scholarly journals Seasonal vegetation shift and wetland dynamics in vulnerable granitic rocky outcrops of Palghat Gap of southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 14518-14526
Author(s):  
Pathiyil Arabhi ◽  
Maya Chandrasekharan Nair
Keyword(s):  
Western Ghats ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Extreme Temperature ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Vegetation Pattern ◽  
Wetland Dynamics ◽  
Ephemeral Pools ◽  
Palghat Gap ◽  
Southern Western Ghats ◽  
Rocky Outcrops

 Low altitude granitic hillock systems prevalent in Palghat (Palakkad) Gap region of southern Western Ghats were analyzed for seasonal dynamics in wetland taxa associated with marshy ephemeral flush vegetation, small ephemeral pools and deep rock pools.  Due to characteristic habitat features, such systems harbor a unique pattern of microhabitats and associated floristic components.  Wet phase in rocky outcrops in the monsoon season establishes a hydro-geomorphic habitat that supports establishment of wetland taxa like Eriocaulon, Drosera, Utricularia, Dopatrium, and Rotala.  Seasonal shift in the floral associations was evident in tune with wetland dynamics.  Wet rocks support ephemeral flush vegetation which display some unique plant associations of species of Eriocaulon, Utricularia, Drosera, Cyanotis, Murdannia, and Lindernia.  Small ephemeral pools displayed taxa like Rotala malampuzhensis R.V. Nair, Dopatrium junceum (Roxb.) Buch.-Ham. ex Benth., D. nudicaule (Willd.) Benth., Monochoria vaginalis (Burm.f.) C. Presl, and Cyperus iria L.  Rocky pools are the habitats of aquatic angiosperms like Nymphaea nouchali Burm. f., Ludwigia adscendens (L.) H. Hara, Utricularia aurea Lour. and Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle.  The study documented 121 plant taxa from 37 families during a wet phase from rocky outcrops of the study area.  Gradual shift in vegetation is evident as water recedes from granitic hillocks.  During the period from December to March, the rocky pools dry up which results in a shift in the vegetation pattern where Poaceae members form the dominant elements.  As most of the rocky outcrops are exposed to extreme temperature and acute water shortage, the taxa inhabiting such ecosystems tend to evolve much faster than in other habitats.  Moreover, the vicinity of these hillocks in the Palghat Gap region to human settlements, face threats like fire, grazing, quarrying, dumping of wastes etc. which may cause considerable loss to the very sensitive plant communities which are not yet fully documented.  

scholarly journals Record of Oldenlandia hygrophila Bremek. (Spermacoceae: Rubiaceae), a lesser known herb from Palghat Gap of Western Ghats, Kerala, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 15400-15404
Author(s):  
Vadakkeveedu Jagadesh Aswani ◽  
Vasudevan Ambat Rekha ◽  
Pathiyil Arabhi ◽  
Manjakulam Khadhersha Jabeena ◽  
Kunnamkumarath Jisha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Ghats ◽  
Calyx Lobe ◽  
Corolla Tube ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Surface Pattern ◽  
Blue Flower ◽  
Branching Pattern ◽  
Type Collection ◽  
Palghat Gap ◽  
Southern Western Ghats

Oldenlandia hygrophila Bremek., a lesser known taxon has been relocated from the type location in the Palghat (Palakkad) gap region of southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India, and is described.  Setiform cuticular protuberances all over the plant, branching pattern, stipule length, axillary solitary blue flower, corolla lobes not spreading during anthesis, size of flower, presence of hyaline hairs inside corolla tube, calyx lobe reaching one-fourth of the corolla tube, exerted anthers with glabrous filaments, sub - globose capsule and seed surface pattern are some of the peculiar features which makes this taxa different from other Oldenlandia species.  After its type collection in 1972, this endemic taxa could not be relocated from its type locality till date.

scholarly journals The Malay Cardamom Meistera aculeata (Roxb.) Škorničk. & M.F. Newman (Zingiberaceae: Alpinioideae) from the Palghat gap: a new record to Kerala, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 18406-18410
Author(s):  
Vadakkeveedu Jagadesh Aswani ◽  
Manjakulam Khadhersha Jabeena ◽  
Maya Chandrashekaran Nair
Keyword(s):  
Western Ghats ◽  
New Record ◽  
Taxonomic Description ◽  
Palghat Gap ◽  
Southern Western Ghats

Meistera aculeata (Roxb.) Škorničk. & M.F.Newman (Zingiberaceae, subfamily - Alpinioideae) a lesser known species, has been located from the Palakkad (Palghat) Gap region in the Walayar Hill ranges of the southern Western Ghats and reported here as an addition to the flora of Kerala.  A detailed taxonomic description along with photographs are provided.

