Plant species Diversity of Woody Species in Community Forest of East Khasi Hills District Meghalaya, North East India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2025/v151i2/170402Keywords:
Tree diversity, Population structure, Community forest, Meghalaya.Abstract
Woody species diversity and community characteristics of community forest were investigated in East Khasi Hills District Meghalaya, North Eastern India. A total of 144 species were recorded belonging to 94 genera and 58 families in the four community forests. The Shannon-Wiener Index (H') of the tree species in the four forest stands ranged from 1.59 to 3.48, Simpson's dominance index from 0.02 to 0.07, evenness index from 0.80 to 0.89 and Margalef index ranges from 4 to 10. The density of woody species ranged from 788 to 1624 trees ha-1. The dominant families includes Lauraceae with 17 species, Fagaceae with 11 species and Moraceae with 11 species. The study provides significant insights into the species variety and community structure of trees that are present in the community forest which is essential for effective management and preservation of the forests.
References
Adekunle V.A.J., Olagoke A.O. and Akindele S.O. (2013). Tree species diversity and structure of a Nigerian strict nature reserve. Tropical Ecology, 54(3): 275–289.
Ayyappan N. and Parthasarathy N. (1999). Biodiversity inventory of trees in a large-scale permanent plot of tropical evergreen forest at Varagaliar, Anamalais, Western Ghats, India. Biodiversity and Conservation, 8: 1533-1554. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008940803073
Balakrishnan N.P. (1981-1983). Flora of Jowai. 2 Vols. BSI, Hawrah.
Champion H.G. and Seth S.K. (1968). A Revised Survey of the Forest Types of India. New Delhi: Manager of Publications, New Delhi.
Dutta G. and Devi A. (2013). Plant diversity and community structure in tropical moist deciduous sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) forest of Assam, northeast India Environmental and Applied Bioresearch Plant diversity and community structure in tropical moist deciduous sal (Shorea robusta. Journal of Environmental and Applied Bioresearch, 1(3): 1–4.
Forest Survey of India. (2021). India State of Forest Report 2021: Chapter 2, 17th edition (pp. 15–60).
Ganguli, S., Gupta, H., and Bhattacharya, K. (2016). Vegetation structure and species diversity in Garhjungle sacred forest, West Bengal, India. International Journal of Environmental and Agriculture Research (IJOEAR) ISSN, 2(9): 72–79.
Government of Meghalaya (2008-2009). State development report, Planning department, Shillong.
Haridasan K. and Rao R.R. (1985-1987). Forest Flora of Meghalaya. 2 vols. Bishen Singh, Mahandrapal Singh. Dehradun, India.
Iangrai L., Wahlang R. and Chaturvedi S.S. (2023). Quantitative analysis of medicinal plants used by traditional healers of the Khasi tribe in East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, India. Journal of Non-Timber Forest Products, 30(2): 83–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps2000-2023-8JS7MN
Jain S.K. and Rao R.R. (1977). A Handbook of Field and Herbarium Methods. Today & Tomorrow’s Printers and Publishers, New Delhi.
Kanjilal V.N., Kanjilal P.C., Das A., De R.N. and Born N.L. (19341940). Flora of Assam. 5 Vols. Govern- ment Press, Shillong.
Kumar N.J.I., Kumar R.N., Bhoi R.K. and 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(2): 273–279.
Lynser M.B. and Tiwari B.K. (2015). Tree Diversity, Population Structure and Utilization in Traditionally Managed Sub-Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests of Meghalaya, North East India. Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association, 4(12): 69.
Magurran A. (1988). Ecological Diversity and its Measurement. Princeton University Press, New Jersey. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-7358-0
Malik A., Hussain M.A., Iqbal K. and Bhatt A.B. (2014). Species Richness and diversity Along The Disturbance Gradient In Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary And Its Adjoining Areas In Garhwal Himalaya , India. International Journal of Current Research, 6(12): 10918–10926.
