NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCES AND THEIR CONSERVATION IN BUXA TIGER RESERVE, WEST BENGAL, INDIA THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN SCIENCE (BOTANY) UNDER THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH BENGAL 2014 BY ANfM6St-t SAR..KAR UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF Prof. A. P. DAS TAXONOMY AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY LABORATORY DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH BENGAL DARJEELING, WEST BENGAL, INDIA -1k 6 ~y I 9 ~ 0 ~' 5 2.. s 2l1 ~ ~ 272109 3 tAUbl015 Thts. s.VVtaLL -pLece of wor-~ ~s. oteot~cfilteot to VVttj teacVter-s. a 11\,ot VVttj fa VVt~Ltj DECLARATION I declare that the thesis entitled 'Non-Timber Forest Produces and Their Conservation in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India' has been prepared by me under the guidance of A. P. Das, Professor Botany, University of North Bengal. No part of this thesis has formed the basis for the award any degree of fellowship previously. [ANIMESH SARKAR] Taxonomy and Environmental Biology Laboratory Department of Botany University ofNorth Bengal Raja Ramrnoh~~arjeeling-734013 Date: ~-'it.t--05 ·-2014 Taxonomy & Environmental Biology Laboratory A . P . [)AS MSc, DIIT, PhD, FLS, FIAT Department of Botany FNScT, FEHT, FES, ISCON Professor North Bengal University Darjeeling 734 430 WB India Member: SSC-IUCN Phone: 091-353-2581847 (R), 2776337 (0) Chief Editor: PLEIONE Mobile: 091-9434061591; FAX: 091-353-2699001 Former President: IAAT e-mail: [email protected] April 15, 2014 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN This is my privilege to endorse that Mr. Animesh Sarkar, M.Sc. in Botany has carried out a piece of research work under my supervision. His thesis entitled "Non-·Timbe:r Produces and their Conservation in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India" is a genuine work and presenting the result of his original research. The thesis is being submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy (Science) degree in Botany in accordance with the rules and regulations of the University of North Bengal. [A. P. DAS] Supervisor CONTENTS Acknowledgements 1. Introduction 1-5 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Role of forests for the society 2 1.3 Different factors influencing forest growth 2 1.4 Non-Timber Forest Produces (NTFP) 2 1.4.1 Rationale to conserve NTFPS 3 1.4.2 NTFP in poverty alleviation 4 1.4.3 Valuation of non-timber forest resources 4 1.4.4 India's perspective 4 1.5 Carbon sequestration 5 1.6 Soil and water- role of forest 5 1.7 Understanding the BTR vegetation 5 2. Study area 6-12 2.1 Location 6 t::. 2.2 Different physical attributes v 2.2.1 Topography 6 2.2.2 Geology 6 2.2.3 Drainage 7 2.2.4 Soil 7 7 2.2.5 Archeology I 2.3 Climate 7 2.3.1 Rainfall 7 2.3.2 Temperature 7 2.3.3 Relative humidity 8 2.3.4 Wind 8 2.4 Ecological significance 8 2.5 Vegetation type 10 2.6 Biological resources 10 2.6.1 Flora 10 2.6.2 Fauna 11 2.7 Settlements 11 2.8 Communication network 11 2.9 Forest history 11 2.10 Conservation history 12 3. Methodology 13-16 3.1. Sampling ofvegetation 13 3.1.1 Plot Selection 13 3.1.2 Plot layout 13 3.1.3 Physical attributes 13 3.1.4 Soil sampling 13 3.1.5 Qualitative observation 14 3.1.6 Recognition through vernacular names 14 3.1.7 Processing of specimens 14 3.1.8 Identification of Plants 14 3.2 Sampling of Socio-Economic aspects 14 3.2.1 Analysis of