scholarly journals Species composition and abundance estimates of reptiles in selected agroecosystems in southern Western Ghats, India

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 12328-12336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhirami Mini Jayakumar ◽  
Paingamadathil Ommer Nameer
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Paddy Field ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Botanical Garden ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Home Garden ◽  
Abundance Estimates ◽  
Palghat Gap ◽  
Southern Western Ghats ◽  
Total Effort

Species composition and abundance of reptiles in selected agroecosystems in Thrissur plains, near Palghat Gap, southern Western Ghats in India, was studied from January 2017 to May 2017.  The agroecosystems surveyed were coconut, cashew & rubber plantations, home garden, paddy field, and botanical garden.  Time-constrained visual encounter surveys of a total effort of 360 man-hours were done in the field.  Coconut and cashew plantations reported the highest species richness with 11 species each, while the highest number of sightings (159) were recorded from botanical garden.  Bronze Grass Skink Eutropis macularia was the most abundant species in agroecosystems.  Correspondence analysis was done to compare the reptilian diversity in the agroecosystems.  The reptile fauna of home garden and paddy field were found to be more distinct than the rest of the agroecosystems.  A total of 17 species of reptiles were recorded during the study, thus highlighting the significance of agroecosystems in acting as important buffer landscapes for reptiles. 

Current distribution of Nilgiri grass yellow Eurema nilgiriensis Yata (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), with an updated taxonomic key to Eurema of Western Ghats, India

ENTOMON ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Sujitha ◽  
G. Prasad ◽  
R. Nitin ◽  
Dipendra Nath Basu ◽  
Krushnamegh Kunte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Distribution ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Original Description ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Field Identification ◽  
Wing Patterns ◽  
Southern Western Ghats ◽  
The Nilgiris

Eurema nilgiriensis Yata, 1990, the Nilgiri grass yellow, was described from Nilgiris in southern India. There are not many published records of this species since its original description, and it was presumed to be a high-elevation endemic species restricted to its type locality. Based on the external morphology (wing patterns) as well as the male genitalia, the first confirmed records of the species from Agasthyamalais and Kodagu in the southern Western Ghats, is provided here. This report is a significant range extension for the species outside the Nilgiris, its type locality. Ecological data pertaining to this species as well as the field identification key to all known Eurema of Western Ghats are also presented.

A Checklist of the Genus Pogostemon Desf. in Southern Western Ghats

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalathummarath Shinoj ◽  
Kollancheri Puthanveetil Vimal ◽  
Purayidathkandy Sunojkumar
Keyword(s):  
Western Ghats ◽  
Southern Western Ghats

Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Properties of Streptomyces Sp. (ERINLG-51) Isolated from Southern Western Ghats

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandransekar Balachandran ◽  
Veeramuthu Duraipandiyan ◽  
Nobuhiko Emi ◽  
Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu
Keyword(s):  
Western Ghats ◽  
Southern Western Ghats

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

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.

Soil organic carbon pool under selected tree plantations in the Southern Western Ghats of Kerala, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-138
Author(s):  
Vijo Thomas Kurien ◽  
Elvin Thomas ◽  
S. Prasanth Narayanan ◽  
A. P. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Carbon Pool ◽  
Tree Plantations ◽  
Southern Western Ghats ◽  
Organic Carbon Pool

Flowering phenology and flower predation of Cullenia exarillata (Bombacaceae) by arboreal vertebrates in Western Ghats, India

1997 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Ganesh ◽  
Priya Davidar
Keyword(s):  
Western Ghats ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Flowering Phenology ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Community Level ◽  
Canopy Tree ◽  
Southern Western Ghats ◽  
Annual Period

ABSTRACTThe flowering phenology and flower predation of Cullenia exarillata, a canopy tree at Kakachi in the southern Western Ghats, India, was studied from 1991 to 1993 in relation to general phenological patterns at the community level. Flowering was monitored from 30 marked trees and flower predation estimated from fallen flowers in 40, 1 m2 nets placed under the trees. Flowering occurs in the dry season and coincides with the period of fruit scarcity in the forest. Flowering is synchronous in the population and each tree produces a mean of c. 8730 flowers per tree over a period of c. 47 d. Flowers produced little nectar but the edible fleshy sepals compensated for this. Six species of arboreal mammals and seven species of birds ate the flowers. These consumed 57% of the flower crop of which 37% were completely destroyed. Flower predators could be important in flower fertilization. The overabundance of the flower crop and the timing of flowering, may have evolved as a strategy to satiate predators and enable the flowers to be pollinated during the annual period of fruit scarcity in the forest. This in turn makes Cullenia exarillata a possible keystone species in this forest.

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