time, Katlekan plot which is situated around N 14º 16' 0.069'; E 74º more number of species disappeared in evergreen forest 41' 507'’; and altitude of 121 m asl (Fig. 2). The plot was compared to moist deciduous forests. established in 1942 and the plot size is 3.20 ha. The area has Biological diversity is of greater importance to an average annual rainfall of 4,800 mm with typical deep, human beings. Its conservation has been practiced in organic matter rich, loamy forest soil. This plot is a typical since time immemorial. Accordingly, an idea of establishing representative of the tropical western wet evergreen forest permanent preservation plot (PPP) for conserving type and located adjacent to the Honnavar road and appeared biological diversity and to monitor on long time basis was to be in a fairly well preserved condition. The over storey proposed in third Silvicultural Conference, 1929 (Verma like Nephelium longana, Olea dioca, Pterospermum, and Totey, 1996). Permanent preservation plots are Garcinia, Myristica, etc. could be identified from past ecological models of the existing forest which are important records available with the silviculturist, Northern Circle, for studying ecological succession, recording diversity in Dharwad. Individual trees could be identified from tree population with time. The broad objectives of long- numbers affixed on tree trunk. term research are to investigate forest composition, structure and dynamics in space and time and to serve as Methods a research base for diverse aspects of tropical ecology. Regeneration was studied within 4 X 4 m sub plots along Repeated surveys of PPPs can provide information that is the line transect at regular interval in both PPPs and AFAs. crucial for conservation and management of tropical A total of 16 m2 constituted the sample size for regeneration forests. assessment in the entire transect. In regeneration plot all plant species below 30 cm gbh were considered as Materials and Methods regenerates and enumerated separately into below mentioned regeneration classes. Study Area The present investigations were carried out in two PPPs Class-I: Individuals below 40 cm height (also called as linear tree increment plots) located in Class-II: Individuals between 40-100 cm height tropical wet evergreen forests of Western Ghats in Class-III: Individuals more than 100 cm height and less Karnataka, viz., Makutta Forest Range of Madikeri than 10 cm gbh. Division (Kodagu); Malemane (Gersoppa Forest Range) Class-IV: Individuals above 10 cm gbh- less than 30 cm gbh of Sirsi Forest Division (Uttara Kannada). These plots were established during 1930s by Britishers. These plots Results were laid mainly with view to assess the growth The total number of species in both the plots is presented characteristics mainly the increment in terms of its girth, in Table 1. Around 158 species were recorded out of which for which observations related to stand increment were 80 species were from Makutta which consisted of 24 measured by Karnataka Forest Department at periodic endangered and 13 RET (rare, endangered and threatened) intervals. species, and in Malemane 91 species were recorded, out of which 23 were in endangered category and nine RET species Description of the Plots (Table 2 and 3). I. Makutta The regeneration pattern in both Makutta and This linear tree increment plot of 3.70 ha is a typical Malemane are shown in Fig.3 and 4 where more number of representative of the tropical western wet evergreen forest regenerates were in Makutta (56 per cent) and comparatively type. Situated at Bannadapare, Makutta region which is less (50 per cent) in Malemane, found in regeneration class I. around N 12° 04’39.2"; E 75° 43’33.6" located at an altitude The regeneration class II contributed about 29 and 23 per of 675 m asl (Fig. 1). The plot is dominated by cent and regeneration class III contributed about 11 and 23 Dipterocarpus indicus, Vateria indica and Kingiodendron per cent, respectively in both Makutta and Malemane, but pinnatum. The average annual rainfall is 5,300 mm with regeneration class IV was absent in Makutta while few sandy loam soil. regenerates (5 per cent) were seen in Malemane.

