DśƌğăƚğŷğěDădžăͮǁǁǁ͘ƚśƌğăƚğŷğěƚădžă͘žƌőͮϮϲEžǀğŵďğƌϮϭϭϯͮΡ;ϬϱͿ͗Κϵϯϵʹϰϵϰϰ
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:ŽƵƌŶĂůŽĨdŚƌĞĂƚĞŶĞĚdĂdžĂͮǁǁǁ͘ƚŚƌĞĂƚĞŶĞĚƚĂdžĂ͘ŽƌŐͮϮϲEŽǀĞŵďĞƌϮϬϭϯͮϱ;ϭϱͿ͗ϰϵϯϵʹϰϵϰϰ Western Ghats Zò®ó Special Series DĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝƐƉĞĐŝĂůƐĞĐƟŽŶ D¦«Ã½®½ÄÝÖ͗®Ê®òÙÝ®ãù«ÊãÝÖÊã /^^E KŶůŝŶĞϬϵϳϰʹϳϵϬϳ WƌŝŶƚϬϵϳϰʹϳϴϵϯ ^ƵďƌĂŵĂŶŝĂŶŚƵƉĂƚŚLJϭΘ^ĂŶƚŚĂŶĂŬƌŝƐŚŶĂŶĂďƵϮ KWE^^ 1,2 ^ĄůŝŵůŝĞŶƚƌĞĨŽƌKƌŶŝƚŚŽůŽŐLJĂŶĚEĂƚƵƌĂů,ŝƐƚŽƌLJ͕ŶĂŝŬĂƫ;WKͿ͕ŽŝŵďĂƚŽƌĞ͕dĂŵŝůEĂĚƵϲϰϭϭϬϴ͕/ŶĚŝĂ 2 tŝůĚůŝĨĞ/ŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ>ŝĂŝƐŽŶĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ^ŽĐŝĞƚLJ͕ϵϲ<ƵŵƵĚŚĂŵEĂŐĂƌ͕sŝůĂŶŬƵƌŝĐŚŝZŽĂĚ͕ŽŝŵďĂƚŽƌĞ͕dĂŵŝůEĂĚƵ ϲϰϭϬϯϱ͕/ŶĚŝĂ 1 ďŚƵƉĂƚŚLJ͘ƐΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ;ĐŽƌƌĞƐƉŽŶĚŝŶŐĂƵƚŚŽƌͿ͕2 ƐĂŶďĂďƐΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ ďƐƚƌĂĐƚ͗ dŚĞ DĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝ͕ ĂůƐŽ ŬŶŽǁŶ ĂƐ ,ŝŐŚ tĂǀLJ DŽƵŶƚĂŝŶƐ͕ ŝƐ dŚĞ tĞƐƚĞƌŶ 'ŚĂƚƐ͕ Ă ĐŚĂŝŶ ŽĨ ŵŽƵŶƚĂŝŶ ƌĂŶŐĞƐ ůŽĐĂƚĞĚŝŶƚŚĞdŚĞŶŝ&ŽƌĞƐƚŝǀŝƐŝŽŶŽĨdĂŵŝůEĂĚƵ͕tĞƐƚĞƌŶ'ŚĂƚƐ͘dŚĞ ;ΕϭϲϬϬŬŵŝŶůĞŶŐƚŚͿƚŚĂƚƌƵŶƐƉĂƌĂůůĞůƚŽƚŚĞǁĞƐƚĐŽĂƐƚ ůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞŝƐĞŶĚŽǁĞĚǁŝƚŚĂŶĂƌƌĂLJŽĨǀĞŐĞƚĂƟŽŶƚLJƉĞƐǀĂƌLJŝŶŐĨƌŽŵ ĚƌLJ;ƚŚŽƌŶĨŽƌĞƐƚƐͿŝŶƚŚĞĞĂƐƚĞƌŶƐŝĚĞƚŽǁĞƚ;ĞǀĞƌŐƌĞĞŶͿĨŽƌĞƐƚƐŽŶ ĨƌŽŵƚŚĞƌŝǀĞƌdĂƉƟ;'ƵũĂƌĂƚͿŝŶƚŚĞŶŽƌƚŚƚŽ<ĂŶLJĂŬƵŵĂƌŝ ƚŚĞǁĞƐƚĞƌŶƐŝĚĞĚƵĞƚŽǁŝĚĞĞůĞǀĂƟŽŶŐƌĂĚŝĞŶƚ;ϮϮϬʹϮϬϬϬŵĂďŽǀĞ ;dĂŵŝů EĂĚƵͿ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐŽƵƚŚ͕ ŝƐ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ϯϰ ďŝŽĚŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ ƐĞĂůĞǀĞůͿĂŶĚǀĂƌŝĞĚƌĂŝŶĨĂůůƉĂƩĞƌŶ;ǁŝŶĚǁĂƌĚĂŶĚůĞĞǁĂƌĚnjŽŶĞƐͿ͘ dŚĞĐŽŵƉŽƐŝƟŽŶĂŶĚĐŽŶĮŐƵƌĂƟŽŶŽĨƚŚŝƐůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞĨĂĐŝůŝƚĂƚĞƐĚŝǀĞƌƐĞ ŚŽƚƐƉŽƚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ ;DŝƩĞƌŵĞŝĞƌ Ğƚ Ăů͘ ϮϬϬϱͿ͘ ƐƉĞĐŝĞƐŽĨǀĞƌƚĞďƌĂƚĞƐ;ϭϴƐƉĞĐŝĞƐŽĨĮƐŚĞƐ͕ϯϱĂŵƉŚŝďŝĂŶƐ͕ϵϬƌĞƉƟůĞƐ͕ DĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝ͕ ŝƐ ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ Ă ůĂƌŐĞƌ ůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞ ;ĐĂ͘ ϴϬϬŬŵ2Ϳ͕ ϮϱϰďŝƌĚƐ͕ϲϯŵĂŵŵĂůƐͿ͘/ŶƚŚĞƉĂƐƚ͕ƐĞůĞĐƚĞĚŇŽƌĂůĂŶĚĨĂƵŶĂůŐƌŽƵƉƐŽĨ ĐĂƚĐŚŵĞŶƚĂƌĞĂŽĨsĂŝŐĂŝĂŶĚ^ƵƌƵůŝĂƌƌŝǀĞƌƐ͘WĞƌŝLJĂƌdŝŐĞƌ DĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝŚĂǀĞďĞĞŶƐƉŽƌĂĚŝĐĂůůLJƐƵƌǀĞLJĞĚďLJƚŚĞƌŝƟƐŚĞdžƉůŽƌĞƌƐ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ŝŶͲĚĞƉƚŚĞĐŽůŽŐŝĐĂůƐƚƵĚŝĞƐŽŶǀĂƌŝŽƵƐďŝŽƚĂŚĂǀĞŽŶůLJďĞĞŶ ZĞƐĞƌǀĞ͕'ƌŝnjnjůĞĚ^ƋƵŝƌƌĞůtŝůĚůŝĨĞ^ĂŶĐƚƵĂƌLJĂŶĚƵŵďĂŵ ŝŶŝƟĂƚĞĚŝŶƌĞĐĞŶƚLJĞĂƌƐďLJ^KEĂŶĚt/>͕ǁŚŝĐŚŚŝŐŚůŝŐŚƚĞĚƚŚĞ sĂůůĞLJ ƐƵƌƌŽƵŶĚ DĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝ͘ DĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝ ŝŶ ůŽĐĂů ĐŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟŽŶ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶĐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĂƌĞĂ͘ /ƚ ŝƐ ŚŽƉĞĚ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĐĞŶƚůLJ ůĂŶŐƵĂŐĞ ;dĂŵŝůͿ ĚĞŶŽƚĞƐ ĐůŽƵĚ ĐŽǀĞƌĞĚ ŵŽƵŶƚĂŝŶƐ ŝ͘Ğ͘ ĚĞĐůĂƌĞĚDĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝtŝůĚůŝĨĞ^ĂŶĐƚƵĂƌLJĞŶĐŽŵƉĂƐƐŝŶŐĂƉĂƌƚŽĨƚŚĞ ůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽƉŽƐĂů ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ^ƌŝǀŝůůŝƉƵƩƵƌͲDĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝ dŝŐĞƌ DĞŐŚĂсĐůŽƵĚ͕DĂůĂŝсŚŝůů͘ŵŽŶŐƚŚĞůŽĐĂůƐ͕ŝƚŝƐŬŶŽǁŶ ZĞƐĞƌǀĞ͕ ŝĨ ƌĞĂůŝnjĞĚ͕ ǁŽƵůĚ ŚĞůƉ ĐŽŶƐĞƌǀŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĚŝǀĞƌƐĞ ďŝŽƚĂ ŽĨ ƚŚŝƐ ĂƐ WĂƚĐŚĂŬƵŵĂĐŚŝ͕ ;WĂƚĐŚĂ с ŐƌĞĞŶ͕ <ƵŵĂĐŚŝ с ũƵŶŐůĞͿ͘ ůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞŝŶƚŚĞůŽŶŐƌƵŶ͘ DĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝŝƐĂůƐŽŬŶŽǁŶĂƐ,ŝŐŚtĂǀLJDŽƵŶƚĂŝŶƐĚƵĞ <ĞLJǁŽƌĚƐ͗ ŶĚĞŵŝƐŵ͕ ,ŝŐŚ tĂǀLJ DŽƵŶƚĂŝŶƐ͕ DĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝ tŝůĚůŝĨĞ ƚŽƚŚĞŐĞŶĞƌĂůĂƉƉĞĂƌĂŶĐĞ;ǁĂǀLJͿŽĨƚŚĞƐĞŚŝŐŚŚŝůůƐĨƌŽŵ ^ĂŶĐƚƵĂƌLJ͕dŚĞŶŝ&ŽƌĞƐƚŝǀŝƐŝŽŶ͕tĞƐƚĞƌŶ'ŚĂƚƐ͘ ƚŚĞƵŵďĂŵsĂůůĞLJͬdŽǁŶ;/ŵĂŐĞϭͿ͘dŚĞƚĞƌŵ,ŝŐŚtĂǀLJ DOI͗ŚƩƉ͗ͬͬĚdž͘ĚŽŝ͘ŽƌŐͬϭϬ͘ϭϭϲϬϵͬ:Ždd͘ŽϯϱϵϮ͘ϰϵϯϵͲϰϰͮŽŽĂŶŬ͗ƵƌŶ͗ůƐŝĚ͗njŽŽďĂŶŬ͘ŽƌŐ͗ƉƵď͗ϬϮ&ϵ&ϱϳϱͲϯϭ&ͲϰϱϰͲϵϰͲϮϬϴϵϭϱ&& ĚŝƚŽƌ͗W͘^͘ĂƐĂ͕<ĞƌĂůĂ&ŽƌĞƐƚZĞƐĞĂƌĐŚ/ŶƐƟƚƵƚĞ͕WĞĞĐŚŝ͕/ŶĚŝĂ͘ ĂƚĞŽĨƉƵďůŝĐĂƟŽŶ͗ϮϲEŽǀĞŵďĞƌϮϬϭϯ;ŽŶůŝŶĞΘƉƌŝŶƚͿ DĂŶƵƐĐƌŝƉƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐ͗DƐηŽϯϱϵϮͮZĞĐĞŝǀĞĚϮϲƉƌŝůϮϬϭϯͮ&ŝŶĂůƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĚϯϬƵŐƵƐƚϮϬϭϯͮ&ŝŶĂůůLJĂĐĐĞƉƚĞĚϭϬKĐƚŽďĞƌϮϬϭϯ ŝƚĂƟŽŶ͗ ŚƵƉĂƚŚLJ͕^͘Θ^͘ĂďƵ;ϮϬϭϯͿ͘DĞŐŚĂŵĂůĂŝůĂŶĚƐĐĂƉĞ͗ĂďŝŽĚŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJŚŽƚƐƉŽƚ͘Journal of Threatened Taxaϱ;ϭϱͿ͗ϰϵϯϵʹϰϵϰϰ; ŚƩƉ͗ͬͬĚdž͘ĚŽŝ͘ŽƌŐͬϭϬ͘ϭϭϲϬϵͬ :Ždd͘ŽϯϱϵϮ͘ϰϵϯϵͲϰϰ ŽƉLJƌŝŐŚƚ͗ ©ŚƵƉĂƚŚLJΘĂďƵϮϬϭϯ͘ƌĞĂƟǀĞŽŵŵŽŶƐƩƌŝďƵƟŽŶϯ͘ϬhŶƉŽƌƚĞĚ>ŝĐĞŶƐĞ͘:ŽddĂůůŽǁƐƵŶƌĞƐƚƌŝĐƚĞĚƵƐĞŽĨƚŚŝƐĂƌƟĐůĞŝŶĂŶLJŵĞĚŝƵŵ͕ƌĞƉƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ ĂŶĚĚŝƐƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶďLJƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐĂĚĞƋƵĂƚĞĐƌĞĚŝƚƚŽƚŚĞĂƵƚŚŽƌƐĂŶĚƚŚĞƐŽƵƌĐĞŽĨƉƵďůŝĐĂƟŽŶ͘ &ƵŶĚŝŶŐ͗ dŚĞDŝŶŝƐƚƌLJŽĨŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚĂŶĚ&ŽƌĞƐƚƐ;DŽ&Ϳ͕'ŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚŽĨ/ŶĚŝĂĂŶĚdZͲW&ĂŶĚZƵīŽƌĚ^ŵĂůů'ƌĂŶƚ͘ ŽŵƉĞƟŶŐ/ŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ͗dŚĞĂƵƚŚŽƌƐĚĞĐůĂƌĞŶŽĐŽŵƉĞƟŶŐŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚƐ͘&ƵŶĚŝŶŐƐŽƵƌĐĞƐŚĂĚŶŽƌŽůĞŝŶƐƚƵĚLJĚĞƐŝŐŶ͕ĚĂƚĂĐŽůůĞĐƟŽŶ͕ƌĞƐƵůƚƐŝŶƚĞƌƉƌĞƚĂƟŽŶĂŶĚŵĂŶƵͲ ƐĐƌŝƉƚǁƌŝƟŶŐ͘ ĐŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞŵĞŶƚƐ͗tĞĂƌĞŐƌĂƚĞĨƵůƚŽ'͘s͘^ƵďƌĂŵĂŶŝĂŶĂŶĚEĂƐĞĞŵŚŵĂĚ;DŽ&Ϳ͕ĂŶĚ:ĂĐŬdŽƌĚŽīĂŶĚŚĂƐŬĞƌĐŚĂƌLJĂ;dZͲW&ͿĂŶĚ:ĂŶĞZĞLJŵŽŶĚ ;ZƵīŽƌĚͿĨŽƌĮŶĂŶĐŝĂůƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ͘tĞƚŚĂŶŬƚŚĞW&ĂŶĚŚŝĞĨtŝůĚůŝĨĞtĂƌĚĞŶŽĨdĂŵŝůEĂĚƵĨŽƌƉĞƌŵŝƐƐŝŽŶƚŽǁŽƌŬŝŶƚŚĞĨŽƌĞƐƚĂƌĞĂ͕ĂŶĚƚŽƚŚĞƐƚĂīŽĨdŚĞŶŝ &ŽƌĞƐƚŝǀŝƐŝŽŶĨŽƌůŽŐŝƐƟĐƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ͘ƌƐ͘W͘͘njĞĞnj;^KEͿĂŶĚ^ĂŶũĂLJDŽůƵƌ;t/>ͿŚĞůƉĞĚƵƐĂƚǀĂƌŝŽƵƐůĞǀĞůƐ͘ dŚŝƐĂƌƟĐůĞĨŽƌŵƐƉĂƌƚŽĨĂƐƉĞĐŝĂůƐĞƌŝĞƐŽŶƚŚĞtĞƐƚĞƌŶ'ŚĂƚƐŽĨ/ŶĚŝĂ͕ĚŝƐƐĞŵŝŶĂƟŶŐƚŚĞƌĞƐƵůƚƐŽĨǁŽƌŬƐƵƉƉŽƌƚĞĚďLJƚŚĞƌŝƟĐĂůĐŽƐLJƐƚĞŵWĂƌƚŶĞƌƐŚŝƉ&ƵŶĚ ;W&Ϳ͕ĂũŽŝŶƚŝŶŝƟĂƟǀĞŽĨů͛ŐĞŶĐĞ&ƌĂŶĕĂŝƐĞĚĞĠǀĞůŽƉƉĞŵĞŶƚ͕ŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟŽŶ/ŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů͕ƚŚĞƵƌŽƉĞĂŶŽŵŵŝƐƐŝŽŶ͕ƚŚĞ'ůŽďĂůŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ&ĂĐŝůŝƚLJ͕ƚŚĞ'ŽǀͲ ĞƌŶŵĞŶƚŽĨ:ĂƉĂŶ͕ƚŚĞDĂĐƌƚŚƵƌ&ŽƵŶĚĂƟŽŶĂŶĚƚŚĞtŽƌůĚĂŶŬ͘ĨƵŶĚĂŵĞŶƚĂůŐŽĂůŽĨW&ŝƐƚŽĞŶƐƵƌĞĐŝǀŝůƐŽĐŝĞƚLJŝƐĞŶŐĂŐĞĚŝŶďŝŽĚŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJĐŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟŽŶ͘ /ŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶŽĨƚŚĞW&ŝŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚƉƌŽŐƌĂŵŝŶƚŚĞtĞƐƚĞƌŶ'ŚĂƚƐŝƐůĞĚĂŶĚĐŽŽƌĚŝŶĂƚĞĚďLJƚŚĞƐŚŽŬĂdƌƵƐƚĨŽƌZĞƐĞĂƌĐŚŝŶĐŽůŽŐLJĂŶĚƚŚĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ ;dZͿ͘ 4939 Meghamalai landscape: A biodiversity hotspot Bhupathy & Babu Mountains was largely used by British Explorers. The landscape has been identified as an important wildlife area by Rodgers & Panwar (1988). Meghamalai is largely under the control of the Theni Forest Division (Theni District), which was a part of erstwhile Travancore Presidency prior to the Indian Independence. In 2009, 269.11km2 of the area was declared as Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu Government Gazette 2009). Considering its conservation importance, (the landscape forms a buffer to the existing protected areas such as Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary and Periyar Tiger Reserve); the area, along with the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary, has recently been proposed as a © S. Babu Tiger Reserve (Fig. 1). In the present paper, we provide Image 1. The Meghamalai Mountain: A view from Cumbam mettu a description of the Meghamalai area, especially with respect to conservation of biodiversity based on collation from published papers. helped conservation and management of forests in the area are as follows: History - 1857: Report by Colonel Beddome indicating rapid The Theni forests have a long and remarkable history. denudation of forests in High Wavy Mountains The tract, in which the forests of this division lie, is the - 1861: Formation of Madurai Forest Division heart of the legendary and famous Pandya kingdom - 1871: Establishment