2008-'09 - Kerala Forest Research Institute

Annual Report 2008-09
outcrops as well as deep soil. The plants were watered in dry season (January to
May). One month after planting 99% of the plants survived. Health of the plants
was monitored qualitatively as poor, average and good. After two months of growth,
healthy and weak plants could be distinguished. After six months, 8% of the plants,
mostly with poor health started drying. Most of them were in areas with shallow
soil. After one year 48% of the plants were found healthy, 25% were average, 12 %
poor and 15% had dried up. At one and half years and two years, some of plants
recouped and about 78 plants were in good health. Seedlings of S. travancoricum
planted inside a swamp patch in Kulathupuzha did not survive.
Mapping and quantitative assessment of geographic distribution and the
population status of the plant resources of Western Ghats
The Western Ghats region was divided into 6.25 km 2 grids and systematic sampling
procedure was adopted using appropriate sampling strategy. Satellite imagery was also
used for identifying vegetation types and its density status prior to sampling.
Anaphyllum wightii - threatened
Drypetes wightii - vulnerable
Vegetation data from 5m x 1000m strips of the grids were gathered for structural
and species distribution analysis. In addition to the 190 grids covered in the
previous years, 40 more grids were covered during 2008-2009 period in southern
Kerala in Ranni, Konni, Periyar Tiger Reserve and Munnar area. The major forest
vegetation types covered were tropical wet-evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist
deciduous, sholas, scrubs, grasslands and forest plan tations. Herbaria of important
species were prepared. A new plant species was also recorded from Parambikulam
area.
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Kerala Forest Research Institute