Malik Z.A. and Bhatt A.B. (2015). Phytosociological Analysis of Woody Species in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and Its Adjoining Areas in Western Himalaya, India. Journal of Forest and Environmental Science, 31(3): 149–163. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7747/JFES.2015.31.3.149
Mir A.H., Upadhay K., Roy D.K., Deori C. and Singh B. (2019). A comprehensive checklist of endemic flora of Meghalaya, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 11(12): 14527–14561. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.4605.11.12.14527-14561
Mishra A.K., Behera S.K., Singh K., Mishra R.M., Chaudhary L.B. and Singh B. (2013). Influence of abiotic factors on community structure of understory vegetation in moist deciduous forests of north India. Forest Science and Practice, 15(4): 261-273. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11632-013-0415-3
Mishra B.P., Tripathi O.P. and Laloo R.C. (2005). Community characteristics of a climax subtropical humid forest of Meghalaya and population structure of ten important tree species. Tropical Ecology, 46(2): 241–251.
Misra R. (1968). Ecology Work Book. Oxford-IBH Publishing Company, Calcutta.
Muller Dombois D. and Ellenberg H. (1974). Aims and Methods of Vegetation Analysis. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Naidu M.T. and Kumar O.A. (2016). Tree diversity, stand structure, and community composition of tropical forests in Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, India. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity, 9(3): 328–334. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2016.03.019
Pielou E.C. (1975). Ecological Diversity. John Wiley and Sons Inc. New York.
Rai P.K. and Lalramnghinglova H. (2011). Ethnomedicinal Plants of India with Special Reference to an Indo-Burma Hotspot Region: An overview. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 9: 379–420. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17348/era.9.0.379-420
Sahu S.C., Dhal N.K. and Mohanty R.C. (2012). Tree species diversity, distribution and population structure in a tropical dry deciduous forest of Malyagiri hill ranges, Eastern Ghats, India. Tropical Ecology, 53(2): 163–168.
Sharma N. and Kant S. (2014). Vegetation structure, floristic composition and species diversity of woody plant communities in sub-tropical Kandi Siwaliks of Jammu, J and K, India. International Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 3(4): 382. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14419/ijbas.v3i4.3323
Shukla G. and Chakravarty S. (2014). Plant diversity at Chilapatta Reserve Forest of Terai Duars in sub-humid tropical foothills of Indian Eastern Himalayas. Journal of Forestry Research. 23(4): 609-613. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-012-0301-1
Singh S.S., Malik Z.A. and Sharma C.M. (2016). Tree species richness, diversity, and regeneration status in different oak (Quercus spp.) dominated forests of Garhwal Himalaya, India. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity, 9(3): 293-300. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2016.06.002
Sorenson T. (1948). A method of establishing groups of equal amplitude in a plant based on similarity of species content. Dent Kong Dansk Vindensk. (Copenhegen). 5: 1 34.
Tripathi A.K. and Shankar U. (2014). Patterns of species dominance, diversity and dispersion in ‘Khasi hill sal’ forest ecosystem in northeast India. Forest Ecosystems, 1(1): 23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-014-0023-2
Tynsong H., Dkhar M. and Tiwari B.K. (2022). Tree diversity and vegetation structure of the tropical evergreen forests of the southern slopes of Meghalaya, North East India. Asian Journal of Forestry, 6(1): 22-36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13057/asianjfor/r060104
Upadhaya K., Pandey H.N., Law P.S. and Tripathi R.S. (2004). Diversity and population characteristics of woody species in subtropical humid forests exposed to cultural disturbances in Meghalaya, Northeast, India. Tropical Ecology, 45(2): 303–314
Wapongnungsang, Ovung E.Y. and Tripathi S.K. (2021). Assessment of tree diversity in tropical moist deciduous forest of Mizoram University, Northeast India. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 13(1): 95–100. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v13i1.2436
Whitford P.B. (1949). Distribution of woodland plants in relation to succession and clonal growth. Ecology, 30(2): 199-208. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1931186
Whittaker R.H. (1972). Evolution and measurement of species diversity. Taxon., 21(2/3): 213-251. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1218190
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Unless otherwise stated, copyright or similar rights in all materials presented on the site, including graphical images, are owned by Indian Forester.