Woody Species Composition and Phytosociological Characters of Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India
Pragya Dadhich1 and Poonam Jaiswal2*
1Research scholar, J.D.B. Government Girls College, University of Kota, Rajasthan, India
2Associate Professor, J.D.B. Government Girls College, University of Kota, Rajasthan, India
Submission: January 27, 2023;Published: March 28, 2023
*Corresponding author: Poonam Jaiswal, Associate Professor, J.D.B. Government Girls College, Kota, Rajasthan, India
How to cite this article: Pragya Dadhich and Poonam Jaiswal. Woody Species Composition and Phytosociological Characters of Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India. Ecol Conserv Sci. 2023; 2(3): 555589 DOI:10.19080/ECOA.2023.02.555589
Abstract
Ranthambhor tiger reserve is a milestone in conservation ecology as it is the first and the largest tiger reserve in Rajasthan in terms of tiger population as well as area. The research was conducted at 4 different sites in Sawai Mansingh sanctuary, an important part of the tiger reserve to delineate its tree diversity status. The sanctuary lies on the Kalibhat road at a distance of around 9 km from Sawai Madhopur district headquarters and covers a total area of 113.07 sq km. The study was conducted throughout the year, in every season, and data was collected from all possible habitats like plateaus, hills, hill slopes, valleys, ground, and river banks. For data collection quadrates of 100m×100m were drawn randomly at study sites within the sanctuary and the data was collected in form of a total number of families, individuals, and dbh. A total number of 19613 trees belonging to 42 tree species among 37 genera and 23 families were recorded during the study. Most of the tree species are thorny and show xerophytic characteristics. Anogeissus pendula Edgew was recorded as the most dominant species of the forest and Fabaceae was the most dominant family
Keywords: Dominant, Species, Importance Value Index, Tiger Reserve
Introduction
The biodiversity of forests generates a variety of resources that serves mankind for a time indefinite, by providing food, timber, construction and agricultural materials, medicine, and tourism [1] India’s forests were classified by Champion & Seth [2] into 5 major groups: Tropical forests, Montane Subtropical Forests, Montane wet tropical forests, Subalpine forests, and Alpine scrub. Due to variations in annual temperature, rainfall, and dry period among the forests they further divide forest types into 16 sub-types or groups [2]. They define forest type as a unit of vegetation with physiognomic and structural features so pronounced that it appears distinct from one another. The biodiversity of various ecosystems is not uniformly distributed across the globe [3]. Tropical and sub-tropical forests are known to have more than half of the world’s species by covering a mere land area of 7% [4] and tropical dry forests are almost 40% of the total tropical forests of the world [5]. Out of a total of 86% of India’s tropical forests, 54% is classified as dry deciduous and 37% as moist deciduous [6] [7]. The small-scale variations in environmental variables are what determine the distribution of woody species in dry deciduous forest groups and it results in patchiness in communities [8]; [9]; [10].
The Patchy distribution of tree assemblages is the cause of the uneven distribution of above-ground tree biomass, carbon density, and carbon accumulation in tropical dry forests [11]; [12]; [13]; [14]. The deciduous forests are believed to be poor in terms of species they harbor, but they have been present in form of a mosaic of communities with distinct species composition; each of these communities is distributed in non-contiguous patches resulting in enormous diversity [15]. Usually biogeography, habitat, and extent of disturbance play key roles in deciding the tree species diversity of a forest [16].
The population explosion while increasing our demands from different ecosystems also exerted a significant impact on diversity and all the ecosystems in all regions of the country but unfortunately, of all the ecosystems these forests are the most disturbed and least protected ecosystem of the world o [17]; and are disappearing at alarming rates, facing extreme deforestation and unsustainable exploitation [18]; [19]. In the past time, there has been remarkable habitat loss, forest fragmentation, and, changes in land use patterns all over the world. An increase in the number of patches formed due to forest fragmentation with a corresponding reduction in mean area and mean perimeter of patches during ten years in the Vindhyan dry tropical forest was observed by Jha and co-workers [20]. These forest fragments have the highest number of tree species. Maintenance and periodic assessment of various ecosystems and biodiversity are thus crucial for the longterm survival of human beings [21]; [22]. Diversity and stability of a community have proportional relations i.e., stability increases with diversity [23]. However, most of these forests are under great anthropogenic pressure and seeking careful management practices to maintain overall biodiversity and sustainability [24]. But it’s quite unfortunate that most of the tropical countries furnished with such huge biodiversity are economically weak, which results in major challenges for biodiversity conservation [25]. Information on species richness and composition of any area is vital because it helps in determining the importance of the region for conservation [23]. The main objective of this study is to reveal the overall status of species composition and structural diversity of trees in Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary. This research work intends to help different stockholders including policymakers, local government authorities, and tribal communities to take action in direction of conservation.
