The present study describes the floristic composition and dominance pattern of sal forests in Ranchi,Jharkhand,eastern India.Vegetation was studied in 47 belt transects(509100 m)that had 137 plant species(110 identifi...The present study describes the floristic composition and dominance pattern of sal forests in Ranchi,Jharkhand,eastern India.Vegetation was studied in 47 belt transects(509100 m)that had 137 plant species(110 identified and 27 unidentified)belonging to 51 families.The family Fabaceae with 17 species(8 spp.belonging to subfamily Faboideae,6 spp.to Caesalpinioideae and 3 spp.to Mimosoidieae)contributed the most to diversity,followed by Rubiaceae(8 spp.)and Euphorbiaceae(6 spp.).Tree density in sal was inversely related to species richness.Total tree density(C 10 cm GBH)in the studied forests was 397 individuals ha-1,with a basal cover of 262.50 m2 ha-1.Important plants of conservation concern are Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb,Andrographis paniculata(Burm.f.)Wall,Sterculiaurens Roxb.,Tinospora cordifolia(Willd.)Miers,and Asparagus densiflorus(Kunth)Jessop.Phanerophytes had the highest percentage(71%,with percentage deviation from normal life form of?25)followed by therophyte(15%,with percentage deviation?2).Observed percentage deviation from normal life form was much lower(with?2 percentage deviation)in both chamaephytes(8%)and therophytes(15%),suggesting that the studied sal forests are favorable for supporting various plants species.The forest management strategies should focus on the increasing demands for different timber and non-timber forest products to conserve the plant diversity of these natural forests.展开更多
As part of a long time analysis to examine the ecological impacts of heavy rain coupled to soil degradation, soil fungal communities from two closely spaced sites bearing distinct ecology—one receiving heaviest rainf...As part of a long time analysis to examine the ecological impacts of heavy rain coupled to soil degradation, soil fungal communities from two closely spaced sites bearing distinct ecology—one receiving heaviest rainfall but degraded patch on earth and the other pristine sacred grove forest were investigated over a period of three years. Cherrapunji besides being highest rainfall receiving area, is characterized by complete deforestation and soil erosion with sparse grasses forming the surface growth, whereas the sacred forests are conserved in their pristine nature due to religious beliefs of the indigenous tribes. The effect of deforestation and land degradation on soil microbes, soil organic carbon, soil nitrate nitrogen, soil pH, soil temperature, and fungal CFU/g were investigated from the two contrasting sites. The sites showed great variability in physical and chemical parameters including soil composition, temperature, pH, soil carbon, nitrogen content, water availability and enzyme activities. The population count of fungi was higher in sacred forest soil than degraded land of Cherrapunji. In both soil types, Penicillium perpurogenum markedly dominated and the co-dominant species (Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp. and Trichoderma sp.) were common in both virgin and degraded soils. A total of 63 species were identified during the study period. The species composition between the two sites showed some variation as Syncephalastrum sp., S. chartarum, Gliocladium sp., Eupenicillium osmophilum and Eurotium sp. were not present in Cherrapunji. The undisturbed sacred forest fungal communities had significantly higher Simpson, Shannon and evenness indices than that of degraded soil of Cherrapunji. The prolonged anthropogenic activity in the area leading to degradation coupled with heavy rainfall has decreased the diversity level of fungal communities and masked the pristine differentiating effect of soil on the fungal community.展开更多
文摘The present study describes the floristic composition and dominance pattern of sal forests in Ranchi,Jharkhand,eastern India.Vegetation was studied in 47 belt transects(509100 m)that had 137 plant species(110 identified and 27 unidentified)belonging to 51 families.The family Fabaceae with 17 species(8 spp.belonging to subfamily Faboideae,6 spp.to Caesalpinioideae and 3 spp.to Mimosoidieae)contributed the most to diversity,followed by Rubiaceae(8 spp.)and Euphorbiaceae(6 spp.).Tree density in sal was inversely related to species richness.Total tree density(C 10 cm GBH)in the studied forests was 397 individuals ha-1,with a basal cover of 262.50 m2 ha-1.Important plants of conservation concern are Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb,Andrographis paniculata(Burm.f.)Wall,Sterculiaurens Roxb.,Tinospora cordifolia(Willd.)Miers,and Asparagus densiflorus(Kunth)Jessop.Phanerophytes had the highest percentage(71%,with percentage deviation from normal life form of?25)followed by therophyte(15%,with percentage deviation?2).Observed percentage deviation from normal life form was much lower(with?2 percentage deviation)in both chamaephytes(8%)and therophytes(15%),suggesting that the studied sal forests are favorable for supporting various plants species.The forest management strategies should focus on the increasing demands for different timber and non-timber forest products to conserve the plant diversity of these natural forests.
文摘As part of a long time analysis to examine the ecological impacts of heavy rain coupled to soil degradation, soil fungal communities from two closely spaced sites bearing distinct ecology—one receiving heaviest rainfall but degraded patch on earth and the other pristine sacred grove forest were investigated over a period of three years. Cherrapunji besides being highest rainfall receiving area, is characterized by complete deforestation and soil erosion with sparse grasses forming the surface growth, whereas the sacred forests are conserved in their pristine nature due to religious beliefs of the indigenous tribes. The effect of deforestation and land degradation on soil microbes, soil organic carbon, soil nitrate nitrogen, soil pH, soil temperature, and fungal CFU/g were investigated from the two contrasting sites. The sites showed great variability in physical and chemical parameters including soil composition, temperature, pH, soil carbon, nitrogen content, water availability and enzyme activities. The population count of fungi was higher in sacred forest soil than degraded land of Cherrapunji. In both soil types, Penicillium perpurogenum markedly dominated and the co-dominant species (Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp. and Trichoderma sp.) were common in both virgin and degraded soils. A total of 63 species were identified during the study period. The species composition between the two sites showed some variation as Syncephalastrum sp., S. chartarum, Gliocladium sp., Eupenicillium osmophilum and Eurotium sp. were not present in Cherrapunji. The undisturbed sacred forest fungal communities had significantly higher Simpson, Shannon and evenness indices than that of degraded soil of Cherrapunji. The prolonged anthropogenic activity in the area leading to degradation coupled with heavy rainfall has decreased the diversity level of fungal communities and masked the pristine differentiating effect of soil on the fungal community.
