11 3 1626 the journal of biodiversity data April 2015 Check List LISTS OF SPECIES Check List 11(3): 1626, April 2015 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15560/11.3.1626 ISSN 1809-127X © 2015 Check List and Authors Floristic composition of the kaan forests of Sagar Taluk: sacred landscape in the central Western Ghats, Karnataka, India Shrikant Gunaga1, N. Rajeshwari2, R. Vasudeva1* and K. N. Ganeshaiah3 1 Department of Forest Biology, College of Forestry Sirsi, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad – 581 401, India 2 Department of Seed Science Technology, Sahyadri Science College, Kuvempu University, Shimoga – 577 451, India 3 School of Ecology and Conservation, Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengluru – 560065, India * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: In the Malnad region of the central Western relevant for the conservation and sustainable harvest of Ghats, Karnataka, ethnic people conserve village forests resources such as wild nutmeg, pepper, gums and res- called kaan forests as the abode of sylvan deities. Ethnic ins, honey, and tapping toddy to trade in the prehistoric taboos have kept kaan forests in a virgin state over the period (Joshi and Gadgil 1991; Gokhale 2004; Chandran course of centuries. In recent times, the strong taboo et al. 2008). As the cultural diversity of any region is around these kaan forests has lessened, and the with- closely linked to its surrounding biodiversity (Negi drawal of managing rights of kaans has affected valued 2010), the traditional kaan forest system or concept is species. Of 103 kaan forests (totalling 5,254 ha) in the re- often seen where inhabitants of ethnic Ediga communi- gion, 24 (= 12 ha) well-managed kaan forests were inven- ties, formerly toddy tappers and hunter-gatherers, were toried floristically during 2008 to 2009. The results pro- heavily dependent on the biodiversity of these forests vided identification of a total of 303 species in 237 genera (Chandran 2003; Gunaga et al. 2012). However, these and 79 diverse families. Of these, 34 species belong to patches were home for toddy palms (Caryota urens) and rare, endangered, or threatened categories 116 were en- several wild lives in the olden times. demics, and 150 were evergreen species. kaan forests are Thus, kaan have been referred to as safety forests still essentially of climax character, and are the abode of (Chandran and Gadgil 1991) or reserve forests of local ecologically sensitive plant species. Affording more pow- people (Gokhale et al. 2011). These are least disturbed ers to the local communities in protecting the local bio- forests of the region harbouring many threatened, diversity would be more effective in conserving them. endemic and relic tree species like Dipterocarpus indi- cus, Madhuca bourdilloni, Syzygium travancoricum, and Key words: floristic diversity, threatened species, recently discovered Semecarpus kathlekanensis, and also conservation, central Western Ghats, India supports fauna including Lion Tailed Macaque (Macaca lupus), Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus), Giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) (Chandran et al. 2010). The only natu- INTRODUCTION ral population of Vateria indica and newly discovered kaan forests are patches of forest recognized as sacred populations of Syzygium travancoricum and Madhuca and protected on the grounds of religious and cultural bourdillonii, which was once believed to be extinct from beliefs. These forests are often situated near to villages its type locality, have been discovered recently from and range in size from a under a hectare to many hec- relic patches of kaan forests in Uttara Kannada district tares. The name ‘kaans’ literally means ‘thick evergreen (Chandran 1997; Chandran et al. 2008). Besides serving forests’. These forests have existed in the central West- as a repository of biodiversity, kaan forests also pro- ern Ghats for millennia and are considered to be a relic vide a myriad of valuable ecosystem services (Wingate of the original forest vegetation of the region (Joshi 1888). They maintain the underground water table and and Gadgil 1991). Thesekaan forests are distributed in thereby favour the existence of springs and perennial landscapes that are more favourable for deciduous for- streams. The shade and rich moisture content provided mations in the Karnataka plateau (Pascal et al. 1998). by kaan forest habitat has also favoured the cultivation kaan forests are subjected to traditional systems of con- of various plant spices, especially wild pepper, which servation practices and management by indigenous and has helped to sustain rural people in prehistoric times local communities, and their traditional lifestyles are (Chandran and Gadgil 1993a). Check List | www.biotaxa.org/cl 1 Volume 11 | Number 3 | Article 1626 Gunaga et al. | Floristic composition of Kaan forests of Sagar Taluk, India Unique traditional systems developed by indigenous ultimately documented a total of 103 kaan forests in people to conserve forest patches have been passed on Sagar taluk (including official records of kaan forests to them by preceding generations in this part of the listed by the forest department). Photographs of some region. However, in more recent times there has been a of these kaan forests are shown in Figure 2. There are loosening in the strict taboos developed by the natives four distinct vegetation types in the region, including of this region due to the influence of modern lifestyles dry scrub and deciduous vegetation to the east, in con- and agriculture. Both increases in human population trast to the evergreen and semi-evergreen forests in the and declines in the fertility of agricultural land have hills. kaan forests form a unique landscape of this taluk increased dependence on the kaan forests as a source amongst other forest landscapes. of income, and hence resulted in non-sustainable har- kaan forests in Sagar taluk range from a under a vesting of resources (Gunaga et al. 2013). Encroachment hectare to many hectares in extent. Based on the area of kaans land for cultivation and also illegal felling of of kaans, these are broadly categorized into three size valuable timber trees have resulted in the depletion of classes, namely large (>50 ha), medium (15–50 ha) and protected biodiversity. small (≤15 ha). Since kaan forests are spread over high Many studies have been done in the kaan forests of to low rainfall area, two kaan forests from each category surrounding districts of the study area. However, no were selected for vegetation sampling. Depending on such studies have been attempted in the Sagar taluk of the level of disturbance, the study sites were classified Shimoga district of Karnataka state in the central West- as disturbed and undisturbed forests of both rainfall ern Ghats with respect to floristic composition. Given regimes (Figure 3). Of the 103 kaan forests, 24 well-man- this background, we choose to inventory the floristic aged kaan forests (totalling 12 ha) have been sampled for composition of these kaan forests, which formed the the floristic study (Table 1 and Figure 1). prime objective of this study. Data collection MATERIALS AND METHODS In order to inventory the floristic composition of Study area kaan forests, a transect method was employed. Transect The focal area of study was located in the Sagar taluk lengths of 1,000 m × 5 m breadth (0.5 ha) were laid in two kaan forests of each large, medium and small category of of Shimoga district, Karnataka state, India which is one among seven taluks of Shimoga district (Figure 1). It starts from the crest line of central Western Ghats to the eastern plain, and lies between 13°54′ and 14°18′ N and between 074°36′ and 075°18′ E with an average alti- tude of 579 m. The climate of study area is characterized by a mon- soon regime. The Southwest Monsoon sets in this region around the first week of June and continues up to August or September. After a short lull, the Northwest Monsoon begins around October for a short period. The average rainfall of the taluk ranges from 2,000–2,600 mm per year. The windward side (i.e., the crest line of western Ghats region of the taluk) receives heavy rains (3,500–5,000 mm) from June to September with shorter periods of dry months, whereas there is a rapid decline in rainfall (1,500–2,000 mm) and extended dry weather towards eastern plains within the distance of 30 km from the crestline (Venugopal 2008). The annual mean temperature of Sagar taluk varies from 15–25°C in the coldest season and 30–35°C in the hottest months. For most part of the year the average humidity of the area may be around 70%. The soil type of the taluk is predominantly lateritic. The total geographic area of the study area is 193,999 ha of which 66,125 ha (34%) is under forest cover. Of the total forest area, 5,254 ha (8%) of the land is covered by kaan forests. Gokhale (2004) has reported 82 kaans from this taluk. After obtaining official permission from the forest department, we Figure 1. The study area and distribution of sites. Check List | www.biotaxa.org/cl 2 Volume 11 | Number 3 | Article 1626 Gunaga et al. | Floristic composition of Kaan forests of Sagar Taluk, India Table 1. Demographic details of study sites low and high rainfall area of disturbed and undisturbed Area Latitude Longitude Altitude regimes. All the species encountered in the sampling Name of the kaan (ha) (N) (E) (m) Category units were documented. To document the shrub species, Low-rainfall disturbed kaan forests two nested quadrates of 25 m2 were laid in each 1,000 m Hagulpura kaan 3.2 14°15’40’’ 075°00’05’’ 602 Small transect, one at the beginning of the transect (i.e., after Shridharapura kaan 15 14°16’13’’ 075°01’32’’ 586 Small Maneghatta kaan 45 14°15’49’’ 075°00’37’’ 593 Medium 100 m of the starting point), and another at the end of 2 Sullur kaan 40 14°17’05’’ 074° 55’18’’ 574 Medium transect.