CHAPTER 4 FLORISTIC DIVERSITY AND DIGITAL HERBARIUM Plant Ecological Studies of Arid Zone Wildlife Sanctuaries and Restoration Strategies for Native Plant Species. CHAPTER-4 FLORISTIC DIVERSITY AND DIGITAL HERBARIUM 4.1: INTRODUCTION: Floral diversity indicates the variety of plants occurring in a particular region at a particular time. It generally refers to the diversity of naturally occurring indigenous or native plants. Angiosperms are the largest plant group in India comprising a total of 17,817 species, constitutes 38.15% of floral diversity of the entire country, followed by fungi comprised of 14,698 species, representing 31.38%. The country also has high level of cryptogam (bryophytes and pteridophytes) diversity. Diversity is the variability among different organisms. Significance of conservation of species cannot be perceived without properly knowing and documenting them. Floristic diversity is the unevenness of flowering plants. Diversity status of ecosystems like sanctuaries can be known and conservation of their biodiversity is possible by floristic inventory and diversity assessments. Though studies on inventory and diversity at different levels all over the world are available to fill the gap in the biodiversity knowledge, variations are found in sampling methods/ techniques, sample size, measurements taken in the field which hinder the compilation and comparison of results (Jayakumar et.al, 2011). To recognize floristic diversity an inventory is essential for fundamental research in tropical community ecology, such as understanding species distributions (Phillips et.al, 2003). Vegetation in natural habitats not only comprises a single type/ groups of plant but a mere collection of different plants having great diversity. Ideally, forest plantations established in the arid zones should provide an array of products and services. While the tree and shrub species and techniques chosen must ensure soil and water conservation and provide shade and shelter, they also should yield the immediate requirements for fuel, fodder, and generally, multiple uses, whenever possible. Many wild plants and animals, which are found in no other country of world, flourish and conserved in protected areas like sanctuaries. Plants form significant wealth of sanctuaries, which play a vital role in social, cultural, historical, economic and industrial development of any country and in maintaining its ecological balance. Plants are the resource base for sustenance of animal population of sanctuaries and sanctuaries are 29" Plant Ecological Studies of Arid Zone Wildlife Sanctuaries and Restoration Strategies for Native Plant Species. storehouses of biodiversity. They are an integral part of any sanctuary. It is our prime duty to protect and conserve the plants via ex-situ or in-situ ways on urgent basis (Salave et.al, 2011). Mayureshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (MWS) and Rehekuri Blackbuck Sanctuary (RBS) are the most important arid zone wildlife sanctuaries in Maharashtra. The plant species forms fundamental and major supporting system of these sanctuaries. All organisms in any ecosystem directly or indirectly depend on its floristic components. The vegetation is represented by the total effect produced by abundance or scarcity or even diversity of the plant life whereas flora constitutes the sum total of different types and kinds of plants (Mahajan, 2001). Study of flora is necessary for knowing the composition of plant species and can be compared with previous records to know the change in floral composition. Flora is a systematic enumeration of plant species occurring in a given region and ideally provides keys, descriptions and often illustrations, which help in identification of plant species. It is totally botanical aspect but have ecological value. Flora can be defined as the assemblage of plant life in certain place or environment. A Sanctuary is an ecosystem itself comprising of mainly the trees and varying assemblage of herbs, shrubs and climbers. Study of flora and ecology of sanctuary is very much essential as it forms supporting system to its minor and major fauna as well as it forms participating unit of environment maintaining its balance. It also useftil to record what actual plant wealth we have and also used to know its changes or loss in those areas. Due to increasing pressure of various human activities and requirements our forests are gradually getting reduced. Any sanctuary is a powerflil ecological unit having vital environmental significance which plays a major role in balancing the biosphere-atmosphere energy flow. Sanctuaries are treated as, protected property resources, with limited access to tourists, researchers, schools, etc. for study purposes under the permission and supervision of sanctuary staffs. Floristic composition is chiefly a matter of quality and vegetation is a matter of quantity. For small-scale (large-area) studies and for habitat description ecological methods based on floristic composition are more useful (Goldsmith et.al, 1992). As a key role for management of vegetation, exact documentation of plant species was necessary. This chapter deals with scientific floristic study and its documentation in the form of digital herbarium as well as plant ecological aspects with respect to MWS and RBS. 30 Plaiil Ecological Studies of Arid Zone WUdlife Sanctuaries and Restoration Strategies for Native Plant Species. 