Threatened Tree Species of the Western Ghats: Status, Diversity and Conservation

Rooting trials conducted with stem cuttings and air layering in Syzygium caryophyllatum (L.) Alston, an important medicinal and fruit plant gave promising results after treatment with auxins such as IAA, IBA and NAA in different concentrations. Both stem cuttings and air layering from 10 year old plants have resulted a maximum rooting of 80% and 70% respectively through the application of IBA-1000ppm, in their natural habitats. The plants developed from stem cuttings and air layering was also survived with 90% success. Thus the standardized clonal propagation method in S. caryophyllatum through stem cutting and air layering reported for the first time can be taken as an ideal tool for the multiplication and subsequent resource base utilization of the species since the populations are prone to endangerment in its habitats.

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Syzygium anamalaianum (Myrtaceae), a new tree species from the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.450.2.9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 450 (2) ◽

pp. 237-242

Author(s):

RAJU RAMASUBBU ◽

ANJANA SURENDRAN ◽

KARUPPA SAMY KASI

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Tree Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Tamil Nadu ◽

Tiger Reserve ◽

The Western Ghats ◽

A New Species

Syzygium anamalaianum, a new species from Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India is described. This species is closely allied to Syzygium bharathii and S.caryophyllatum, but differs from it by having thick elliptic or ovate–lanceolate leaves with deeply grooved midrib, 4–angled prominently winged peduncle, smaller flower, funnel or pyriform hypanthium, inwardly curved stamens of varying lengths and obovate or subglobular seeds. This combination of characters makes determining the relationships of Syzygium anamalaianum difficult.

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New tree species described from the Western Ghats, India

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605316000892 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 582-582

Author(s):

Navendu Page

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

The Western Ghats

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Discovery of Two Critically Endangered Tree Species and Issues Related to Relic Forests of the Western Ghats

The Open Conservation Biology Journal ◽

10.2174/1874839200802010001 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

D. K. Mesta ◽

T. V. Ramachandra ◽

M. D. Subash Chandran ◽

G. R. Rao ◽

Sameer Ali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Critically Endangered ◽

Endangered Tree ◽

Endangered Tree Species ◽

The Western Ghats

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Opportunities and challenges in using remote sensing for identifying grassland restoration sites and invasive tree species management in a global biodiversity hotspot

10.1101/2020.07.24.219535 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

M. Arasumani ◽

Milind Bunyan ◽

V. V. Robin

Keyword(s):

Endemic Species ◽

Tree Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Fire Frequency ◽

Annual Runoff ◽

Grassland Restoration ◽

Eucalyptus Species ◽

Exotic Trees ◽

Exotic Tree ◽

The Western Ghats

ABSTRACTTropical montane grasslands (TMG) support biodiverse and endemic taxa and provide vital ecosystems services to downstream communities. Yet invasive alien tree species across the world have threatened tropical grasslands and grassland endemic species. In India, TMG in the Shola Sky Islands of the Western Ghats have been reduced due to exotic tree invasions (acacias, pines, and eucalyptus species). The loss of grassland habitat has, in turn, reduced the range sizes of species endemic to grasslands (plants, birds, amphibians, and mammals), driving some populations to local extinction. Grassland conversion to exotic trees has also reduced the annual runoff in the Western Ghats. Conserving existing grassland and restoring invaded habitat is critical to reverse these losses. This research focused on identifying grassland restoration sites using satellite images with a high spatial resolution (RapidEye). We used an object-oriented Random Forest classification to map the area for grassland restoration. We have identified an area of 254 sq. km. as suitable for grassland restoration and an area of 362 sq. km. for grassland conservation and prevention from invasion by exotic tree species. For restoration, we recommend a cautious removal of young and isolated exotic trees at the invasion front and restoring grasslands, instead of removing dense stands of mature exotic trees. We find that areas with low fire frequency areas tend to be invaded, but areas invaded by exotic trees tend to burn hotter which may be harmful to grassland species and ecosystems. We assume that removing exotic tree species in the identified restoration sites and restoring the grassland will be helpful in recovering lost habitat and ensuring the viability of populations of indigenous and endemic species and increasing streamflow.

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Records of the Palni Hills Rudraksha Tree Elaeocarpus blascoi (Oxalidales Elaeocarpaceae) in Palni Hills, Tamil Nadu, India

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.3083.9.8.10623-10625 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 10623 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Robert Stewart ◽

Tanya Balcar

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Tree Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Tamil Nadu ◽

Partial Information ◽

Mature Tree ◽

The Past ◽

The Western Ghats

Elaeocarpus blascoi is an endemic tree species reported only from the Palni Hills in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu. It was described from one tree in 1972, and was thought to be extinct till 1999. We had germinated an unidentified plant species in 1990, and this was later identified in 2001 as E. blascoi upon discovery of a mature tree in Vattakanal shola. We describe here the discovery of the mature tree and two of our plantings that have survived over the past 20 years. Our discovery and plantings have been written about in other publications but with partial information. In this note we list out all our experience with this species to provide clarity.

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Persistent Effects of Historical Selective Logging on a Vascular Epiphyte Assemblage in the Forest Canopy of the Western Ghats, India

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change ◽

10.3389/ffgc.2021.727422 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

Author(s):

K. S. Seshadri ◽

R. Ganesan ◽

Soubadra M. Devy

Keyword(s):

Tree Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Forest Canopy ◽

Selective Logging ◽

Host Tree ◽

Vascular Epiphytes ◽

Host Tree Species ◽

Logged Forest ◽

The Western Ghats ◽

Vascular Epiphyte

Forest canopies have been dubbed the last biological frontier and continue to remain underexplored. Vascular epiphytes form a rich assemblage of plants within the forest canopy and apart from sustaining diverse taxa, they also fulfill critical ecological functions. Vascular epiphytes are particularly sensitive to perturbations of microclimate and microhabitat within the canopy, especially from anthropogenic changes such as logging. The forests of the megadiverse Western Ghats in India harbor a rich assemblage of vascular epiphytes, but their ecology has not been examined systematically. We compared the diversity, abundance, and composition of a vascular epiphyte assemblage between an unlogged and a historically selectively logged forest in the southern Western Ghats, India, and identified factors affecting the epiphyte assemblage. Canopies of 100 trees each in selectively logged and unlogged forests were accessed using the single-rope technique. We found 20 species of vascular epiphytes with the assemblage dominated by members of Orchidaceae. The diversity and abundance of epiphytes were significantly greater in the selectively logged forest. One host tree, Cullenia exarillata, supported the greatest number of epiphytes in both forest stands. The niche widths of epiphyte species, computed with host tree species as a resource, were similar between the two stands but a greater number of species pairs overlapped in the selectively logged forest. Overall, epiphyte abundance was negatively associated with unlogged forests. Host tree species, tree height, and presence of moss on branches were positively associated with the abundance of epiphytes. Despite being ecologically important, no study has thus far examined the impact of selective logging on the epiphyte assemblage in the Western Ghats. Our findings contribute to the knowledge of vascular epiphytes from South and Southeast Asia and set the stage for future research and conservation.

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