176
D. S. Gandhi and S. Sundarapandian
reserve forest, Eastern Ghats. Among these, trees and herbs formed the major proportion represented by 75 (35.71%) species each followed by climbers (15.71%)
and shrubs (12.86%). The total species richness of study plots ranged from a minimum of 35 species/ha to a maximum of 84 species/ha with a mean of 61.5 ± 2.5
species/ha (Table 1). Among different life-forms, the species richness varied from
7 to 28 species/ha for trees; 10–36 species/50 m
2 for herbs; 5–14 species/0.125 ha
for shrubs and 3–23 species/0.125 ha for climbers. We encountered a total of 17,525
tree stems (≥10 cm GBH) from 30 one-hectare study plots. The density ranged from
336 stems/ha to 1075 stems/ha with a mean of 584 ± 38 stems/ha. For climbers and
shrubs, it ranged from 9–252 individuals/0.125 ha and 247–969 individuals/0.125 ha
respectively. The density of understory species varied considerably from 875 to 6567
individuals per 50 m
2 . The total basal area registered by trees across the study plots
was 561.3 m
2 /ha and on individual plot, their basal area ranged from 7.2 to 43.1 m
2 /ha,
with a mean of 18.7 ± 1.5 m
2 /ha. Similarly, for shrubs and climbers, it ranged from
0.16 m
2 /ha to 0.8 m
2 /ha and 0.06 m
2 /ha to 3.3 m
2 /ha respectively. The mean basal
area for herbs in the study plots was 3.95 ± 0.3 m
2 per 50 m
2 and it ranged from
0.95 to 6.6 m
2 per 50 m
2 . The diversity index, Shannon value ranged from 0.72–2.3
for tree species; 0.81–1.9 for shrubs; 1.16–2.8 for herbs and 0.24–2.8 for climbers
(Table 2). Dominance index of tree species ranged from 0.14 to 0.7 with a mean
of 0.4. Fisher’s alpha index ranged from 1.25–6.36 for trees, 0.75–2.86 for shrubs,
1.23–5.4 for herbs and 0.76–8.1 for climbers.
3.2 Species Composition
Among 75 tree species enumerated, Albizia amara was the most dominant tree
species represented by 9871 individuals which is almost 56% of the total stems enumerated from 30 one-hectare study plots (Table 3). The other dominant tree species in
the study plots were Chloroxylon swietenia (3171 individuals), Azadirachta indica
(553 individuals), Pongamia pinnata (477 individuals) and Acacia catechu (442
individuals).
The top five species together comprised 82.8% of the total tree species’ density
(Table 3). In contrast, 32 species including Strychnos nux-vomica, Gmelina asiatica
and Cassia fistula were represented by <10 individuals and four species viz. Borassus
flabellifer, Cordia monoica, Dalbergia oliveri, and Delonix elata were represented
by just one individual across the study plots. Lantana camara (4661), Clausena heptaphylla (3970) and Tarenna asiatica (3186) were the predominant shrub species
encountered across the study plots. These three species together contributed to 81%
of the total shrub species density. However, 11 species among 27 were represented
by <10 individuals and four species viz. Allophylus serratus, Cadaba fruticosa,
Grewia abutilifolia and Ziziphus rugosa were represented by a single individual
in all the study plots. The herbaceous community of the study plots was dominated by Sida cordifolia (22,038 individuals), Ageratum conyzoides (13,510 individuals) and Sida acuta (9245 individuals). Among 75 species, two species including
D. S. Gandhi and S. Sundarapandian
reserve forest, Eastern Ghats. Among these, trees and herbs formed the major proportion represented by 75 (35.71%) species each followed by climbers (15.71%)
and shrubs (12.86%). The total species richness of study plots ranged from a minimum of 35 species/ha to a maximum of 84 species/ha with a mean of 61.5 ± 2.5
species/ha (Table 1). Among different life-forms, the species richness varied from
7 to 28 species/ha for trees; 10–36 species/50 m
2 for herbs; 5–14 species/0.125 ha
for shrubs and 3–23 species/0.125 ha for climbers. We encountered a total of 17,525
tree stems (≥10 cm GBH) from 30 one-hectare study plots. The density ranged from
336 stems/ha to 1075 stems/ha with a mean of 584 ± 38 stems/ha. For climbers and
shrubs, it ranged from 9–252 individuals/0.125 ha and 247–969 individuals/0.125 ha
respectively. The density of understory species varied considerably from 875 to 6567
individuals per 50 m
2 . The total basal area registered by trees across the study plots
was 561.3 m
2 /ha and on individual plot, their basal area ranged from 7.2 to 43.1 m
2 /ha,
with a mean of 18.7 ± 1.5 m
2 /ha. Similarly, for shrubs and climbers, it ranged from
0.16 m
2 /ha to 0.8 m
2 /ha and 0.06 m
2 /ha to 3.3 m
2 /ha respectively. The mean basal
area for herbs in the study plots was 3.95 ± 0.3 m
2 per 50 m
2 and it ranged from
0.95 to 6.6 m
2 per 50 m
2 . The diversity index, Shannon value ranged from 0.72–2.3
for tree species; 0.81–1.9 for shrubs; 1.16–2.8 for herbs and 0.24–2.8 for climbers
(Table 2). Dominance index of tree species ranged from 0.14 to 0.7 with a mean
of 0.4. Fisher’s alpha index ranged from 1.25–6.36 for trees, 0.75–2.86 for shrubs,
1.23–5.4 for herbs and 0.76–8.1 for climbers.
3.2 Species Composition
Among 75 tree species enumerated, Albizia amara was the most dominant tree
species represented by 9871 individuals which is almost 56% of the total stems enumerated from 30 one-hectare study plots (Table 3). The other dominant tree species in
the study plots were Chloroxylon swietenia (3171 individuals), Azadirachta indica
(553 individuals), Pongamia pinnata (477 individuals) and Acacia catechu (442
individuals).
The top five species together comprised 82.8% of the total tree species’ density
(Table 3). In contrast, 32 species including Strychnos nux-vomica, Gmelina asiatica
and Cassia fistula were represented by <10 individuals and four species viz. Borassus
flabellifer, Cordia monoica, Dalbergia oliveri, and Delonix elata were represented
by just one individual across the study plots. Lantana camara (4661), Clausena heptaphylla (3970) and Tarenna asiatica (3186) were the predominant shrub species
encountered across the study plots. These three species together contributed to 81%
of the total shrub species density. However, 11 species among 27 were represented
by <10 individuals and four species viz. Allophylus serratus, Cadaba fruticosa,
Grewia abutilifolia and Ziziphus rugosa were represented by a single individual
in all the study plots. The herbaceous community of the study plots was dominated by Sida cordifolia (22,038 individuals), Ageratum conyzoides (13,510 individuals) and Sida acuta (9245 individuals). Among 75 species, two species including