Abstract
A young patch of mangrove on South-West coast of India is subjected to intense human interference. A succession pattern was in progress in the undisturbed areas, wherein, a monospecifically dominated Avicennia officinalis stand was facilitating an understorey of shade loving species like Bruguiera cylindrica and Excoecaria agallocha. On the other hand, those parts of the forest which were subjected to human interference, the retrogression of the ecosystem was at play. The canopy gaps so created were covered by Acanthus ilicifolius, a light demanding under-shrub species, forming a thick bed of 2-3 ft height entirely covering the forest floor, thus prohibiting the establishment of other tree species. However, undisturbed mangrove forest areas were devoid of this shrub species.
Keywords
Succession, Forest, Retrogression, Ecosystem, Quadrats, Species diversity, Human settlements