Study area
Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan owns the oldest and largest tiger reserve in Rajasthan, Ranthambhor Tiger reserves. It is situated in southeast Rajasthan where water is not the limiting factor. Ranthambhor tiger reserve includes 3 reserve forests viz. Ranthambhor national park, Kaila Devi sanctuary, and Sawai Mansingh sanctuary. The Ranthambhor tiger reserve of Rajasthan lies at an elevation of 215m (Bodal)-505m (Gazella peak) above sea level. It has an area of 1334 square km with 282 km of a core area. The reserve situated on the plateau lies between the hills of Vindhya and the Aravalli range. River Banas bounds it from the north and river Chambal from the south. The Ranthambhor tiger reserve represents an ecological island surrounded by farmlands and an overgrazed landscape, as the areas surrounding it have been completely deforested. It also provides an important wildlife passage between a chain of protected areas from the northeast i.e., Dholpur to the southwest i.e. Kota. Around 2 dozen villages have been relocated from the national park. Due to the tremendous anthropogenic pressure on the reserve, the buffer zone faces a great threat of degradation which is a serious concern for management. In the present research work, Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary has been selected as the study area. A survey of the overall reserve in 2007 reported 539 species of higher plants [26]. The present study focuses on vegetation characteristics of the Sawai Mansingh sanctuary (25°53’43” N, 76°20’34” W). It lies on the Kalibhat road at a distance of around 9 km from Sawai Madhopur district headquarters and covers a total area of 113.07 sq. km (Rajasthan Forest Department). The area is located in the conjunctional area of 2 major hill ranges of India i.e., Aravalli’s and Vindhyan ranges. The temperature ranges from 9°C (January) to 41°C (May), and it receives 653mm/25.7-inch average rainfall.
Water requirements of the sanctuary are fulfilled by the Devpura irrigation dam, Chambal and Chakal rivers, seasonal drains, and artificial water bodies constructed by the forest department. Its geographical location along with water efficiency flourish it with diverse life forms including many rare species of plants and animals. Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary is divided into 6 checkpoints viz. Neem chauki, Todra, Devpura, Aamli, Kalibhat, and Bodal. Out of 10 tourism zones of Ranthambhor tiger reserve, 4 zones (zone-7 to zone-10) lie in the sanctuary.
Materials and Methods
Data collection
Tree species were surveyed in the study area to evaluate structure, composition, and biodiversity status. Four sampling sites; Neem chauki range, Bodal range, Devpura range, and Kalibhat range were selected for the study. Sampling was done from July 2021-June 2022, and a total of 80 quadrates (20 at each site) of 100m ×100m were studied by random sampling method. In each plot, data was collected in terms of diameter at breast height (dbh, 1.3 meters above the ground), and all the species present within the plot were identified and recorded by local and scientific names. Plant samples of unidentified species were collected to identify with expert assistance.
Data Analysis
Different phytosociological attributes like relative species density, relative frequency, relative abundance, relative dominance, and importance value index (IVI) were calculated for each site.