Forestry Bulletin, 12(2), 2012 79 Table 1. List of species identified in the evergreen forests of Makutta and Malemane S. no. Species with authors Makutta Malemane Family 1. Acrocarpus fraxinifolius (Wight and Arnott) 9 Caesalpiniaceae 2. Actinodaphne hookeri (Meisner) 9 Lauraceae 3. Adenochlaena indica (Bedd) 9 Euphorbiaceae 4. Aglaia roxburghiana (Miq) 9 Meliaceae 5. Alstonia scholaris (R. Brown) 9 Rubiaceae 6. Amoora canarana (Benth) 9 Meliaceae 7. Anacardium occidentale (Linn) 9 Anacardiaceae 8. Antiaris toxicaria (Leschen) 9 9 Moraceae 9. Aporosa lindleyana (Baill) 9 Euphorbiaceae 10. Artocarpus hirsutus (Lamk) 9 Moraceae 11. Atalantia monophylla (Correa) 9 Rutaceae 12. Atalantia racemosa (Wight and Arnott) 9 Rutaceae 13. Baccaurea courtallensis (Muell) 9 Euphorbiaceae 14. Beilschmiedia wightii (Benth) 9 Lauraceae 15. Beilschmiedia bourdilloni (Nees) 9 Lauraceae 16. Blachia denudata (Benth) 9 Euphorbiaceae 17. Bombax ceiba (Linn) 9 Bombacaceae 18. Butea monosperma (Lam) Taubert 9 Fabaceae 19. Callicarpa lanata (Linn) 9 Verbenaceae 20. Calophyllum apetalum (Willd) 9 Clusiaceae 21. Calophyllum elatum (Bedd) 9 9 Clusiaceae 22. Calophyllum inophyllum (Linn) 9 Clusiaceae 23. Canarium strictum (Roxb) 9 Burseraceae 24. Canthium didymum (Roxb) 9 Rubiaceae 25. Canthium parviflorum (Lamk) 9 Rubiaceae 26. Carallia integerrima (Bedd) 9 Rhizophoraceae 27. Caryota urens (Linn) 9 Palmaceae 28. Casearia rubescens (Dalz) 9 Flacourtiaceae 29. Cedrela toona (Roxb) 9 Meliaceae 30. Celtis cinnamomea (Lindl) 9 Ulmaceae 31. Chrysophyllum roxburghii (G. Don) 9 Sapotaceae 32. Cinnamomum macrocarpum (Hook.f.) 9 9 Lauraceae 33. Cinnamomum malabatrum (Burn.f.) Bl. Bijdr 9 Lauraceae 34. Cinnamomum verum (J.S. Presl) 9 Lauraceae 35. Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Breyn) 9 9 Lauraceae 36. Clausena indica (Oliver) 9 Rutaceae 37. Cleidion javanicum (Blume) 9 Euphorbiaceae 38. Croton malabaricus (Bedd) 9 Euphorbiaceae 39. Cryptocarya bourdillonii (Gamble) 9 Lauraceae 40. Cryptocarya wightiana (Thwaites) 9 Lauraceae 41. Dimocarpus longan (Lour) 9 9 Sapindaceae 42. buxifolia (Bedd) 9 43. Diospyros candolliana (Wight) 9 Ebenaceae 44. Diospyros melanoxylon (Roxb) 9 Ebenaceae 45. Diospyros nilagirica (Bedd) 9 Ebenaceae 46. Diospyros oocarpa (Thwaites) 9 9 Ebenaceae 47. Diospyros paniculata (Dalz; Bedd) 9 Ebenaceae 48. Diospyros pruriens (Dalz; Bedd) 9 Ebenaceae 49. Diospyros saldanhae (Koster) 9 Ebenaceae 50. Diospyros ebenum (Koenig; Wight) 9 Ebenaceae 51. Dipterocarpus indicus (Bedd) 9 Dipterocarpaceae 52. Drypetes confertiflora (Hook.f.) 9 Euphorbiaceae 53. Drypetes elata (Bedd) 9 Euphorbiaceae Contd. on next page…

