What determines vegetation on rock outcrops of the Western Ghats: the macro-environment or lithotype?

The Western Ghats represents a small part of the Deccan Traps continental flood basalt province that erupted about 65 million years ago. It is an area of outstanding scenic beauty and has attracted the attention of geologists, naturalists and geomorphologists for over a century. One of the unique habitats in the Western Ghats are the rocky plateaus. Previous studies have covered plant species composition, geological and geomorphological status of the rocky plateaus. An analytical study of microhabitats and associated therophytes of four rocky plateau sites was conducted. The study sites were Durgawadi Plateau, Naneghat Plateau which are basalt outcrops and Zenda plateau and Amba Plateau, which are laterite outcrops on the escarpment of the northern Western Ghats. The results revealed a correlation between basalt and lateritic rock outcrops as well as ephemeral plant elements. All four outcrops are similar in their nutrient status but the microhabitats of these plateaus are extremely different from each other.

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Climbing Behavior in the Checkered Keelback or Asiatic Water Snake Xenochrophis piscator (Schneider, 1799) (Colubridae: Natricinae) in the Western Ghats, India

Russian Journal of Herpetology ◽

10.30906/1026-2296-2019-24-1-73-74 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 73

Author(s):

Pushkar Umesh Phansalkar ◽

Gaurang Girish Gowande

Keyword(s):

Western Ghats ◽

Climbing Behavior ◽

Water Snake ◽

The Western Ghats

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History, Biogeography, Biodiversity and Bioprospecting: Scenario from the Western Ghats

South Indian Journal of Biological Sciences ◽

10.22205/sijbs/2016/v2/i2/100320 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 292 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Giby Kuriakose ◽

Jis Sebastian

Keyword(s):

Western Ghats ◽

The Western Ghats

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New locality records and call description of the Resplendent Shrub Frog Raorchestes resplendens (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Western Ghats, India

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.5994.12.11.16502-16509 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 16502-16509

Author(s):

Sandeep Das ◽

K.P. Rajkumar ◽

K.A. Sreejith ◽

M. Royaltata ◽

P.S. Easa

Keyword(s):

Endangered Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Small Area ◽

Grassland Ecosystem ◽

Critically Endangered Species ◽

Controlled Burning ◽

New Locations ◽

Southern Western Ghats ◽

First Time ◽

The Western Ghats

Abstract: The Resplendent Shrub Frog, Raorchestes resplendens Biju, Shouche, Dubois, Dutta, & Bossuyt, 2010 is a Critically Endangered species endemic to the Western Ghats and was considered to be restricted to a three-square kilometer patch atop Anamudi summit. In this study, we report 36 new locations of the species from the Anamalai massif of the southern Western Ghats. Niche-based prediction modelling suggests that the species is restricted to Anamalai massif. The call description of this frog is also provided for the first time. The preferred microhabitat of the frog is Chrysopogon grass clumps in the marshy/swampy montane grassland ecosystem. Restricted to a small area with controlled burning management practiced in its habitat, R. resplendens needs immediate attention.

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