2007 - Centre for Ecological Sciences - Indian Institute of Science

different departments such as the Thirthahalli taluk office andMandagadde panchayat. A cadastral map of the village, dated 1910,was used as the base map.Field studies, which are given below, were conducted to gatherinformation on different resource indicators of the village ecosystem.Land survey The land was surveyed to demarcate and map currentland-use systems, cropping pattern and irrigation sources. A mapprepared in 1910 was digitized and used as the base map todemarcate current land-use. Latitudes and longitudes of strategiclocations were ascertained and recorded. Land history was recordedwherever available.Vegetation survey To understand the extent of different foresttypes, species composition, regeneration status and biomasscomposition, four sample plots measuring 50 × 20 m were laid out.Each plot was evaluated for trees with height above 130 cm and girthgreater than 10 cm at breast height. In each tree plot, two shrubplots (5 × 5 m each) and four herb plots (1 × 1m each) were laid.Agro-forestry survey The survey was in fact a census and wasextended to trees above 10 cm in girth at breast height and 130 cm inheight to study the non-forest tree cover of the village, especiallycropland bunds and block plantations. Parameters consideredinclude species composition and density.Soil and water Soil samples were collected representing major landuse and cropping systems and samples of drinking water werecollected from major drinking water sources.Bird survey An all-out search for terrestrial birds in differentland-use systems (cropland and forest) was carried out during earlymonsoon (June) to understand the avifaunal composition of thevillage.Household survey was undertaken to obtain additional information oncropping methods, fertilizer and manure application, water and fuelsources, consumption pattern, etc.Participatory rural appraisal was carried out to understand communityperception of the status and trends in various resources, the usagepatterns and the factors for changes, if any.Laboratorymeasurements were made to determine the status of soilsfrom different land-use systems and the quality of drinking water fromdifferent sources.The inventory was carried out from October 2007 to February 2008, whichis referred as the current period in this report. The land-use and croppingparticulars are of kharif, the main cropping season (conducted during theharvesting period). The bird survey was carried out in June 2008.5