| Anthropogenic Pressure on Structure and Composition of a Shola Forest in Kerala, India |
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| 作者姓名： | U.M. Chandrashekara P.K. Muraleedharan V. Sibichan |
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| 作者单位： | Kerala Forest Research Institute Sub Centre，Kerala Forest Research Institute，Kerala Forest Research Institute Nilambur Chandakunnu-679342 Kerala，Peechi-680653 Kerala India，Peechi-680653 Kerala India |
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| 摘 要： | Introduction Tropical region is endowed with a vast tract of diverse vegetation (Gentry 1992). Among different types of forests, the montane forests, due to their unique features including rich biodiversity andprominent ecological services, have always attracted biologists, bio-geographers, ecologists and forest managers (Doumenge et al. 1995). In India, montane forests covering 7.9 % of total forest area occur in the Himalayan, northeastern and southern parts of the country (Lal 1989). In s…
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| 文章编号： | 1679-6316（2006）01-0058-13 |
| 收稿时间： | 2005-12-12 |
| 修稿时间： | 2006-01-20 |
Anthropogenic pressure on structure and composition of a shola forest in Kerala, India |
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| U.M. Chandrashekara P.K. Muraleedharan V. Sibichan.Anthropogenic Pressure on Structure and Composition of a Shola Forest in Kerala, India[J].Journal of Mountain Science,2006,3(1):58-70. |
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| Authors: | U M Chandrashekara P K Muraleedharan V Sibichan |
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| Institution: | (1) Kerala Forest Research Institute Sub Centre, Nilambur, Chandakunnu, 679342, Kerala;(2) Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, 680653, Kerala, India |
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| Abstract: | The montane closed evergreen forests found at altitudes above 1,800 m in the Western Ghats of India possess a distinct vegetation type and are called shola forests. Despite the fact that these forests are located in relatively inaccessible areas, they are still under anthropogenic pressure leading to continued habitat degradation and loss of biomass and biodiversity. A case study was conducted in Mananvan shola, the largest shola forest in Kerala of Western Ghats, to recognize the impact of disturbance on vegetation structure, composition and regeneration pattern, to identify the socio-economic reasons for disturbance and to evolve strategies for its management. In the disturbed part of the forest, dominance of light demanding species in tree, shrub and herb communities has been recorded. Here even the dominance of exotic species in tree seedling, shrub and herb communities is prominent. Skewed girth class distribution of tree community with poor representation by the individuals of girth class 30.1 to 90.0 cm, is also an indication of the collection of small wood and poles from the forest. The RISQ (Ramakrishnan Index of Stand Quality) in the disturbed area of the forest is above 2.0 as against near to 1.0 in relatively undisturbed forest standssuggesting that the disturbance is intensive and thus natural recovery process would be slow. Socio- economic analysis in villages located near the shola forest revealed the fact that the people depended heavily on this forest for their livelihood. Thus, the crux and the success of future management and conservation strategy depend on how one can reduce the dependency of people on the shola vegetation. Enrichment planting in disturbed parts of shola, enhancement of firewood by raising energy plantations, as well as development of lemongrass and firewood based agroforestry systems and reduction of grazing pressure by developing silvopastoral systems are the major strategies for the conservation of these shola forests. |
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| Keywords: | Anthropogenic disturbance montane forest shola forest species composition western ghats of India |
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