4.2: MATERIAL: Field diary, notebook, pen, pencil, rubber, Sony Digital Camera (12X optical zoom and 12.1 megapixel), GPS instrument, PVC pipes frame of Imx Im size, strings, tent nails, oil paint to mark quadrats, brush, cloth and metal tapes, ruler, herbarium sheets, computer. Picasa and other image viewer software, floras, compound microscope, etc. 4.3: LITERATURE: Literature survey was carried out by referring the libraries of Agharkar Research Institute Pune; Botanical Survey of India, Western Circle, Pune; Forest Department and Wildlife Department, Pune; Jaykar Library, and Environmental Science Department Library of Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune; MWS and RBS offices Literature, and from Internet sources. 4.4: METHODS: Ecological and floristic studies were carried out by periodic visits to the study area between 2007 and 2013. Listing of plant species was continued during field walks. Plants were classified on the basis of their habit (herbs, shrubs, climbers and trees) and habitat. Random walk method was used for field observations. The fi-equent field visits were made to document the seasonal variations. Digital camera was used to obtain digital photographs for preparation of digital herbarium. For the systematic observation the area of MWS was divided in five regions based on slope, drainage and roads (Figure 4.1). This was for ease of the observations. Region 1: Between new Supa-Saswad Road and Supa-Morgaon road (MWS Nature Interpretation Center). Region 2: West side area of Vadhane Road. Region 3: Between east side of Vadhane road and North tower road. Region 4: Between North Tower road, hills, rivulet and Chaufula Supa Road. Region 5: Between north tower road east, rivulet south side and Saswad Road north side. The area of RBS was divided in three regions for the convenience of study, based on slope, drainage and manmade roads (Figure 4.2). Region 1: Backyards of rest house (north of footpath track to Walvad Road). Region 2: Backyards of rest house (south of footpath track to south end of sanctuary). Region 3: North of Walvad road to North end of Sanctuary. 31 Plant Ecological Slndics of Arid Zone Wildlife Sanctuaries and Restoration Strategies for Native Plant Species. Figure 4.1: Map of MWS showing study regions, co-ordinates and altitudes (Spot heights) roads, sampling (quadrat) location and drainage. ** Jt/KT •*< ^'O'l J4 ;< KT T4 .-;; r :* .-r»T •4 ."• TX '• -vtrv N / s **• } V /-V • \ 0 oiri 0 7» ii ( m ' ^^ Legend ) I * -/--•—*^ 5 1 J x • * \ \ '• w»>*- /^ • • • 1 •" I /^^^' V \ / —L Region 1| »0"V- 4 S '••'r»'N- T« «r)C^ '^ ;'0-« u ;' »•? ^4 ?rrf '* rrw* '«r rr« Figure 4.2 Map of RBS showing study regions, co-ordinates and altitudes (Spot heights), roads, sampling (quadrat) location and drainage. N s 0 02 04 Legend A Spot height # Quadrat Potni Drainage Road Rehekurl Btackbuck Sanctuary Region 2 3 32 Plant Ecological Studies of Arid Zone Wildlife Sanctuaries and Restoration Strategies for Native Plant Species. 4.4.1: Collection and identification of botanical material: The necessary permissions from forest and wildlife department of Maharashtra Government were obtained. As per the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. 1972 and Rules made thereunder, the conditions for research are mentioned. The collection of plants or their parts from the protected areas of both MWS and RBS was strictly prohibited by the PCCF Nagpur; hence the plants were only observed frequently and digitally photographed for their further identification. After observing plants and photographing it from sanctuaries, similar plant samples were collected from surrounding and nearby areas of both sanctuaries for proper identification. A number of localities within and surrounding areas of sanctuaries were visited for collection of data. Identification of plant species was carried out with the help of floras and other relevant literature published by Botanical Survey of India from time to time. Floras such as •The Flora of the Presidency of Bombay" (Cooke, 1904-1908), 'Flora of Khandala" (Santapau, 1967), "Flora of Nasik District' (Laxminarasimhan, 1986), 'Flora of Maharashtra, (Almeida, 1996),