Socio-Economic information 15 3.3 Phytosociological analysis 15 3.3.1 Frequency 15 3.3.2 Density 16 3.3.3 Dominance 16 3.3.4 Importance value Index (IVI) 16 3.3.5 Shannon- Weaver Index of Diversity (SWID) 16 3.3.6 Simpson's Dominance Index (SDI) 16 3.3.7 Species richness 16 4 Enumeration of recorded vascularplants 17-79 4.1 Classification of Major Taxa 17 4.2 Enumeration 21 4.2.1 Division: Pteridophyta 21 4.2.2 Division: Pinophyta 23 4.2.3 Division: Magnoliophyta 23 4.2.3 .1 Class: Magnoliopsida 23 4.2.3.2 Class: Liliopsida 71 5Results 80-95 5.1 Flora 80 5 .1.1 Habit groups 80 5.l.l.A Trees 81 5.1.1.B Shrubs 81 5.1.1.C Herbs 81 5 .l.l.D Seedlings 82 5 .l.l.E Saplings 82 5.2 Non Tmber Forest Produces (NTFP) 82 5 .2.1 Species used for subsistence 83 5.2.2 Major commercial species 83 5.2.3 Minor commercial species 83 5.2.4 Threatened and Endangered NTFPs 83 5.2.5 Altitudinal variation and availability ofNTFPs 84 5.3 Impact of different attributes on vegetation 84 5.3.1 Elevation 84 5.3.2 Slope 84 5.3.3 Plot aspect 84 5.3 .4 Soil nutrients 84 5.4 Analysis of association among the dominant species 85 5.4.1 Association among the dominant trees 85 5 .4.2 Association among the dominant shrubs 86 5.4.3 Association among the dominant herbs 86 5.4.4 Association ofNTFPs with dominant trees 87 5.4.5 Crown cover 87 5.4.6 Groundcover 88 5.4.7 Epiphytes 88 5.5 Survival rate of existing species 89 5.6 Human intervention 89 5.7 Social attributes 89 5.7.1 Bhutia Basty Bengal Line settlement 89 5.7.2 Jainti settlement 90 5.7.3 Nurpur settlement 91 5.7.4 Soda-ecological relationship 91 5.7.5 Ethnobotany 91 5.8 Local institutions and their role in forest management 94 6 Discussion 96-111 6.1 Flora 96 6.2 Effect of altitude on flora and vegetation 97 6.2.1 Altitude and vegetation 97 6.2.2 Altitude and NTFPs 97 6.2.3 Altitude and volume of plants 98 6.2.4 Effect of altitude on crown and ground cover 98 6.2.5 Altitude and epiphyte 99 6.3 Effect of slope on flora and vegetation 99 6.3.1 Slope and stem count 99 6.3.2 Slope on vegetation volume 100 6.4 Effect of aspect on flora and vegetation 101 6.4.1 Aspect and vegetation 101 6.4.2 Aspect and vegetation volume 101 6.4.3 Major soil nutrients and other components 101 6.5 Phytosociology 102 6.5.1 Phytosociology ofNTFPs 103 6.5.2 Effect of crown-cover on ground-cover 104 6.5.3 Simpson's dominance index 105 6.5.4 Shannon -·Weaver index of diversity 107 6.5.5 Menhinick index of species richness 108 6.6 Mortality and its impact 108 6.7 Threatened and endangered species 108 6.8 Socia-ecological relationship 109 6.8.1 Impact ofNTFP on local economy 109 6.9 Role oflocal managements: Community institutions 109 6.10 Future challenge 109 6.11 Conclusion 110 6.11.1 Locational disadvantage and ethnobotanical knowledge llO 6.11.2 Alternate livelihood option (s) and forest dependence 110 6.11.3 Value addition ofNTFPs to reduce exploitation 110 6.11.4 Soil management for nutritional rejuvenation 110 6.11.5 Management (s) in forest conservation 110 6.11.6 Transboundary National Park to conserve BTR 110 6.11.7 Further research to conserve ethnic knowledge 111 Bibliography 112-120 Summary 121-124 LIST OF FIGURES 2.1 Average yearly rainfall data since 2000 to 2009 8 2.2 Forest area map ofBuxa Tiger Reserve 10 2.3 Communication network map ofBuxa Tiger Reserve 11 3.1 Concentric circles for vegetation study of a forest plot 14 5.1 Number of species in dominated families 80 5.2 Variation in crown cover across the seasons 87 