80 ENVIS …Contd. from previous page 54. Dysoxylum malabaricum (Bedd) 9 9 Meliaceae 55. Elaeocarpus serratus (Linn) 9 Tiliaceae 56. Embelia tsjeriam-cottam (Wight) 9 Myrsinaceae 57. Eugenia laeta (Ham) 9 Myrtaceae 58. Eugenia macrosepala (Duthie) 9 Myrtaceae 59. Euodia lunu - akenda (Gaertn) 9 Rutaceae 60. Ficus callosa (Willd) 9 Moraceae 61. Ficus nervosa (Roth) 9 9 Moraceae 62. Garcinia cambogia/ G. gummi-gutta (Linn) 9 9 Clusiaceae 63. Garcinia indica (Choisy; Pierre) 9 Clusiaceae 64. Grewia serrulata (DC. Prodr) 9 Tiliaceae 65. Hemigyrosa canescens (Thwaites) 9 Sapindaceae 66. Holigarna arnottiana (Hook) 9 Anacardiaceae 67. Holigarna grahamii (Hook) 9 Anacardiaceae 68. Hopea parviflora (Bedd) 9 Dipterocarpaceae 69. Hopea wightiana (Wall) 9 Dipterocarpaceae 70. Humboldtia brunonis (Wall) 9 Fabaceae 71. Hydnocarpus alpina (Wight) 9 Flacourtiaceae 72. Hydnocarpus pentandra (Buch.-Ham) 9 Flacourtiaceae 73. Hydnocarpus wightiana (Blume) 9 Flacourtiaceae 74. Ixora brachiata (Roxb) 9 Rubiaceae 75. Ixora parviflora (Vahl; Wight) 9 Rubiaceae 76. Jambosa laeta (Buch.-Ham) 9 Myrtaceae 77. Kingeodendron pinnatum (Roxb. Ex DC.) Harms 9 Fabaceae 78. Knema attenuata (Hook.f. and Thoms) 9 9 Myristicaceae 79. Cassia fistula (Linn) 9 Caesalpiniaceae 80. Lagerstroemia flos-reginae (Roxb) 9 Lythraceae 81. Lagerstroemia microcarpa (Wight) 9 9 Lythraceae 82. Lansium annamallayanum (Bedd) 9 9 Meliaceae 83. Lapisanthus tetraphylla (Vahl) Radlk 9 Sapindaceae 84. Lapisanthus desipensis 9 Sapindaceae 85. Litsaea coriacea (Heyne) 9 Lauraceae 86. Lophopetalum wightianum (Wight) 9 Celastraceae 87. Macaranga indica (Wight) 9 Euphorbiaceae 88. Machilus macrantha/Persea macrantha (Nees) 9 9 Lauraceae 89. Macranga peltata (Roxb) Muell 9 Euphorbiaceae 90. Madhuca culabania 9 Sapotaceae 91. Madhuca malabarica 9 Sapotaceae 92. Mallotus aureo-punctatus 9 Euphorbiaceae 93. Mallotus phillipensis (Lamk) Muell 9 9 Euphorbiaceae 94. Mallotus tetracoccus (Roxb) Kurz 9 Euphorbiaceae 95. Mangifera indica (Linn) 9 9 Anacardiaceae 96. Memecylon edule (Roxb) 9 Melastomataceae 97. Memecylon talbotianum (Brand) 9 Melastomataceae 98. Memecylon umbellatum (Burm) 9 Melastomataceae 99. Mesua nagassarium (Burm. f.) 9 Clusiaceae 100. Mimusops elengi (Roxb) 9 Sapotaceae 101. Morinda citrifolia (Linn) 9 Rubiaceae 112. Murraya paniculata (Linn) Jack. Mal 9 Rutaceae 113. Myristica fatua (Houtt) 9 9 Myristicaceae 114. Myristica fragrans (Houltuyn) 9 Myristicaceae 115. Myristica malabarica (Lamk) 9 Myristicaceae 116. Nephelium stipulaccum (Bedd) 9 Sapindaceae 117. Nothopegia beddomii (Gamble) 9 9 Anacardiaceae Contd. on next page…

