Effect of Forest Fires on the Ground Vegetation of a Moist Deciduous Sal (<I>Shorea robusta</I>) forest

Abstract

Vast tracts of forests are destroyed every year due to forest fires in India. Fire not only eliminates the regeneration of important tree species, but also causes serious damage to the site conditions, habitat of wildlife and thus to overall ecological structure of the forest. In this paper, studies made to find out the detrimental effects of fire on the ground vegetation in the West Dehra Dun Forest Division are described. The studies were carried out in the burnt and adjacent unburnt area of natural Sal forest of Asarori Range, Chandrabani Block -I. Relative frequency, relative density and relative dominance and Importance Value Index (Ivl) of different forest tree species as well as of ground vegetation were determined. The studies reveal tbat the regeneration of Sal and its associates such as Mallotus philippensis is considerably reduced and species such as Bauhinia variegala, Bombax ceiba, Pterospermum acerifolium and Melia azadirachta etc. were completely eliminated. The herbs and shrubs, however, showed increase in the relative frequency, relative density and relative dominance in burnt area. Some species like Flemingia pulchella, Phyllanthus urinaria, Bauhinia vahlii, Tylophora species etc. which are eaten by wild animals have shown increase in burnt site and this can be used as management tool in National parks and Sancturies for Range Management in Wildlife.