Research Article | Published: 01 December 1998

Vegetation characteristics of southern secondary moist mixed deciduous forests of Agasthyamalai region of Kerala

A. O. Varghese and A. R. R. Menon

Indian Journal of Forestry | Volume: 21 | Issue: 4 | Page No. 337-344 | 1998
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-1998-LFF0RA | Cite this article

Abstract

Vegetation characteristics of Southern secondary moist mixed deciduous forest in the Agasthyamalai part of Kerala was assessed by random sampling through census quadrat method. Twelve localities were selected from Peppara W.L.S., Neyyar W.L.S. and Agasthyavanam Biological Park; 0.1 ha area were sampled from each locality totalling 1.2 ha. A total of 694 individuals (<15 cm GBH) belonging to 49 species and spreading over 29 families was recorded. Stand density, species density and basal area were 535 trees/ha, 12 species per 0.1 ha and 26.57/ha respectively. Plant diversity shows species richness of 2.81, concentration of dominance of 0.15, diversity 1.89 and evenness 0.73. The dominant association of this study area is Terminalia paniculata, Pterocarpus marsupium and Careya arborea. Among the three protected areas studied, Peppara W.L.S. shows comparatively higher stand density, basal area cover, species richness, diversity and evenness but compared to the other regions of the Western Ghats, the Agasthyamalai part shows lower values for basal area, species diversity and evenness.

Keywords

Access Options

250/-

Buy Full Access in HTML Format

Instant access to the full article.

Get access to the full version of this article. Buy Full Access in HTML Format

References

1. Champion, H.G. and Seth, S.K. (1968). A Revised Survey of the Forest Types of India. Manager of Publications, New Delhi, 404 p.

Google Scholar

2. Margaleff, D.R. (1958). Information theory in Ecology. Yearbook of the society for general systems research, 3: 36-71.

3. Menon, A.R.R. (1997). Vegetation analysis and mapping of Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary. KFRI Research Report (in press).

Google Scholar

4. Mueller-Dombois, D. and Ellenberg, H. (1974). Aims and Methods of Plant Ecology. John Wiley and Sons, New York, 547 p.

Google Scholar

5. Pichi-Sermolli, R. (1948). An index for establishing the degree of maturity in plant communities. J. Ecol., 36: 85-90.  https://doi.org/10.2307/2256647

Google Scholar

6. Pileou, E.C. (1975). Ecological Diversity. John Wiley and Sons, New York, 165 p.

7. Robert, L. (1994). Ecology and Field Biology. 2nd ed. 850 pp.

8. Roy, P.S., Singh, Sarnam and Porwal, M.C. (1993). Characterisation of Ecological parameters in Tropical forest community: A Remote sensing approach. Jour. Indian Soc. Remote Sensing, 21 (3): 127-149.  https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02992109

Google Scholar

9. Sanal, M.G. (1997). Problems and prospects of biodiversity conservation and management in some forest areas of the Kerala, Western Ghats. Ph. D. Thesis submitted to F.R.I. University, Dehra Dun. 179 p.

10. Sankar, S. and Sanal, M.G. (1997). Ecological and Environmental assessment of Forest Cover of Kerala with special reference to soil, vegetation and Wildlife. KFRI Research Report. Peechi.

Google Scholar

11. Shannon, C.E. and Wiener, W. (1949). The mathematical theory of communication. Urbana, Univ. Illinois Press. 117 p.

Google Scholar

12. Simpson, E.H. (1949). Measurement of Diversity. Nature, 163-688.  https://doi.org/10.1038/163688a0

Google Scholar

13. Suraj, M.A. (1997). Phytosociological and vegetation mapping of Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary using remote sensing techniques. Ph. D. Thesis submitted to F.R.I., Dehra Dun, 150 p.

Google Scholar

14. Varghese, A.O. (1997). Ecological studies of the forest of Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) using remote sensing techniques. Ph D. Thesis submitted to F.R.I., Dehra Dun, 286 p.

Google Scholar

15. Varghese, A.O., Menon, A.R.R., Suraj, M.A. and Pradeepkumar, M. (1997). Phytosociology and vegetation mapping of Agasthyavanam Biological Park. Geocarta Internat., Hongkong (In press).

About this article

How to cite

Varghese, A.O. and Menon, A.R.R., 1998. Vegetation characteristics of southern secondary moist mixed deciduous forests of Agasthyamalai region of Kerala. Indian Journal of Forestry, 21(4), pp.337-344. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-1998-LFF0RA

Publication History

Manuscript Published on 01 December 1998

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: