Assessment of tree diversity in tropical moist deciduous forest of Mizoram University, Northeast India
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Abstract
Forests are the main repository of biodiversity and play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of nature. The status of species diversity reflects the health of the ecosystem. Therefore, the information on variation in the flora, for example, species composition, diversity and the basal area within any ecosystem like the forest of Mizoram University campus, Tanhril village, Aizawl would be important in understanding the forest wealth of the campus. Keeping in view, the study was analyzed the composition and diversity of Mizoram University campus by laying 16 (10 m ×10 m) quadrats at random locations during 2015-2016. A total of 35 tree species belonging to 30 genera and 22 families were recorded in the forest communities of University Campus. Aporusa octandra was the most dominant tree species with maximum 31.50 importance value index (IVI), 3.29 Shannon diversity index (H0) and 6972 Simpson’s index (D) followed by Castanopsis tribuloides (28 IVI, 0.22 H0 and 5256 D) and least dominant species recorded were: Albizia odoratissima, Anogeissus acuminate, Lithocarpus elegans, Oroxylum indicum. This study suggests that the forest patches are recovering after the establishment of the University because of adequate protection which was degraded in the past by the villager for collecting the trees for firewood, edible wild food and selecting the mature trees for felling. Therefore, further studies on regeneration potential of tree species would be crucial for the conservation of ecologically important species and to assess rates of their recovery following the disturbance.
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Keywords
Euphorbiaceae, Lauraceae, Mizoram, Tree diversity, Tropical moist deciduous forest
References
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Curtis, J. T. & McIntosh, R. P. (1950). The interrelations of certain analytic and synthetic phytosociological characters. Ecology, 31: 434-455.
Deb, P. & Sundriyal, R. C. (2011). Vegetation dynamics of an old-growth lowland tropical rainforest in North-east India: species composition and stand heterogeneity. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 3: 405-430.
Devi, N. L., Singha, D. & Tripathi, S. K. (2018). Tree Species Composition and Diversity in Tropical Moist Forests of Mizoram, Northeast India. Indian Journal of Ecology, 45(3): 454-461.
Hansen, M. C., Potapov, P. V., Moore, R., Hancher, M., Turubanova, S. A., Tyukavina, A., Thau, D., Stehman, S. V., Goetz, S. J. & Townshend, J. R. G. (2013). High-resolution global maps of 21st-century forest cover change. Science, 342: 851-853.
Haridasan, K. & Rao, P. R. (1985). Forest Flora of Meghalaya. Vol. 1 and 2. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun.
Keenan, R., Reams, G., Achard, F., Freitas, J., Grainger, A. & Lindquist, E. (2015). Dynamics of global forest area: results from the FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015. Forest Ecology and Management, 352: 9-20.
Kumar, J. I. N., Kumar, R. N., Bhoi, R. K. & Sajish, P. R. (2010). Tree species diversity and soil nutrient status in three sites of tropical dry deciduous forest of western India. Tropical Ecology, 51: 273-279.
Kushwaha, S. P. S. & Nandy, S. (2012). Species diversity and community structure in sal (Shorea robusta) forests of two different rainfall regimes in West Bengal, India. Biodiversity and Conservation, 21, 1215-1228.
Lalnunzira, C. & Tripathi, S. K. (2018). Leaf and root production, decomposition and fluxes of carbon and nitrogen during stand development in tropical moist forests, northeast India. Soil Research, 56, 306-317.
Lalchhuanawma, (2008). Ecological studies on plant diversity and productivity of herbaceous species in Mizoram university campus at Tanhril, Aizawl, Mizoram (N.E. India). PhD Thesis, Mizoram University, Aizawl.
Lewis, S. L., Edwards, D. P., Galbraith, D. (2015). Increasing human dominance of tropical forests. Science, 349, 827-832.
Lynser, M. B. & Tiwari, B. K. (2015). Tree Diversity, Population Structure and Utilization in Traditionally Managed Sub-Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests of Meghalaya, North East India. International Research Journal of Environment Sciences, 4, 1-5.
Macarthur, R. H. (1955). Fluctuation of animal population, and a measure of community stability. Ecology, 36, 533-536.
Mishra, R. (1968). Ecology Work Book. Oxford and IBM publishing Co. Calcutta, 244.
Muller-Dombios, D. J. & Ellenberg, H. (1974). Aims and Methods in Vegetation Ecology. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Naidu, M. T., Premavani, D., Suthari, S. & Venkaiah, M. (2018). Assessment of tree diversity in tropical deciduous forests of North-central Eastern Ghats, India, Geology Ecology and Landscape, 2, 216-227.
Panda, P. C., Mahapatra, A. K., Acharya, P. K. & Debata, A. K. (2013). Plant diversity in tropical deciduous forests of Eastern Ghats, India: A landscape level assessment. International Journal of Biodiversity Conservation, 5: 625-639.
Parthasarathy, N. & Karthikeyan, R. (1997). Plant biodiversity inventory and conservation of two tropical dry evergreen forests on the Coromandel Coast, south India. Biodiversity and Conservation, 6,1063-1083.
Phillips, E. A. (1959). Methods of Vegetation Study. Henery Holt and Co., Inc.
Pragasan, L. A. & Parthasarathy, N. (2010). Landscape-level tree diversity assessment in tropical forests of southern Eastern Ghats, India. Flora – Morphol, Distri, Funct. Ecology of Plant, 205, 728-737.
Rasingam, L. & Parthasarathy N. (2009). Tree species diversity and population structure across major forest formations and disturbance categories in Little Andaman Island, India. Tropical Ecology, 50, 89-102.
Roy, A., S. K. Tripathi & Basu, S.K. (2004). Formulating diversity vector for ecosystem comparison. Ecology Model, 179(4), 499-513.
Sarkar, M. & Devi, A. (2014). Assessment of diversity, population structure and regeneration status of tree species in Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, Northeast India. Tropical Plant Research, 1, 26-36.
Sathish, B. N., Viswanath, S., Kushalappa, C. G., Jagadish, M. R. & Ganeshaiah, K. N. (2013). Comparative assessment of floristic structure, diversity and regeneration status of tropical rain forests of Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. Journal of Applied & Natural Science, 5, 157-164.
Sawmliana, M. (2013). The book of Mizoram plants. Published by P. Zakhuma, Aizawl, Mizoram.
Singh, Sh. B., Mishra, B. P. & Tripathi, S. K. (2015). Recovery of plant diversity and soil nutrients during stand development in subtropical forests of Mizoram. Northeast India. Biodiversitas, 16 (2), 205-212.
Singha, D. & Tripathi, S. K. (2017). Variations in fine root growth during age chronosequence of moist tropical forest following shifting cultivation in Mizoram, northeast India. Tropical Ecology, 58, 1- 11.
Suthari, S. (2013). Biodiversity characterization and aboveground vegetation carbon pool assessment in Northern Telangana at landscape level using geospatial technique (Ph.D. Thesis). Department of Botany, Kakatiya University, Warangal.
Swamy, P. S., Sundarapandian, S. M., Chandrasekar, P. & Chandrasekaran, S. (2000). Plant species diversity and tree population structure of a humid tropical forest in Tamil Nadu, India. Biodiversity and Conservation, 9, 1643-1669.
Tripathi, S. K., Vanlalfakawma, D. C. & Lalnunmawia, F. (2017). Shifting cultivation on steep slopes of Mizoram, India: Impact of policy reforms. In: Cairns M. (Ed.) Shifting Cultivation Policies: Balancing Environmental and Social Sustainability, CABI Publishing, London, pp. 1076.
Tynsong, H. & Tiwari, B. K. (2010). Diversity of plant species in are canutagro forest of south Meghalaya, north-east India. Journal Forest Research, 21, 281-286.
Tynsong, H. & Tiwari, B. K. (2011). Diversity and population characteristics of woody species in natural forests and arecanut agro-forests of south Meghalaya, northeast India. Tropical Ecology, 52, 243-252.
Vishalakshi, N. (1995). Vegetation analysis of two tropical dry evergreen forests in southern India. Tropical Ecology, 36, 117-127.
Wapongnungsang, Hauchhum, R. & Tripathi, S. K. (2017). Litter Decomposition Vis-a-Vis Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics of Tephrosia candida Components in Different Fallow Periods Following Shifting Cultivation in Mizoram. Indian Journal of Ecology, 44(4), 791-796.
Wapongnungsang & Tripathi, S. K. (2018). Fine root growth and soil nutrient dynamics during shifting cultivation in tropical semi-evergreen forests of northeast India. Journal of Environmental Biology, 40, 45-52.
Baishya, R., Barik, S. K. & Upadhaya, K. (2009). Distribution pattern of aboveground biomass in natural and plantation forests of humid tropics in northeast India. Tropical Ecology, 50: 295-304.
Curtis, J. T. & McIntosh, R. P. (1950). The interrelations of certain analytic and synthetic phytosociological characters. Ecology, 31: 434-455.
Deb, P. & Sundriyal, R. C. (2011). Vegetation dynamics of an old-growth lowland tropical rainforest in North-east India: species composition and stand heterogeneity. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 3: 405-430.
Devi, N. L., Singha, D. & Tripathi, S. K. (2018). Tree Species Composition and Diversity in Tropical Moist Forests of Mizoram, Northeast India. Indian Journal of Ecology, 45(3): 454-461.
Hansen, M. C., Potapov, P. V., Moore, R., Hancher, M., Turubanova, S. A., Tyukavina, A., Thau, D., Stehman, S. V., Goetz, S. J. & Townshend, J. R. G. (2013). High-resolution global maps of 21st-century forest cover change. Science, 342: 851-853.
Haridasan, K. & Rao, P. R. (1985). Forest Flora of Meghalaya. Vol. 1 and 2. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun.
Keenan, R., Reams, G., Achard, F., Freitas, J., Grainger, A. & Lindquist, E. (2015). Dynamics of global forest area: results from the FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015. Forest Ecology and Management, 352: 9-20.
Kumar, J. I. N., Kumar, R. N., Bhoi, R. K. & Sajish, P. R. (2010). Tree species diversity and soil nutrient status in three sites of tropical dry deciduous forest of western India. Tropical Ecology, 51: 273-279.
Kushwaha, S. P. S. & Nandy, S. (2012). Species diversity and community structure in sal (Shorea robusta) forests of two different rainfall regimes in West Bengal, India. Biodiversity and Conservation, 21, 1215-1228.
Lalnunzira, C. & Tripathi, S. K. (2018). Leaf and root production, decomposition and fluxes of carbon and nitrogen during stand development in tropical moist forests, northeast India. Soil Research, 56, 306-317.
Lalchhuanawma, (2008). Ecological studies on plant diversity and productivity of herbaceous species in Mizoram university campus at Tanhril, Aizawl, Mizoram (N.E. India). PhD Thesis, Mizoram University, Aizawl.
Lewis, S. L., Edwards, D. P., Galbraith, D. (2015). Increasing human dominance of tropical forests. Science, 349, 827-832.
Lynser, M. B. & Tiwari, B. K. (2015). Tree Diversity, Population Structure and Utilization in Traditionally Managed Sub-Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests of Meghalaya, North East India. International Research Journal of Environment Sciences, 4, 1-5.
Macarthur, R. H. (1955). Fluctuation of animal population, and a measure of community stability. Ecology, 36, 533-536.
Mishra, R. (1968). Ecology Work Book. Oxford and IBM publishing Co. Calcutta, 244.
Muller-Dombios, D. J. & Ellenberg, H. (1974). Aims and Methods in Vegetation Ecology. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Naidu, M. T., Premavani, D., Suthari, S. & Venkaiah, M. (2018). Assessment of tree diversity in tropical deciduous forests of North-central Eastern Ghats, India, Geology Ecology and Landscape, 2, 216-227.
Panda, P. C., Mahapatra, A. K., Acharya, P. K. & Debata, A. K. (2013). Plant diversity in tropical deciduous forests of Eastern Ghats, India: A landscape level assessment. International Journal of Biodiversity Conservation, 5: 625-639.
Parthasarathy, N. & Karthikeyan, R. (1997). Plant biodiversity inventory and conservation of two tropical dry evergreen forests on the Coromandel Coast, south India. Biodiversity and Conservation, 6,1063-1083.
Phillips, E. A. (1959). Methods of Vegetation Study. Henery Holt and Co., Inc.
Pragasan, L. A. & Parthasarathy, N. (2010). Landscape-level tree diversity assessment in tropical forests of southern Eastern Ghats, India. Flora – Morphol, Distri, Funct. Ecology of Plant, 205, 728-737.
Rasingam, L. & Parthasarathy N. (2009). Tree species diversity and population structure across major forest formations and disturbance categories in Little Andaman Island, India. Tropical Ecology, 50, 89-102.
Roy, A., S. K. Tripathi & Basu, S.K. (2004). Formulating diversity vector for ecosystem comparison. Ecology Model, 179(4), 499-513.
Sarkar, M. & Devi, A. (2014). Assessment of diversity, population structure and regeneration status of tree species in Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, Northeast India. Tropical Plant Research, 1, 26-36.
Sathish, B. N., Viswanath, S., Kushalappa, C. G., Jagadish, M. R. & Ganeshaiah, K. N. (2013). Comparative assessment of floristic structure, diversity and regeneration status of tropical rain forests of Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. Journal of Applied & Natural Science, 5, 157-164.
Sawmliana, M. (2013). The book of Mizoram plants. Published by P. Zakhuma, Aizawl, Mizoram.
Singh, Sh. B., Mishra, B. P. & Tripathi, S. K. (2015). Recovery of plant diversity and soil nutrients during stand development in subtropical forests of Mizoram. Northeast India. Biodiversitas, 16 (2), 205-212.
Singha, D. & Tripathi, S. K. (2017). Variations in fine root growth during age chronosequence of moist tropical forest following shifting cultivation in Mizoram, northeast India. Tropical Ecology, 58, 1- 11.
Suthari, S. (2013). Biodiversity characterization and aboveground vegetation carbon pool assessment in Northern Telangana at landscape level using geospatial technique (Ph.D. Thesis). Department of Botany, Kakatiya University, Warangal.
Swamy, P. S., Sundarapandian, S. M., Chandrasekar, P. & Chandrasekaran, S. (2000). Plant species diversity and tree population structure of a humid tropical forest in Tamil Nadu, India. Biodiversity and Conservation, 9, 1643-1669.
Tripathi, S. K., Vanlalfakawma, D. C. & Lalnunmawia, F. (2017). Shifting cultivation on steep slopes of Mizoram, India: Impact of policy reforms. In: Cairns M. (Ed.) Shifting Cultivation Policies: Balancing Environmental and Social Sustainability, CABI Publishing, London, pp. 1076.
Tynsong, H. & Tiwari, B. K. (2010). Diversity of plant species in are canutagro forest of south Meghalaya, north-east India. Journal Forest Research, 21, 281-286.
Tynsong, H. & Tiwari, B. K. (2011). Diversity and population characteristics of woody species in natural forests and arecanut agro-forests of south Meghalaya, northeast India. Tropical Ecology, 52, 243-252.
Vishalakshi, N. (1995). Vegetation analysis of two tropical dry evergreen forests in southern India. Tropical Ecology, 36, 117-127.
Wapongnungsang, Hauchhum, R. & Tripathi, S. K. (2017). Litter Decomposition Vis-a-Vis Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics of Tephrosia candida Components in Different Fallow Periods Following Shifting Cultivation in Mizoram. Indian Journal of Ecology, 44(4), 791-796.
Wapongnungsang & Tripathi, S. K. (2018). Fine root growth and soil nutrient dynamics during shifting cultivation in tropical semi-evergreen forests of northeast India. Journal of Environmental Biology, 40, 45-52.
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How to Cite
Assessment of tree diversity in tropical moist deciduous forest of Mizoram University, Northeast India. (2021). Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 13(1), 95-100. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v13i1.2436