Forestry Bulletin, 12(2), 2012 81 …Contd. from previous page 118. Nothopegia dalzellii (Gamble) 9 Anacardiaceae 119. Nothopegia racemosa (Dalz.) Ramam 9 9 Anacardiaceae 120. Ochrocarpus longifolius (Benth and Hook) 9 Clusiaceae 121. Olea dioica (Roxb) 9 Oliaceae 122. Pajanelia longifolia (Willd) 9 Bignoniaceae 123. Pajanelia rheedii (Wight) 9 Bignoniaceae 124. Palaquium ellipticum (Benth) 9 Sapotaceae 125. Polyalthia fragrans (Benth and Hook) 9 9 Annonaceae 126. Pongamia pinnata (Linn.) Pierre 9 Fabaceae 127. Premna tomentosa (Willd) 9 Verbenaceae 128. Pterocarpus marsupium (Roxb) 9 Leguminaceae 129. Pterospermum diversifolium (Bl. Bijdr) 9 Sterculiaceae 130. Pterospermum heyneanum (Wall; Wight) 9 Sterculiaceae 131. Pterospermum reticulatum (Wight and Arn) 9 Sterculiaceae 132. Pterygota alata (Roxb) 9 Sterculiaceae 133. Sageraea laurina 9 Anonaceae 134. Saraca indica (Linn) 9 Caesalpiniaceae 135. Schleichera oleosa (Lour.) Oken 9 Sapindaceae 136. Schleichera trijuga (Willd) 9 Sapindaceae 137. Spondias acuminata (Roxb) 9 Anacardiaceae 138. Stereospermum chelonoides (Wight) 9 Bignoniaceae 139. Strombosia ceylanica (Gardner) 9 9 Olacaceae 140. Strombosia leprosa 9 Olacaceae 141. Symphyllia mallotiformis (Muell) 9 Euphorbiaceae 142. Syzygium cumini (Linn) 9 Myrtaceae 143. Syzygium gardneri (Thw. Enum) 9 9 Myrtaceae 144. Syzygium jambolana (Lam; Wight) 9 Myrtaceae 145. Syzygium zeylanicum (Linn) 9 Myrtaceae 146. Tabernaemontana heyneana (Wall) 9 Apocynaceae 147. Terminalia paniculata (Roth) 9 Combretaceae 148. Tetrameles nudiflora (Bedd) 9 Datiscaceae 149. Trewia nudiflora (Linn) 9 Euphorbiaceae 150. Vateria indica (Linn) 9 Dipterocarpaceae 151. Vepris bilocularis (Wight and Arn) 9 9 Rutaceae 152. Viburnum punctatum (Buch.-Ham. Ex D. Don) 9 Caprifoliaceae 153. Vitex altissima (Linn) 9 Verbenaceae 154. Walsura piscidia (Roxb) 9 Meliaceae 155. Webera canarica (Schreb) 9 Rubiaceae 156. Xanthophyllum flavescens (Roxb) 9 Polygalaceae 157. Xylia xylocarpa (Roxb.) Taub 9 Leguminaceae 158. Zizyphus xylopyrus (Willd) 9 Rhamnaceae

Regeneration pattern of Drypetes elata, an endemic regenerates, similarly in Knema attenuata an RET species species showed 65 per cent of regenerates in regeneration also, where regeneration class I consisted 43 per cent, class I, but no regenerates were found in class IV. class II consisted 38 per cent and class III consisted about Kingiodendron pinnatum an RET species in Makutta showed 15 per cent (Fig. 7 and 8). But in both the cases 83 per cent of the regenerates in regeneration class I, where regeneration class IV was absent. regenerates in class III and class IV was absent (Fig. 5 and 6). In Malemane adequate regenerates were found in Discussion Sageraea laurifolia an endemic species where regeneration class I consisted about 43 per cent, class II Regeneration in the forests is an indicator of the well consisted 27 per cent and class III consisted 30 per cent of being of the forests. In the present study, proportion of

82 ENVIS Fig. 1. An overview of Makutta PPP, Kodagu district. Fig. 2. Tropical evergreen forests in Malemane, Uttara Kannada district.

Fig. 3. Regeneration studies in PPP and AFA in Makutta. Fig. 4. Regeneration studies in PPP and AFA in Malemane.