Observation & Results
The study area represents tropical dry deciduous forests with the domination of thorny xerophytes. A total of 19613 trees belonging to 41 tree species among 39 genera and 23 families were enumerated. Most dominant species (in terms of IVI of the study area is Anogeissus pendula Edgew followed by Prosopis juliflora (L.) Druce, Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taubert, and Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Wild. While the least dominant species include Cytisus villosus Pourr., Madhuca longifolia (L.) J.F. Macbr, and Kigelia pinnata (Lam.) Benth. The high IVI of Anogeissus pendula Edgew species indicates its stability and adaptability to the present site. The first site selected is the range area of neem chauki, this area lies adjacent to the Sawai Madhopur city. The topographical features of this area range from planes to shallow valleys and plateaus. This area possesses 19 tree species belonging to 18 genera and 12 families. Anogeissus pendula Edgew is the most dominant species in the area with an IVI value of 108.13 followed by Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taubert (IVI = 42.76), and Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile (IVI= 24.86). The second site is Bodal range area, which is quite rich in water availability. The topographical range includes mostly grounds and plateaus. This area has 25 tree species belonging to 23 genera and 15 families. The most prominent species of this area is Anogeissus pendula Edgew with a 90.33 IVI value, followed by Prosopis juliflora (L.) Druce (IVI= 51.89), and Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Wild (IVI= 36.23). The third site is the Devpura range, through this area flows the Chakal river. This area also possesses the ecotourism site ‘Qualji’. Topography ranges from high hills to deep valleys, grounds, and plateaus. This area has 19 tree species, 18 genera, and 11 families. The most dominant species of the area is Anogeissus pendula Edgew (IVI= 138.35) followed by Prosopis juliflora (L.) Druce (IVI= 38.48) and Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taubert (IVI= 26.92). Forth site is Kalibhat range, with mostly plateaus and a little ground, and almost no valleys. This area possesses 35 tree species from 30 genera and 18 families. The most dominant species in the area is Anogeissus pendula Edgew (IVI= 124.12) followed by Prosopis juliflora (L.) Druce (IVI= 30.23) and Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taubert (IVI= 16.03).
The number of species in each family varied from 1- 14. Nearly 74 % of the families are monotypic i.e., are represented by a single species. Taxonomically family Fabaceae emerges as the most dominant family with 14 species, it accounts for 33.33% of the total tree species; followed by Moraceae (3 species), Myrtaceae (2 species), Rhamnaceae (2 species), Rubiaceae (2 species), Sapotaceae (2 species); and Combretaceae, Ebenaceae, Salvedoraceae, Balanitaceae, Steculiaceae, Arecaceae, Ulmaceae, Meliaceae, Burseraceae, Anarcardiaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Annonaceae, Simaroubaceae, Boraginaceae, Moringaceae, and Bignoniaceae with single species each. Figure 3 represents the pattern of distribution of species within a community which is expressed with the Dominance-Diversity curve.
Discussion
Tropical dry deciduous forests lying in Aravalli’s were identified as one of the world’s most threatened ecosystems [27] and are being converted into scrub and savanna in the upcoming future [28]. In the present study family Fabaceae is the dominant species in terms of species richness. Fabaceae holds an image of a successful family due to its flexibility to adjust to a variety of environmental stress conditions [29]. The dominance of the family Fabaceae is an adaptive feature in drier conditions [30], this fact was further proven by the dominance of thorny tree species. Family Fabaceae is the third largest group of plants, with 730 genera and 19,400 species worldwide [31]. Native plants of the family Fabaceae can serve as good pioneer species on degraded lands or in restoration projects [32]. It shows that in all the 4 sites, Anogeissus pendula Edgew has highest Importance value index. In Neem chauki, Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taubert rank second whereas in other 3 study sites, Bodal, Devpura and Kalibhat, Prosopis juliflora (L.) Druce rank second in IVI. In Neem chauki only two species Anogeissus pendula Edgew and Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taubert share almost 50% of the IVI and rest 50% is shared by 40 species.
IVI is used to determine the overall importance of each species in the community; i.e., the species with the highest IVI is considered dominant in the community [33,34]. IVI is also useful to compare the ecological significance of species [35] as it gives a more realistic figure of dominance from the structural point of view [36]. The high value of IVI indicates that Anogeissus pendula Edgew has a high sociological structure in the community. All 4 study sites Figure 2 show a similar pattern of dominance of species among the community, i.e., some species like Anogeissus pendula Edgew, Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taubert, Acacia leucophloea (Roxb.) Wild, Dichrostachys cineria (L.) Wight & Am. show the highest dominance and showing leading ecological significance. Prosopis juliflora (L.) Druce also show dominance in 3 study sites except for Neem ki Chauki while Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb. was absent from Devpura site and show negligible IVI in Bodal site. Some species have IVI values ranging from 20-40, the rest of the species have IVI less than 20, and most of these species show negligible IVI. This type of pattern signifies that though a community is rich in terms of diversity only a few species dominate the community and the rest of the species show no significant contribution to IVI.
