Ethnobotanical Leaflets 12: 499-505. 2008.
Plant
Inventory in Disturbed and Undisturbed Sites of Pachakumachi
Hill (Highwavys Mountains), Cumbum Valley, Western Ghats, Theni
District, Tamil Nadu, India
Jegan, G., ** and Muthuchelian, K.*
Centre for Biodiversity
and Forest studies, Department of Bioenergy
School of Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University
Madurai � 625 021, Tamil Nadu, India
*Corresponding Author: drchelian1960@yahoo.co.in
**First Author: jeganmku@yahoo.co.in
Issued 13 July 2008
Abstract
����������� Disturbances play an important role in the
determination of species diversity. As an exception, undisturbed areas
(VS) possess lower number of species compared to disturbed areas (TS). The
richness of family is not affected by disturbance. The number of individuals
decreases from undisturbed to disturbed sholas. Lauraceae is the abundant family not respect to the
disturbances.
Key Words: Disturbance, Lauraceae, sholas, Western Ghats.
Introduction
����������� Tropical forests occupy ca. 7% of the earth�s area
(Myers 1984). In India, they occupy ca. 84% of the total forest cover (637293
Km2) which is 19.39% of the total geographical area.
Tropical evergreen forests face a serious threat, both natural as well as
anthropogenic. Due to the disturbances many species have become endangered.
This implies a poor regeneration potential of the tree species. Thus, the
need to set priorities for conservation of tree diversity has become
inevitable. Identification of conservation areas ideally requires exhaustive
knowledge of species and ecosystem diversity and distribution (Menon et al. 2001). Primary forests of Asia,
particularly those of the Western
Ghats
and the Eastern Ghats of
peninsular India are disappearing at an alarming rate due to
anthropogenic activities and are replaced by forests comprising inferior
species or their land use pattern changed (Parthasarathy
1999). Many of the quantitative plant biodiversity inventories have been
conducted in species rich forests and data on species- poor forests are
inadequate (Johnston and Gillman, 1992). Disturbance is one of the major
factors to influence the distribution pattern of biodiversity (Ma 1995).
Quantitative plant biodiversity inventories of Indian tropical forests are available
from various forests of Western Ghats (Sukumar et al. 1992; Ganesh et
al. 1996; Pascal and Pelissier 1996; Ghate et al. 1998; Parthasarathy
1999; Parthasarathy and Karthikeyan
1997a; Ayyapan and Parthasarathy
1999). But there were no quantitative plant biodiversity inventories on
forests of Pachakumachi hills. The disappearance of
tropical forests comes at a time when our knowledge on their structure and
dynamics is woefully inadequate (Hubbell and Foster 1992).
Materials and Methods:
Study Site:
����������� This study was carried out in Pachakumachi
hill. The four sites were 7km away from each other. Krishkad
Shola (KS), Thundu Shola (TS), Vattaparai Shola (VS) and Manalar Shola (MS) were the sites selected for our study. The
study sites were situated in Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India lies between 9� 35� to 9� 45� N latitude and
77� 15� to 77� 27� E at an altitude of .1700 m. The annual rainfall of Pachakumachi hill was 2700 mm. The high temperature was
noted in the month June (31.C and lower temperature in January (18. C). The
humidity was 95%. The dominant fauna found in Pachakumachi
were elephant, tiger, wild dog, bison and deer.
Field Methods
����������� Our plot 0.2 ha (100x 20 m) of largely mature phase
forest was investigated in each of the four �shola�
forest sites. The plots were permanently marked and each subdivided into
twenty 10x 10 m quadrats to facilitate quantitative
biodiversity inventory. All trees with = 30 cm GBH were taken into account
their girth was measured at 1.3 m. All trees were identified from their
vegetative and reproductive features with the help of regional flora of
Gamble and Fischer (1915- 1938) and the field key of Pascal and Ramesh (1987). The diversity indices were calculated by
using Biodiversity Pro Beta version (Mc Aleece
1997).
Results
Species Richness and Diversity
����������� The diversity was present in the following order;
KS> VS>TS>MS (Table 1). In the total 0.8 ha of study plot, 50 tree
species were found. The number of species was high in KS, and lower number of
species was marked in MS. The number of individuals was more in KS (556) and
less number of individuals in MS (262) (Table 2).
Family Diversity
����������� Lauraceae was the largest
family in all four sites. They were represented by large number of genera and
species. Many families were represented by only one genus and one species,
among them Verbenaceae was found in lesser number
(9 individuals) (Table 3).