Fig. 6. Regeneration trend for RET species- Fig. 5. Regeneration trend for endemic species- Drypetes Kingiodendron pinnatum in Bannadapare, elata in Bannadapare, Makutta, Coorg. Makutta, Coorg. regenerating individuals in different classes across they failed to get established which could be attributed locations suggests that the regenerating class to anthropogenic pressure and other biotic disturbances contributed more in PPPs and adjoining forest area, which were also noticed during the current study. This Makutta (66 per cent and 47 per cent), Malemane (52 per plot was under ‘evergreen tending working circle’ during cent and 48 per cent). But the problem was in the period 1948 to 1957. Fellings were apparently more regeneration class IV in PPP of Makutta where this class than what should have been. was absent. This indicates that even though the Regeneration of endemic and RET species such regenerating class showed high proportion of individuals as Drypetes elata and Kingiodendron pinnatum in

Forestry Bulletin, 12(2), 2012 83 Table 2. List of Endemic species in Makutta and Malemane S. no Endemic species Makutta Malemane 1. Actinodaphne hookeri 9 2. Artocarpus hirsutus 9 3. Baccaurea courtallensis 9 4. Blachia denudate 9 5. Calophyllum apetalum 9 6. Casearia rubescens 9 7. Cinnamomum macrocarpum 9 9 8. Cinnamomum malabatrum 9 9. Croton malabaricus 9 10. Cryptocarya bourdillonii 9 11. Diospyros candolleana 9 12. Diospyros nilagirica 9 13. Diospyros paniculata 9 Fig. 7. Regeneration trend for endemic species- Sageraea 14. Diospyros pruriens 9 laurifolia in Malemane, Gersoppa, Uttara Kannada. 15. Diospyros saldanhae 9 16. Dipterocarpus indicus 9 17. Drypetes elata 9 18. Dysoxylum malabaricum 9 19. Euodia lunu-akenda 9 20. Garcinia gummi-gutta 9 21. Garcinia indica 9 22. Holigarna arnottiana 9 23. Holigarna grahamii 9 24. Hopea parviflora 9 25. Humboldtia brunonis 9 26. Hydnocarpus pentandra 9 27. Ixora brachiate 9 28. Kingeodendron pinnatum 9 29. Knema attenuate 9 9 30. Litsea coriacea 9 31. Mallotus aureo-punctatus 9 32. Memecylon talbotianum 9 33. Myristica fatua 9 9 Fig. 8. Regeneration trend for RET species-Knema 34. Myristica malabarica 9 35. Nothopegia beddomei 9 attenuata in Malemane, Gersoppa, Uttara 36. Palaquium ellipticum 9 Kannada. 37. Polyalthia fragrans 9 9 38. Pterospermum reticulatum 9 39. Sageraea laurifolia 9 Makutta, Sageraea laurifolia and Knema attenuata in 40. Vateria indica 9 41. Vepris bilocularis 9 9 Malemane also faced the same problem where more extraction pressure by local people for medicinal uses was noticed. Table 3. List of RET species in Makutta and Malemane Such studies in PPPs can have implications for in-situ conservation of tropical evergreen forest types. Periodic annual increment (PAI), mean annual increment (MAI), species composition and growth models for important evergreen tree species can be developed. Permanent preservation plots (PPPs) are also an individual treasure house of information and should be preserved diligently along with records to study the ecological succession and stand dynamics in the coming years. These records could also be used to monitor impact of climate change on vegetation dynamics. However, for conservation of RET species, systematic recording of data, protection from biotic disturbances and maintenance are required on regular basis.

84 ENVIS References Benth. M.Sc. thesis. University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. Bhat, D.M.; Naik, M.B.; Patagar, S.G.; Hegde, G.T.; Kanade, Verma, R.K. and Totey, N.G. 1996. Vegetation diversity in the Y.G.; Hagde, G.N.; Shastri, C.M.; Shetti, D.M. and permanent preservation plot in Malyagiri, Orissa. Furtado, R.M. 2000. Forest dynamics in tropical My Forest, 32(1): 49-56. rain forests of Uttara Kannada district in Western Viswanath, S. 1999. Soil seed bank dynamics and germination Ghats, India. Current Science, 79(7): 975-985. eco-physiology of some selected species in Boraiah, K.T. 2001. Regeneration studies in the sacred Himalayan moist temperate forests (India). Ph.D. landscapes of Kodagu, Karnataka. M.Sc. thesis. thesis. Kumaun University, Nainital. 179p. University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. WCMC (World Conservation Monitoring Centre). 1992. Hareesh, T.S. 2000. Phenology, regeneration and Global biodiversity: Status of earth’s living propagation studies in Ougeinia dalbergioides resources. London, Chapman and Hall. z

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