Phytosociology of the Tree Community of Gandhamardan Hill Ranges

Abstract

Phytosociological study of the tree community was carried out in tropical dry deciduous forest of Gandhamardan hill ranges belonging to Eastern Ghats at Harishankar of Bolangir district, Orissa, India. Twenty five quadrates of 20×20m size (Area=10000m²=1ha) were laid in the lOOha protected forest (N = 20° 51' 027", E = 82° 51' 59.2") of Harishankar complex along GPS locations covering its whole geography. Tree (GBH≥ 15cm) stand density was 743ha^-1. A total of thirty two tree species were found which includes 30 genera and 20 families. Top five species holding highest IVI value are Shorea robusta Gaertn.f, Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb, Haldinia cordifolia (Roxb.) Ridsdak. Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. and Anogeissus latifolia (Roxb.ex DOWall.ex Guill. & Perr. Eight species are randomly distributed and twenty four are contiguously distributed while none of them showed regular in distribution. All individuals of tree species have been grouped into 20 girth classes. The Shannon-Wiener (H') diversity index of studied site is 1.35 with Simpson's value 0.921.This study reveals prevalent clumping nature of the tree community in the natural forest of Gandhamardan hill ranges.