Discussion
����������� The results of our study go hand in hand with other
studies from India on disturbance. The disturbed area has a low number of
species and a low number of individuals. But VS (undisturbed) has low number
of species when compared to TS (disturbed). But VS is supported by diversity
indices. Our results also go hand in hand with the results of Chittibabu & Parthasarathy
(2000).
Table1. Diversity indices of four
sites of Pachakumachi hills.
Variables
|
KS
|
TS
|
VS
|
MS
|
Shannon
|
2.55
|
2.44
|
2.52
|
2.26
|
Simpson
|
0.066
|
0.028
|
0.041
|
0.042
|
Alpha
|
11.71
|
37.59
|
16.99
|
13.48
|
Berker
|
0.18
|
0.14
|
0.13
|
0.23
|
Hill H0
|
14.05
|
12.25
|
13.6
|
11
|
Hill H1
|
52.22
|
50.01
|
56.66
|
37.73
|
Hill H2
|
0.0022
|
0.0082
|
0.0042
|
0.002
|
Margaleff
|
11.92
|
12.20
|
9.81
|
9.53
|
Mackintosh Distance (U)
|
0.93
|
0.93
|
0.90
|
1.55
|
Mackintosh Diversity (D)
|
1.19
|
1.2631
|
1.22
|
1.19
|
Mackintosh Evenness (E)
|
1.14
|
1.13
|
1.16
|
1.12
|
Table 2. Population density of tree species � 30
cm GBH encountered in each 0.2 ha plot of sites KS, TS, VS and MS and in
total 0.8 ha of tropical evergreen forest in Pachakumachi
Hill.
S. No.
|
Species
|
KS
|
TS
|
VS
|
MS
|
-
|
Nothopegia
vajarvelui Ravikumar
and Lakshmanan.
|
8
|
|
|
11
|
-
|
N. beddomei
Gamble.
|
12
|
9
|
13
|
|
-
|
Miliusa
wightiana Hook f.
|
23
|
10
|
17
|
11
|
-
|
S. racemosa
Harms.
|
21
|
9
|
10
|
9
|
-
|
Bhesa indica (Bedd) Ding.Hou
|
20
|
9
|
25
|
5
|
-
|
V. monosis
C.B.Clarke.
|
6
|
9
|
20
|
7
|
-
|
V. travancorica
Hook.f
|
21
|
10
|
18
|
8
|
-
|
Diospyros
angustifolia (Miq) Loesterm.
|
18
|
6
|
18
|
7
|
-
|
Cullenia
exarillata A. Robyns.
|
40
|
7
|
|
|
-
|
D. ovalifolia
Wight.
|
17
|
7
|
22
|
27
|
-
|
Elaeocarpus
munronii (Wt.) Masters.
|
6
|
|
13
|
6
|
-
|
E. serratus
Linn.
|
|
6
|
20
|
6
|
-
|
Agrostistachys
meeboldii Pax &
Hoffm.
|
|
7
|
17
|
6
|
-
|
Croton lacciferus
Linn
|
6
|
6
|
9
|
5
|
-
|
Glochidion
malabaricum Bedd.
|
5
|
6
|
14
|
8
|
-
|
Mallotus
albus Muell.
|
8
|
9
|
|
7
|
-
|
M. tetracoccus
(Roxb) Kurz.
|
16
|
8
|
12
|
9
|
-
|
Flacourtia
montana
Graham.
|
56
|
7
|
13
|
|
-
|
Mesua
ferrea Linn
|
35
|
14
|
15
|
15
|
-
|
Actinodaphne
bourdillonii Gamble.
|
8
|
9
|
14
|
9
|
-
|
Alseodaphne
semecarpifolia Nees
|
|
|
17
|
10
|
-
|
Cinnamomum malabatrum (Burm.f.) Berchrh & Presl.
|
8
|
8
|
13
|
|
-
|
C. zeylanicum
Blume.
|
14
|
9
|
|
10
|
-
|
Litsea
oleoides (Meisner)
Hook. f
|
4
|
7
|
17
|
11
|
-
|
Neolitsea
scrobiculata (Meisner)
Gamble.
|
3
|
7
|
4
|
11
|
-
|
Persea
macrantha (Nees) Kosterm.
|
7
|
|
|
9
|
-
|
Phoebe wightii
Meisner.
|
2
|
9
|
9
|
8
|
-
|
Michelia
nilagirica Zenk.
|
|
8
|
|
12
|
-
|
Trichilia
connaroides (Wt & Arn)
Benth.
|
19
|
|
9
|
|
-
|
Ficus
tomentosa Roxb.
|
11
|
11
|
|
|
-
|
F. retusa
Linn.
|
9
|
10
|
9
|
|
-
|
Myristica
dactyloides Gaerbn.
