Forest Biology Tree Improvement
Forest Biology Tree Improvement
Forest Biology Tree Improvement
Wild edible fruits are one of the important plant resources helps in providing food
supplements in the diet to the rural community. Kodagu district is having many such wild
edible fruit trees which fulfil the needs of the local people. Therefore, the present study was
carried out to know the ethnobotanical knowledge, diversity, population structure and
regeneration status of wild edible fruit tree species in different land scapes of moist deciduous
forests of Virajpet taluk, Kodagu. Semi structured questionnaire was used for ethnobotanical
survey of wild edible fruits. A total 41 wild edible plants were documented of which, 24
species were fruits followed by leaves (11), tubers (4) and bark (2).The population structure of
wild edible fruits was assessed by following simple random sampling technique. Belt transacts
of 100 m×5 m were laid in natural forest and sacred groves and 50m X 10m plots were laid in
coffee based agroforestry system. All trees ≥30 cm gbh in the main plots were enumerated.
Species richness and diversity was more in sacred groves compared to natural forest and
coffee based agroforestry system. There was significant difference in mean density and mean
basal area wild edible fruit species and associated species in natural forest and coffee based
agroforestry system. The regeneration of both wild edible and associated species was more in
regeneration class I and class II and followed an inverse ‘J’ shaped pattern indicating healthy
regeneration in deciduous forest.Grewia teliaefolia and Terminaliabelerica were dominant
wild edible fruit species and Terminalia alata and Lagerstroemia microcarpa were found to
be the dominant associated species. The study gives an understanding of the diversity, pattern
of population and regeneration of the tree species of deciduous forest of Kodagu which will
help in conservation and management of the species.
BHAVYA C. K.
ABSTRACT
In tropical landscapes conversion of natural forest for non-forest use due to agricultural
intensification is identified as the most prominent drivers of land use change and biodiversity
loss. Studies in tropics suggests that agroforestry systems are among the most promising land
use for achieving both conservation goals and supporting rural livelihoods at landscape level.
Coffee agroforest are one such example of agroforestry systems, managed with traditional
management practices. Kodagu district in the Western Ghats, is the largest shade coffee
growing region in the country hosting rich biodiversity. In the recent days, the density and
diversity of the shade cover in the coffee agroforest are in a continuous change due to land
tenure system as well as increase coffee production. With the base line data from Coffee
Agro-Forestry Network, the study was conducted in four villages namely, Arekad, Hachinad,
Yeduru and Byrambada. Similar sampling procedure and observations were recorded as of
base line data. Results revealed that the Grevillea robusta remained as the dominant tree
species in the coffee agroforest with an increasing importance value index from 36.05 in 2008
to 53.29 in 2017. Existence of significant difference for the tree density was evident in the
present study which showed decreasing trend from 2008 (420±349 number of stems ha -1) to
2017 (274±82 number of stems ha -1). In contrast, basal area was found to be increased from
2008 (27.62±11.27 m2ha-1) to 2017(30.31±11.03m2ha-1) which was not statistically significant.
Compared with, tenure system unredeem land has more no of stems ha -1compared with
redeem land. Similarly in different size classes of coffee agroforest,significant changes in tree
density and diversity among plantations belonging to all size classes.
(SURAJ, R.H)
ABSTRACT
An investigation on “Diversity and ethnobotanical knowledge of fern flora in sacred
groves’’ was carried out in Virajpet taluk, Kodagu during 2019-2020. The study was carried
out to know the diversity, ethnobotanical knowledge and combined conservation value of wild
fern species in different sacred groves of Virajpet taluk, Kodagu. The population structure of
wild ferns was assessed by stratified random sampling technique. Fern diversity status, species
richness, dominance and abundance were assessed by adopting Shannon and Simpson
diversity indices. The Density, frequency, IVI was calculated by using appropriate methods.
Species richness and diversity were more in the sacred groves of semi evergreen vegetation
compared to that of moist deciduous vegetation. Among the sacred groves, species diversity
was more in KakkottuAyyappa sacred grove of Maggula village. Maximum frequency, density
and Important Value Index was recorded in Tectaria paradoxa. A semi structured
questionnaire was used for the ethnobotanical survey of wild ferns. Totally, 36 fern species
were documented, of which nine species were used for medicine followed by edible (8),
ornamental (4). Mainly Drynariaquercifolia is used for curing jaundice, asthma, dysentery,
throat infection and ear bleeding. Nephrolepis exalatata, Nephrolepis undulata and
Parahemionitis cordata were used for ornamental purposes. 96 percent of the respondents
were using Diplazium esculentum as vegetable. Combined Conservation Value (CCV) was
calculated for different vegetation types and sacred groves. Conservation status of fern was
assessed with their medicinal, endemic and threat values. Among the vegetation types
considered, semi evergreen vegetation showed a higher CCV (89.43%) than the moist
deciduous (42.76%) indicating that semi evergreen vegetation was found to be maximum
number of medicinal, endemic and threatened ferns. Among the sacred groves, Bhagavathi,
UttaratAiyappa and BhattamakkiAyyappa showed higher CCV (38.33%) indicating the
presence of medicinal, threatened and endemic ferns in these sacred groves. The study gives
an understanding of the diversity and ethnobotanical knowledge of the fern species in sacred
groves which would help in conservation and management of the species.