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<p>Disturbance can have both positive and negative effects on tree diversity of the forest ecosystem, with its nature, frequency and the intensity critically influencing the outcome. Variation in species diversity and composition in forest ecosystem is linked to anthropogenic disturbance. The present study investigated tree diversity, composition, and regeneration patterns along disturbance gradients in the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary of the Western Ghats, India. A total of 30 plots of 0.1 hectare were laid in the forest across three disturbance zones viz., undisturbed (UD), mildly disturbed (MD), and highly disturbed (HD). A total of 146 species in 105 Genera, and 46 Families were recorded in the present study. A total of 85, 82, and 75 tree species were found in UD, MD and HD zones respectively. The Shannon-Wiener index (H) for tree diversity was 3.94, 3.88, and 3.06 in UD, MD, and HD zones respectively and the Simpson dominance index (D) was 0.04, 0.07 and 0.15 in UD, MD, and HD zones respectively. Species-individuals rarefaction curves and species-area curves also revealed highest species heterogeneity in the UD zone compared to the others. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) plot revealed that the HD community differed from the UD and MD communities, which were more similar to each other. The Sorensen index of similarity between mature trees and regenerating species is highest in HD zone (56.36%), intermediate in MD zone (53.45%) and lowest in UD zone (51.24%). Our results also reveal that MD zone supports the highest tree species richness in the regeneration phase, encompassing both saplings and seedlings. To sustain biodiversity and forest structure, management strategies should focus on minimizing anthropogenic disturbance, restoring degraded sites and maintaining forest largely undisturbed.</p>

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Tree diversity, composition, and regeneration status along disturbance gradients in tropical forests of southern Western Ghats, India

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月14日

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  • Jabir Athamanakath,
  • Shijo Joy,
  • Abin Varghese,
  • Babu Padmakumar,
  • Madhuraj Palat Kannankai,
  • Joby Paul,
  • V. P. Sylas

摘要

Disturbance can have both positive and negative effects on tree diversity of the forest ecosystem, with its nature, frequency and the intensity critically influencing the outcome. Variation in species diversity and composition in forest ecosystem is linked to anthropogenic disturbance. The present study investigated tree diversity, composition, and regeneration patterns along disturbance gradients in the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary of the Western Ghats, India. A total of 30 plots of 0.1 hectare were laid in the forest across three disturbance zones viz., undisturbed (UD), mildly disturbed (MD), and highly disturbed (HD). A total of 146 species in 105 Genera, and 46 Families were recorded in the present study. A total of 85, 82, and 75 tree species were found in UD, MD and HD zones respectively. The Shannon-Wiener index (H) for tree diversity was 3.94, 3.88, and 3.06 in UD, MD, and HD zones respectively and the Simpson dominance index (D) was 0.04, 0.07 and 0.15 in UD, MD, and HD zones respectively. Species-individuals rarefaction curves and species-area curves also revealed highest species heterogeneity in the UD zone compared to the others. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) plot revealed that the HD community differed from the UD and MD communities, which were more similar to each other. The Sorensen index of similarity between mature trees and regenerating species is highest in HD zone (56.36%), intermediate in MD zone (53.45%) and lowest in UD zone (51.24%). Our results also reveal that MD zone supports the highest tree species richness in the regeneration phase, encompassing both saplings and seedlings. To sustain biodiversity and forest structure, management strategies should focus on minimizing anthropogenic disturbance, restoring degraded sites and maintaining forest largely undisturbed.