Angiosperm diversity in Bhadrak region of Odisha, India

We present the information about angiosperm species in Bhadrak District of Odisha, India. In so doing, we assess the state of floristic knowledge across ecoregions of the district and pinpoint our understanding of the district flora. This study is first of its kind conducted in the district showing current status of the angiosperm diversity. A total of 383 species (262 native species and 121 non-native species) belonging to 282 genera under 93 families are recorded as per APG III classification. These taxa are distributed in 12 superorders and 39 orders; 26.7% of the native species were reported from the superorder Fabids, 20.6% from superorder Malvids, 19.8% from superorder Lamids and 15.6% from superorder Commelinids. One hundred and twenty one non-native species were represented in 12 superorders. Native species of the order Fabales (35), Poales and Lamiales (27) each, Malphigiales (18), Malvales (14), Gentianales (13), Carylophyllales and Solanales (12) each and Myrtales and Sapindales (11) each, account for about 68.7% of the species in the district. Eighty one non-native species belong to these orders. The analysis of the plant species based on growth habits showed highest proportion of herbs followed by trees, shrubs and climbers. Some of the reported species are used for the treatment of various ailments and also for edible purposes. Plant species diversity, distribution and population structure provide baseline information for conservation and sustainable management of available resources.

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Determinant Factor of Plant Species Diversity in the Organic Agriculture-Dominated System of Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

International Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1155/2021/2919260 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Abiyot Mebrate ◽

Tadesse Kippie ◽

Nigussie Zeray

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Plant Species ◽

Organic Agriculture ◽

Species Conservation ◽

Plant Species Diversity ◽

Current Status ◽

Southern Ethiopia ◽

Wealth Status ◽

Agroecological Zones ◽

Agroecological Zone

Agricultural intensification is a major challenge for biodiversity conservation in many parts of the world. Organic agriculture is perceived as a possible solution for biodiversity conservation in agriculture dominant systems. This study aimed at investigating the current status of plant species diversity and its determinants in organic agriculture-dominated areas of Gedeo zone, Southern Ethiopia. Multistage sampling procedures were used to obtain 108 households from three agroecological zones of the study area, and plant species data were collected from the quadrants laid in farms of sampled farmers. Besides, diversity management practice data were collected using focus group discussion. A total of 234 plant species belonging to 82 plant families were identified. Most (69.2%) of species in the system were native. The mean value of richness and Shannon index evenness for the whole system was 10.36, 2.06, and 0.89 for highland midland and lowland agroecological zones, respectively, which is relatively high compared with other agriculture-dominated systems in the tropics. The diversity of overall plant species were significantly affected by both agroecological zones and the wealth status of farmers. Midland and lowland agroecological zones had the highest richness values for total plant species than highland. Similarly, highest richness was recorded among farmers of rich and medium wealth classes than poor. The diversity of tree species was significantly affected by both agroecological zone and wealth status of farmer households. The lowland agroecological zone had a significantly higher number of tree species than midland and lowland agroecological zones, while the rich farmer had higher tree diversity compared to medium and poor farmers. The study also identified that diversity of shrubs were significantly influenced by agroecological zone. The midland agroecological had a significantly higher number of shrubs diversity compared to lowland and highland agroecological zones. In this study, herbaceous species diversity was not influenced by both agroecological zone and farmer wealth class. The function of plant species and indigenous plant species maintenance practice had its own effect on plant species diversity in the study area, since the area is dominated with organic agriculture. Therefore, to maintain the current status of the system and to improve the farmer’s livelihood, development planners may need to design agroecological-based plant species conservation strategies that give due consideration for indigenous plant species conservation practices and function of plant species.

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SGS Biodiversity Theme: impact of plant biodiversity on the productivity and stability of grazing systems across southern Australia

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea02200 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 43 (8) ◽

pp. 961 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

D. R. Kemp ◽

W. McG. King ◽

A. R. Gilmour ◽

G. M. Lodge ◽

S. R. Murphy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Species Diversity ◽

Plant Species ◽

Native Species ◽

Management Practices ◽

Plant Species Diversity ◽

Native Plant ◽

Total Species Richness ◽

Grazing Systems ◽

Sustainable Grazing

The relationships between productivity and plant species diversity were assessed using data from the Sustainable Grazing Systems (SGS) 10 national experiment sites. Each site applied up to 7 different management treatments. Sites varied in the amount of data available for analysis. Plant species diversity was assessed in terms of both the total and native species present at each site. More than 200 plant taxa were recorded over the period of the experiment, about one-third of which were native. In the majority of cases, the native species present within a treatment remained there throughout the experiments, even when fertilised and oversown with introduced species. The number of native species increased by 1 or 2 over the 3–4 years of each experiment where grasslands were less intensively used (average herbage mass >2 t DM/ha), but decreased in more heavily grazed treatments. Native grasses made much greater contributions to herbage mass than other native species. Of the more than 70 native plant species found, the most numerous were broadleaf species, which tended to be more variable under management treatments. As total species richness increased, there was a tendency for pasture productivity to be less, for the mean standing herbage mass to be less and for seasonal growth to be less stable. This depended upon experiments and tended to apply at the sites with higher annual pasture growth rates. All treatments had >10 plant species within the small (about 1.5 ha) paddocks used and larger paddocks often had many more. It was apparent from the high plant species richness at each site (about 25–100 species) that many more niches exist in these paddocks than the number of species usually sown in a pasture. Opportunities to redesign pasture mixtures to exploit more of the resources available obviously exist. Understanding of the relationships among management practices, productivity and plant species diversity is limited, but will become important as we seek more sustainable grazing systems. The studies analysed here suggested that where the herbage mass was maintained between 2 and 4 t DM/ha then species were maintained and productivity was optimised.

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