Plant Ecological Studies on Gavi Forests; an Unlogged Tropical Rain Forest Ecosystem, Southern Western Ghats of India

Analysis of vegetation of Goodrical Reserve forests shows that unlogged area harbours 65 arborescent species of 590 individuals /ha. On the other hand in logged area, number of species were 54 out of 579 individuals /ha. Simpson and Shannon Weiner indices of unlogged and logged area were H’- 3.08, CD-0.092 and H’- 3.60, CD-0.032 respectively. This study also shows that high endemism is seen in Goodrical R.F. and species like, Actinodaphne malabarica, Baccaurea courtallensis, Drypetes elata, Cullenia exarillata, Palaquium ellipticum etc. are quite common. Threatened species like, Anacolosa densiflora and Memecylon subramanii are not common in logged area and common in unlogged area. It is quite probable that these species have been extracted extensively during selection felling, till when the selection felling procedure was completely stopped in 1987, and that is why they are absent in logged area. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/apjeesd.v1i1.9505 Asia Pacific Journal of Environment Ecology and Sustainable Development 2013; 1: 15-21