Successional status, seed dispersal mode and overstorey species influence tree regeneration in tropical rain-forest fragments in Western Ghats, India

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 270-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anand M. Osuri ◽  
Dayani Chakravarthy ◽  
Divya Mudappa ◽  
T. R. Shankar Raman ◽  
N. Ayyappan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Tropical Rain Forests ◽  
Rain Forests ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Successional Species ◽  
The Western Ghats

Abstract:The effects of fragmentation and overstorey tree diversity on tree regeneration were assessed in tropical rain forests of the Western Ghats, India. Ninety plots were sampled for saplings (1–5 cm diameter at breast height (dbh); 5×5-m plots) and overstorey trees (>9.55 cm dbh; 20×20-m plots) within two fragments (32 ha and 18 ha) and two continuous forests. We tested the hypotheses that fragmentation and expected seed-dispersal declines (1) reduce sapling densities and species richness of all species and old-growth species, and increase recruitment of early-successional species, (2) reduce the prevalence of dispersed recruits and (3) increase influence of local overstorey on sapling densities and richness. Continuous forests and fragments had similar sapling densities and species richness overall, but density and richness of old-growth species declined by 62% and 48%, respectively, in fragments. Fragments had 39% lower densities and 24% lower richness of immigrant saplings (presumed dispersed into sites as conspecific adults were absent nearby), and immigrant densities of old-growth bird-dispersed species declined by 79%. Sapling species richness (overall and old-growth) increased with overstorey species richness in fragments, but was unrelated to overstorey richness in continuous forests. Our results show that while forest fragments retain significant sapling diversity, losses of immigrant recruits and increased overstorey influence strengthen barriers to natural regeneration of old-growth tropical rain forests.

scholarly journals Low mammalian species richness is associated with Kyasanur forest disease outbreak risk in deforested landscapes in the Western Ghats, India

One Health ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 100299
Author(s):  
Michael G. Walsh ◽  
Rashmi Bhat ◽  
Venkatesh Nagarajan-Radha ◽  
Prakash Narayanan ◽  
Navya Vyas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Forest Disease ◽  
Kyasanur Forest Disease ◽  
The Western Ghats

scholarly journals The freshwater diaptomid copepod fauna (Crustacea: Copepoda: Diaptomidae) of the Western Ghats of Maharashtra with notes on distribution, species richness and ecology

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihir R. Kulkarni ◽  
Kalpana Pai
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Sampling Effort ◽  
Calanoid Copepods ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Temporary Habitats ◽  
Ecological Aspects ◽  
Diaptomid Copepods ◽  
The Western Ghats

<p>The diversity of many invertebrate taxa from Western Ghats of Maharashtra remains unknown due to lack of systematic studies. We studied freshwater calanoid copepods from this region, and found eleven species of diaptomid copepods in 180 samples collected from 80 sites in the study area. Most of these are new records for this region. The observed fauna includes Oriental, Gondwanan, Palaearctic and Indian endemic taxa. Locality data for all the observed species, along with notes on some ecological aspects of the sampled sites are provided. Non-parametric estimates of species richness for the region suggested an overall adequacy of sampling effort, and probable missing out of some species from habitats with longer hydroperiod. Hydroperiod, depth, electrical conductivity, altitude, mean annual temperature and latitude largely influenced the distribution of species in the study area. Co-occurrences of species were overall rare but more common in temporary habitats. Assemblages of diaptomid copepods restricted to certain sites were identified. The importance of temporary habitats is discussed in the light of their species richness, faunal composition and the increasing anthropogenic pressures they face.</p>

Female courtship calls of the litter frog (Rana curtipes) in the tropical forests of Western Ghats, South India

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Savitha Krishna ◽  
Sharath Krishna
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
South India ◽  
Forest Litter ◽  
Calling Behavior ◽  
Tropical Rain Forests ◽  
Low Volume ◽  
Gravid Females ◽  
Female Call ◽  
The Western Ghats

AbstractWe noticed an uncommon phenomenon of female vocalization in the forest litter frog, Rana curtipes during the breeding season. We digitally recorded the male and female vocalization of the litter frogs in the tropical rain forests of the Western Ghats of South India and analyzed the call characteristics. The female call varied from the male call by being single note in composition. In contrast, the male calls were composed of seven to eight notes and longer in duration. We observed that gravid females, occupying the same location every day, emitted low volume calls when numerous males were found calling at that time. Some females arrived asynchronously and called even in the absence of males possibly to declare their receptive condition. Calling females responded agonistically to receptive conspecifics of the same sex. In addition to declaring receptivity, this calling behavior may be a response to adjacent competing females when the males are few.

scholarly journals Dynamics and species richness of tropical rain forests.