of Forest Ranges, viz., Madurai (ca. 1600 AD). Since the beginning of 1800, till the and Periakulam independence of India (1947), the area was managed - 1880: Committee formed with 21 Forest Blocks and extensively exploited for revenue generation from (738.15km2) forest produce by the British Empire. Notable actions that - 1882: Promulgation of Madras Forest Act Figure 1. Location of Meghamalai and adjoining areas, Western Ghats 4940 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 November 2013 | 5(15): 4939–4944 Meghamalai landscape: A biodiversity hotspot Bhupathy & Babu - 1882–1890: Demarcation of various Reserve Forests originates from High Wavy Mountains and both join Periyar - 1888: Formation of Forest Ranges, viz., Kanavaipatti, at different locations. The Public Works Department, Tamil Sholavandan, Palamedu, Palani and Cumbam ranges Nadu has constructed five dams—High Wavys, Manalar, - 1951: Bifurcation of Madurai Forest Division as Venniyar, Eravangalar and Shanmuganathi—for electricity Madurai West and East generation and for irrigation in and around Cumbam. - 1956: Prohibition of shifting cultivation - 1957: Madurai North and Madurai South divisions Tribes formed Paliyar and Muthuvar are the two tribal communities - 1982: Formation of Theni Forest Division spread across various parts of Theni District (Jeyaprakash - 2009: Declaration of Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary et al. 2011). -2013: Srivilliputtur-Meghamalai Tiger Reserve Bhupathy et al. (2009) and Sukhla (2013) have reported (proposal pending decision) the forest types from Meghamalai and its environs (Images 2–4). Besides these, teak plantations and cash Terrain and Climate crops (cardamom, and coffee (Image 5)) raised during The general area is rugged and mountainous with the mid 19th Century are still being maintained, though elevation ranging from 220–2000 m. Digital elevation a few of them have been abandoned. Ailanthus excelsa, model of landscape shows that the lower elevation Ceiba