Floristic diversity along an altitudinal gradient of Mannavan Shola forest in Southern Western Ghats of Kerala.
Abstract
The present study was carried to assess the variability in the species diversity using appropriate quantities and statistical analysis along the altitudinal gradients in the Mannavan shola forest in Kerala. The analysis of species diversity revealed that, the maximum species diversity greater in the low altitudinal gradient followed by middile. The dominant species are Hydnocarpus alpina, Isonandra stocksii, Gomphandra coriaceae and Mastixia arborea in Altitude-I (1900 msl), Litsea wightiana, Ilex wightian and Turpinia nepalensis are dominant in both Altitude-II (2100 msl) and Altitude-III(2300msl). Persea macrantha, Phoebe lanceolata, Cinnamomum sulphuratum, Syzygium densiflorum, Turpinia nepalensis, Litsea wightiana, Neolitsea scrobiculata and Cinnamomum species are common to all altitudinal gradients. The value of similarity index reveals that the middle (2100msl) and higher altitudes (2300msl) have more number of similar species (51%) than lower (1900msl) and middle (42%), lower and higher (28%) altitudinal gradients respectively. The shola forests are of unique that harbours 20 % of listed tree species, which are endemic to the Southern Western Ghats of Kerala
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