1994 ◽  
Vol 91 (7) ◽  
pp. 2805-2809 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. L. Phillips ◽  
P. Hall ◽  
A. H. Gentry ◽  
S. A. Sawyer ◽  
R. Vasquez
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Tropical Rain Forests ◽  
Rain Forests

scholarly journals 20Forest loss shapes the landscape suitability of Kyasanur Forest disease in the Western Ghats, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Walsh ◽  
Siobhan Mor ◽  
Hindol Maity ◽  
Shah Hossain
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressure ◽  
Forest Disease ◽  
Landscape Suitability ◽  
Kyasanur Forest Disease ◽  
The Western Ghats

Abstract Background Anthropogenic pressure in biodiversity hotspots is increasingly recognised as a major driver of the spillover and expansion of zoonotic disease. In the Western Ghats region of India, a devastating tick-borne zoonosis, Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD), has been expanding rapidly beyond its endemic range in recent decades. While it has been suggested that anthropogenic pressure in the form of land use changes that lead to the loss of native forest may be directly contributing to the expanding range of KFD, clear evidence has not yet established the association between forest loss and KFD risk. Methods The current study sought to investigate the relationship between KFD landscape suitability and both forest loss and mammalian species richness to inform its epidemiology and infection ecology. Forty-seven outbreaks of KFD between 1 January, 2012 and 30 June, 2019 were modelled as an inhomogeneous Poisson process. Results Both forest loss (relative risk (RR) = 1.83; 95% C.I. 1.33 – 2.51) and mammalian species richness (RR = 1.29; 95% C.I. 1.16 – 1.42) were strongly associated with increased risk of KFD. Conclusions These results provide the first evidence of a clear association between increasing forest loss and risk for KFD. Moreover, the findings also highlight the importance of forest loss in areas of high biodiversity. This evidence supports integrative approaches to public health that incorporate conservation strategies simultaneously protective of humans, animals, and the environment. Key messages The association between deforestation and KFD risk suggest potential benefit in leveraging conservation efforts in the service of public health.

scholarly journals A Bryophyte Checklist of the Ecological Reserve of Gurjaú, Pernambuco, Brazil

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Shirley Rangel Germano ◽  
Kátia Cavalcanti Pôrto
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
The State ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Tropical Rain Forests ◽  
Rain Forests ◽  
Brazilian Species ◽  
Ecological Reserve ◽  
Voucher Specimens

A bryophyte checklist of the Ecological Reserve of Gurjaú (08º10’00’’-08º15’00”S; 35º02’30”- 35º05’00”W), a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in the State of Pernambuco, has been compiled. The Reserve covers an area of approximately 1362 ha, including several forest fragments of diverse sizes and stages of conservation. Specimens collected during the years 2000 and 2001, and voucher specimens from the UFP Herbarium at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) were analyzed. Bryophytes were collected on live and dead trunks, rocks, leaves and soil. The studied bryoflora is composed of 53 species of liverworts, 37 species of mosses and one hornwort. Among the twenty-three registered families, Lejeuneaceae (41 spp.) was the most representative one with the highest generic and specific richness, which confirms its status as predominant in tropical rain forests. Fissidens (7 spp.), Lejeunea and Cheilolejeunea (6 spp.), and Calymperes (4 spp.) were the most representative genera. The studied bryoflora is predominantly composed of species of neotropical distribution, widely spread throughout Brazil. The presence of an endemic species of the Atlantic Forest, Vitalianthus bichlerianus (Pôrto & Grolle) Schust. & Giancotti, and some other exclusively Brazilian species, e.g., Riccardia regnellii (Ängstr.) Hell have been recorded from the site.

Bryophyte community differences between edge and interior environments in temperate rain-forest fragments of coastal British Columbia

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 580-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyn K Baldwin ◽  
Gary E Bradfield
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Functional Groups ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Edge Zone ◽  
Temperate Rain Forest

The species richness, community composition, and abundance of bryophytes within taxonomic and functional groups were examined in relation to habitat conditions in forest edge and interior habitats of nine old-growth temperate rain-forest patches remaining after logging in the Nimpkish River Valley of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Bryophytes were sampled at a fine scale using 0.1 m × 0.3 m microplots to examine responses of species abundance on the forest floor, downed logs, and tree bases and at a coarser scale using 10 m × 2 m belt transects to determine changes in patterns of species richness and distribution. Edge habitats, sampled to a depth of 45 m into the forest fragments, were characterized by greater windthrow disturbance. Within the edge zone, increases in the richness of clearing-affiliated functional groups were associated primarily with the location of windthrown trees and tip-up mounds, rather than with distance from the edge per se. Interior habitats had both greater abundance of old-growth-associated functional groups and total bryophyte cover. The extension of the edge zone to at least 45 m into remnant patches carries implications for minimum patch size requirements in the context of variable-retention logging of coastal temperate rain forests.

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