Dominance-diversity relation is one of the few ways of representing the structure of a community at one point in space and time. It show the distribution of abundant plant species within a community [37], whether all species present in the community are about equally abundant, or whether some are more abundant than other. Steep fall in the curve proves that few dominant species represent the vegetation of the area. Of all the sites Kalibhat, Neem chauki and Devpura show a similar steep fall in the dominance- diversity curve. These areas are dominated by only 1 to 3 species, and other present species do not share the dominance. While in the case of Bodal a gradual fall is observed, although this site is also dominated by a few species others also have contributed to dominance. By studying the dominance-diversity curve and the number of species in Devpura and Neem chauki, it can be interpreted that these two sites are the most disturbed of all the 4 sites.
Conclusion
Sawai Mansingh wildlife Sanctuary of Rajasthan has 42 tree species among 37 genera and 23 families. The most frequent species in the forest region is Anogeissus pendula Edgew followed by Prosopis juliflora (L.) Druce while the family Fabaceae shows the highest species richness and highest contribution in an importance value index. It has also been observed that the peripheral or buffer area of the sanctuary is facing a vast amount of anthropogenic pressure; are dominated by invasive species like Prosopis juliflora (L.) Druce. Of all the 4 sites Neem Chauki and Devpura show maximum disturbance while Bodal shows minimum disturbance and the highest diversity of plant species. Thus, there is an urgent need to focus on the region and tighten the laws and regulations.
References
- Verma A (2020) Biodiversity: Its Different Levels and Values. International Journal on Environmental Sciences pp: 143-145.
- Champion HG, Seth S (2005) A revised survey of the forest types of India. Government of India.
- Barthlott W, Kier G, Mutke J (1999) Biodiversity - The Uneven Distribution of Treasure. NNA reports.
- May RM, Stumpf M (2000) Species- area relations in tropical forests. Science 290: 2084- 2086.
- Murphy PG, Lugo AE (1986) Structure and biomass of subtropical dry forest in Puerto Rico. Biotropica 18(2): 89-96.
- Kaul ON, Sharma D (1971) Forest Type Statistics. Indian Forester pp: 432- 436.
- Singh KP, Kushwaha C (2005) Emerging Paradigms of Tree Phenology in Dry Tropics. Current Science 89(6): 964- 975.
- Chaturvedi RK, Raghubanshi A, Singh J (2011a) Effect of small-scale variations in environmental factors on the distribution of woody species in tropical deciduous forests in Vindhyan Highlands. Journal of Botany p: 1-12.
- Chaturvedi RK, Raghubanshi A (2014) Species composition, distribution and diversity of woody species in tropical dry forest in India. Journal of Sustainable Forest 33(8): 729-756.
- Chaturvedi RK, Raghubanshi A (2015) Assessment of carbon density and accumulation in mono- and multi specific stands in tropical dry forests of India. Forest Ecology and Managment p: 11-21.
- Chaturvedi RK, Raghubanshi A, Singh J (2011b) Plants functional traits with particular reference to dry deciduous forests; a review. Journal of Biosciences 36(5): 963-981.
- Chaturvedi RK, Raghubanshi A, Singh J (2011c) Carbon density and accumulation in woody species of tropical dry forest in India . Forest Ecology and Management 262(8): 1576-1588.
- Chaturvedi RK, Raghubanshi A, Singh J (2012) Effect of grazing and harvesting on diversity recruitment and carbon accumulation of juvenile trees in tropical dry forests. Forest Ecology and Management 284(15): 152-162.
- Chaturvedi RK, Raghubanshi A, Singh J (2017) Sapling harvest: A predominant factor affecting future composition of tropical dry forest. Forest Ecology and Management pp: 221-235.
- Jha CS, Singh J (1990) Compostion and dynamics of dry tropical forest in relation to soil texture. Journal of vegetation science 1(5): 609-614.
- Whitmore TC (1998) An introduction to Tropical Rain Forests. Oxford University press, New York, USA.
- Murphy PG, Lugo AE (2003) Ecology of Tropical Dry Forest. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics p: 67-88.