5.3 Variation in ground cover across the seasons 88 6.1 Distribution ofNTFPs across the altitude 98 6.2 Effect of altitude on the occurrence of epiphytes 99 6.3 Variation in stem count in plots on different slopes 100 6.4 Effect of slope on floral volume 100 6.5 Average crown & ground cover across the seasons 105 6.6 Comparabale chart of seasonal crown vs. ground cover in studied plots 105 6~7 Survival ratio oftree, lianas & 8 shrub species 108 LIST OF TABLES 2.1 Record of rainfall (in em) in BTR during 2000 to 2009 8 2.2 Record of monthly minimum and maximum temperature in °C during 2000-2009 9 2.3 Recorded relative humidity (RH%) during 2000 to 2009 9 5.1 Habit group classification of recorded plants 80 5.2 Phytosociological assesment of dominant tree species 81 5.3 Phytosociological assesment of dominant shrub species 81 5.4 Phytosociological assesment of dominant herbs 82 5.5 Phytosociological assesment of dominant seedlings 82 5.6 Phytosociological assesment of dominant saplings 83 5.7 Distributional range ofNTFP species 84 5.8 Slope-wise distribution of studied plots 84 5.9 Aspect-wise distributional ratio of plants 84 5.10 Major soil components across the study area 85 5.11 }\.ssociation of dominant trees 85 5.12 Association ofdominant shrubs 86 5.13 Association of dominant herbs 86 5.14 Seasonal distribution of plots considering crown cover 87 5.15 Relationship of crown cover with ground cover in their extremes 88 5.16 Ground cover percent in different plots in three seasons 88 5.17 Seasonal variation in epiphytes 89 5.18 Survival ratio of woody plants 89 5.19 Observation of seasonal human intervention 89 5.20 Gender and age-wise distribution of Population in Bhutia Basty Bengal Line 90 5.21 Gender and Age-wise distribution of population in Jainti village 90 5.22 Gender and Age-wise distribution of population in Nurpurvillage 91 6.1 Dominant families and number of species 97 6.2 Species distribution on altitudinal variation 98 6.3 Variation in volume across different altitudinal ranges 98 6.4 Effect of altitude on crown and ground-cover [C&G =Crown & Ground] 99 6.5 Impact of stem counts on plot slope 99 6.6 Effect of slope on floral volume 101 6.7 Impact of stem count on plot aspect 101 6.8 Impact of plot aspect on vegetation volume 102 6.9 Phytosociology between dominant trees and herbs species (Presence/Plot) 104 6.10 Average crown cover and ground cover across the seasons 105 6.11 Simpson's index often dominant herbs 106 6.12 Simpson's index often dominant shrubs 106 6.13 Simpson's index often dominanttrees 106 6.14 Shannon-Weaver index of dominant ten herb species 107 6.15 Shannon-Weaver index of dominant ten shrub species 107 6.16 Shannon-Weaver index of dominant ten tree species 108 PLATES I Flora of Jainti II Flora of Jainti III NTFP IV Vegetation and Social survey v Landscape VI Fauna of Jainti ABBREVIATIONS BTR Buxa Tiger Reserve FD Forest Department BBBL Bhutia Basty Bengal Line SDI Simpson's Diversity Index SWID Shannon- Weaver Diversity Index c Crown G Ground CD Collar Diameter DBH Diameter at Breast Hight D Density F Frequency Dm Dominance RD Relative Density RF Relative Frequency RDm Relative Dominance IVI Importance Value Index UG User Group Fig Figure pH Negative logarithm of Hydrogen ion concentration Org Organic gm Gram C% Carbon percent N% Nitrogen percent ppm Perc per million p Phosphorus K Pottasium s Sulpher oc Organic carbon NREGS National Rural Employment Gurantee Scheme eft Cubic foot Rs.