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Plant Diversity Patterns and Tree Population Structure in Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests in Semiarid region of North Western India

Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Botany, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra-136119, Haryana, India
  • 2Department of Botany, PG SD College Panipat, Haryana, India
  • 3Department of Botany, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra-136119, Haryana, India

Int. Res. J. Biological Sci., Volume 5, Issue (4), Pages 19-31, April,10 (2016)

Abstract

This paper analyzed plant diversity patterns and tree population structure in tropical dry deciduous forests in the Reserved Bir forest (located at Hisar 29º 10\'N longitude and 75º 44\'E latitude at an altitude of 240 m above mean sea level) and the Protected forest at Jind (290 17’42” N latitude and 760 17’16” longitude at 210 m above sea level). The climate of the study area is semi-arid and tropical. The mixed dry deciduous forest at Jind was dominated by Dalbergia sissoo (IVI= 167.90) and co-dominated by Azadirachta indica (IVI= 31.58), whereas at Bir forest, Hisar was dominated by Salvadora oleoides (IVI= 122.06) and co-dominated by Prosopis juliflora (IVI=109.46). A total of 87 species of plants (trees, shrubs, climbers and herbs) belonging to 29 families were recorded in the two forests. Population structure of dominant tree species showed that most of the individual were in intermediate girth classes ranging from 30 to 60 cm and 61 to 90cm, and lower number of seedlings and saplings. The Shannon’s diversity index of trees for the two forests was 1.286 to 1.40. The Pielou’s Index of equitability varied from 0.639 to 0.801. Most of herbaceous species showed a contagious distribution (A/F ratio ranged from 0.059 to 0.516) because of patchy growth of plants. The Simpson’s index of diversity for herbaceous plants was 0.023 to 0.135. There was appreciable diversity of the herbaceous plants in the forests.

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