- Hare MA, Lantagne D, Murphy P, Checo H (1997) Structure and Tree Species Composition in a Subtropical Dry Forest in the Dominican Republic: Comparison with a Dry Forest in Puerto Rico. Tropical Ecology p: 1-17.
- Raghubanshi AS, Tripathi A (2009) Effect of disturbance, habitat fragmentation, and alien invasive plants on floral diversity in dry tropical forests in Vindhyan Highlands: a review. Tropical Ecology 50(1): 57-69.
- Jha CS, Goparaju L, Tripathi A, Gharai B, Raghubanshi A, et al. (2005) Forest Fragmentation and its Impact on Species Diversity: an analysis using remote sensing and GIS. Biodiversity Conservation 14: 1681-1698.
- Malik ZA (2014) Physiological behavior, anthropogenic disturbance and regeneration status along an altitudinal gradient in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS) and its adjoining area. PhD thesis, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar Uttarakhand, India.
- Malik ZA, Chand D, Bhatt A (2014a) Community composition and tree population structure along a disturbance gradient in a protected area and its adjoining areas in Garhwal Himalaya, India. Change in cryosphere its impact on ecosystem services and rural livelihood: Understanding local adaptation in the Himalayan region (Tandup C,ed). University of Jammu, Bhaderwah, Doda, J&K, India pp: 297-312.
- Rahman MH, Khan MA, Roy B, Fardusi M (2011) Assessment of natural regeneration status and diversity of tree species in the biodiversity conservation areas of Northeastern Bangladesh. Journal of Forestry Research 22(4): 551-559.
- Kumar A, Marcot B, Saxena A (2006) Tree species diversity and distribution patterns in tropical forests of Garo hills. current science 91(10): 1370-1381.
- Teshager Z, Argaw M, Eshete A (2018) Woody species diversity, structure and regeneration status in Weiramba Forest of Amhara region, Ethopia: Implications of Managing Forests for Biodiversity Conservation. Journal of Natural Science Research p: 16-31.
- Gentry AH (1992) Tropical forest biodiversity: distributional pattern and their conservational significance. Oikos 63(1): 19-28.
- Sagar JS (2005) Structure diversity, and Regeneration of tropical dry deciduous forest of Northern India. Biodiversity and Conservation 14(4): 935-959.
- Singh V, Shrivastava A (2007) Biodiversity of Ranthambore tiger reserve, Rajasthan. Journal of economic and taxonomic botany.
- Rahman AM, Mia P (2014) Study of Medicinal uses on Fabaceae Family at Rajshahi, Bangladesh. Research in Plant Sciences 2(1): 6-8.
- Rundel RW (1989) Ecological Success in Relation to Plant form and Function in the Woody legumes. Advances in Legume Biology Monograph pp: 377-398.
- Givnish TJ (1978) On the adaptation significance of compound leaves: with particular reference to tropical rain trees. Tropical Trees as Living System pp: 351-380.
- Jaiswal P, Dadhich LK (2010) Floristic Inventory of the Protected Vegetation- Stands Amidst Stone Mining Areas of Ramganj Mandi, Kota, Rajasthan. International Referred Research Journal p: 12-18.
- Arshad M, Uddin S, Rao RA (2002) Phytosociological assessment of natural reserve of National Park Lalsuhanna, Punjab, Pakistan. Asian Journal of Plant Sciences 1(2): 174-175.
- Noraimy R, Norizah K, MI (2014) Examining the rate of vegetation diversity under abandoned skid trails in Peninsular Malaysia forest. Journal of agricultural and crop research 2(8): 165-172.
- Lamprecht H (1989) Silviculture in the Tropics. Tropical Forest ecosystems and their tree species-possibilities and methods for their long-term utilization. T2-verlagsgesellschaft Gmbbh, RoBdort.
- Curtis JT, McIntosh RP (1951) An upland continuum in the Prairie Forest Dorder Region of Wisconsin. Ecology 32: 476-496.
- Pielou EC (1966) The measurement of diversity in different types of biological collections. Journal of Theoretical Biology pp: 349-357.
- Champion HG, Seth S (1968) A revised survey of the forest types of India. Government of India publications.