pentandra, Tamarindus indica, Eucalyptus grandis, (<800m) contributed to about 44% of the area followed Schleichera oleosa were the plantations under practice in by medium elevation (800–1400 m), which is about 38% Theni Forest Division. (Bhupathy et al. 2012). Rock formation of the area is The eastern fringe of the area (Varusanad) is covered largely composed of charnockites, granite gneiss and pink with tropical thorn forests. As per the working plan of the granites which have been deformed by folds and faults Tamil Nadu Forest Department (2005), the following forest (Palanivelu et al. 1988). types were identified (i) southern tropical west coast Fifty years of global climate data show variations in semi-evergreen forests, (ii) southern tropical moist mixed annual mean temperature across elevations, i.e., 24.10C deciduous forests, (iii) southern tropical secondary moist (in 500m) and 180C (in 1700m). Monthly mean minimum mixed deciduous forest, (iv) southern tropical dry mixed and maximum temperatures recorded in 500m were deciduous forests (v) southern tropical carnatic umbrella 21.80C and 30.60C respectively, whereas it was 16.10C thorn forests (vi) southern dry deciduous scrub forests. and 24.00C for 1700m (Bhupathy et al. 2009). Cumulative annual rainfall of lower and higher elevations of the area is Biodiversity 1500 and 2161 mm respectively. Both in higher and lower Flora: The flora and fauna of Meghamalai landscape elevations, the lowest rainfall was recorded during January attracted several researchers during the 19th and early and the maximum during July (Bhupathy et al. 2009). 20th centuries. The natural resources of this area were exploited by the British since 1801. The first status report Rivers and Dams on this forest was prepared by Colonel Beddome in 1857, Major rivers in the area are the Vaigai and the Suruliar. which indicated rapid denudation due to a large number The Vaigai originates from Varusanad Hills while Suruliar of commercial activities. Perhaps, this resulted in various © Harish