|
8
|
14
|
|
8
|
-
|
Ardisia
blatteri Gamble
|
10
|
|
16
|
|
-
|
Syzygium
myhenrae Gamble.
|
10
|
7
|
|
|
-
|
S. sriganesanii
Ravikumar and Lakshmanan.
|
4
|
|
|
|
-
|
S. tamilnadensis
Radhakrishnan and Chitra
|
12
|
|
10
|
|
-
|
S. zeylanicum
(L) Dc. var megamalayanum
Ravikumar and Lakshmanan
|
3
|
8
|
|
11
|
-
|
Ochna obtusata Dc. var obtusata
|
7
|
|
6
|
|
-
|
Chionanthus
ramiflora Roxb.
|
8
|
|
4
|
|
-
|
Ligustrum roxburgii C.B. Clarke
|
14
|
12
|
|
|
-
|
Pygeum
wightianum Bl.
|
11
|
|
|
|
-
|
Canthium
neilgherrense Wt.
|
|
|
10
|
|
-
|
Clausena
indica Oliver
|
10
|
|
|
|
-
|
Meliosma
simplicifolia (R) Walp.
|
|
13
|
|
7
|
-
|
Turpinia
malabarica Gamble
|
|
10
|
|
|
-
|
Symplocos
cochinchinesis (Lour) Moore
|
6
|
12
|
|
|
-
|
Gordonia
obtusa Wall.
|
|
|
13
|
|
-
|
Celtis
tetrandra Roxb.
|
50
|
|
25
|
|
-
|
Debregeasia
longifolia (Burn.f)
Weed
|
|
10
|
|
|
-
|
Callicarpa
tomentosa (L) Murray
|
|
|
|
9
|
Table 3. Genus, species and density of four sites.
Species
|
KS
|
TS
|
VS
|
MS
|
G
|
S
|
Density
|
G
|
S
|
Density
|
G
|
S
|
Density
|
G
|
S
|
Density
|
Anacardiaceae
|
1
|
2
|
20
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
1
|
1
|
13
|
1
|
1
|
11
|
Annonaceae
|
1
|
1
|
23
|
1
|
1
|
10
|
1
|
1
|
17
|
1
|
1
|
11
|
Araliaceae
|
1
|
1
|
21
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
1
|
1
|
10
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
Asteraceae
|
1
|
2
|
27
|
1
|
2
|
19
|
1
|
2
|
38
|
1
|
2
|
15
|
Bombacaceae
|
1
|
1
|
40
|
1
|
1
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Celasteraceae
|
1
|
1
|
20
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
1
|
1
|
25
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
Ebenaceae
|
1
|
2
|
35
|
1
|
2
|
13
|
1
|
2
|
40
|
1
|
6
|
34
|
Elaeocarpaceae
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
1
|
2
|
33
|
1
|
2
|
12
|
Euphorbiaceae
|
3
|
4
|
35
|
4
|
5
|
36
|
4
|
4
|
52
|
4
|
5
|
35
|
Flacourtiaceae
|
1
|
1
|
56
|
1
|
1
|
7
|
1
|
1
|
13
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Guttiferae
|
1
|
1
|
35
|
1
|
1
|
14
|
1
|
1
|
15
|
1
|
1
|
15
|
Lauraceae
|
6
|
7
|
46
|
5
|
6
|
49
|
6
|
6
|
74
|
7
|
7
|
68
|
Magnoliaceae
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
12
|
Meliaceae
|
1
|
1
|
19
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Moraceae
|
1
|
2
|
20
|
1
|
2
|
21
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Myristicaceae
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
1
|
1
|
14
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
Myrsinaceae
|
1
|
1
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
16
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Myrtaceae
|
1
|
4
|
29
|
1
|
2
|
15
|
1
|
1
|
10
|
1
|
1
|
11
|
Ochnaceae
|
1
|
1
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Oleaceae
|
2
|
2
|
22
|
1
|
1
|
12
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Rosaceae
|
1
|
1
|
11
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Rubiaceae
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Rutaceae
|
1
|
1
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Sabiaceae
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
13
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
7
|
Staphylocaceae
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Symplocaceae
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
12
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Ternstromaceae
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
13
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Ulmaceae
|
1
|
1
|
50
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
25
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Uriticaceae
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Verbenaceae
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
Total
|
31
|
40
|
556
|
28
|
34
|
303
|
28
|
31
|
432
|
24
|
28
|
262
|
Acknowledgements
���������� We thank UGC for their
financial support of this project. We also thank Selvam
for his help during the field study. Our sincere thanks to Tamil Nadu Forest Department for their permission.
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