Research Article | Published: 01 March 2004

Analysis of plant communities during secondary succession after “Jhum” at Karbi  Anglong district of Assam, North-east India

Jasbir Singh, Kuntala N. Barua and Protul Hazarika

Indian Journal of Forestry | Volume: 27 | Issue: 1 | Page No. 83-87 | 2004
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2004-D76W45 | Cite this article

Abstract

The present study highlights the community diversity and dominance spectrum of species in four abandoned shifting cultivation fallows in Karbi Anglong (Assam) of north-east India. In the study area 51 species belonging to 24 families were recorded as a component of fallow lands. Lantana camara and Chromolaena odorata showed their dominance in 5 and 10 years fallow with highest Importance Value Index (136.52 and 33.37 in 5 years, 18.97 and 53.52 in 10 years fallow, respectively). Gradual elimination of Imperata cylindrica from higher age fallows was noticed. Bamboo species, Dendrocalamus hamiltonii and Melocanna baccifera expressed their dominance in 15 to 20 years fallows. The fallow vegetation was replaced by shade intolerant broad-leaved species like Actinodaphne obovata, Artocarpus spp., Callicarpa arborea, Dysoxylum procerum, Erythrina stricta etc. during 10 to 20 years period as a form of secondary forest. Species diversity increased from 5 years fallow onward with maximum in 15 years fallow and declined later on. The highest similarity was observed in the fallow pair of 15-20 years.

Keywords

Access Options

250/-

Buy Full Access in HTML Format

Instant access to the full article.

References

1. Borthakur, D.N. (1983). Shifting Cultivation in North East India. ICAR Research Complex for N.E.H. Region, Shillong.

Google Scholar

2. Curtis, J.T. and Cottam, G. (1956). Plant Ecology Workbook. Burgess Publishing Co., Minnesota, pp. 193.

Google Scholar

3. Magurran, A.E. (1988). Ecological Diversity and its Measurement. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-7358-0

Google Scholar

4. Mishra, R. (1968). Ecology Work Book. Oxford and IBH Pub. Co. Ltd., India.

Google Scholar

5. Ramakrishnan, P.S. (1985). Humid tropical forests. In: Research on Humid tropical forests. Regional Meeting National MAB committee of Central and South Asian Countries. MAB-India, Ministry of Environ. and Forests, New Delhi. pp. 39.

Google Scholar

6. Ramakrishnan, P.S. (1992). Shifting Agriculture and Sustainable Development: An inter disciplinary Study from Northeastern India. UNESCO - MAB Series,  Paris, Parthenon Publ. Group Carnsforth, Lancaster, U.K.

Google Scholar

7. Ramakrishanan, P.S.; Toky, O.P.; Mishra, B.K. and Saxena, K.G. (1981). Slash and burn agriculture in Northeast India. In: H.A. Mooney, T.M. Bonnicksen, N.L. Christenson, J.E. Lotan and W.A. Reiners (Eds.), Fire Regimes and Ecosystem Properties. 570-586. USDA. Forest Services General Technical Reports, W.O.- 26. Honolulu, Hawaii.

Google Scholar

8. Ramakrishnan, P.S. and Toky, O.P. (1978). Preliminary observations on the impact of jhum (shifting agriculture) on the forested ecosystem. In: Seminar on Resources, Development and Environment in the Himalayan Region. pp. 343-354. Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi.

Google Scholar

9. Saxena, K.G. and Ramakrishnan, P.S. (1984). Growth and patterns of resource allocation in Eupatorium odoratum L. in the successional environments following slash and burn agriculure (Jhum). Weed Research, 24: 127-134.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3180.1984.tb00580.x

Google Scholar

10. Shannon, C.E. and Wiener, W. (1963). The Mathematical Theory of Communication. (University of Illinois Press) Urbana. pp. 117. 

11. Simpson, E.H. (1949). Measurement of diversity. Nature, 163-688.  https://doi.org/10.1038/163688a0

12. Singh, J. and Ramakrishnan, P.S. (1982). Structure and function of a sub-tropical humid forest of Meghalaya.  I. Vegetation, biomass and its nutrients. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Plant Science). 91(3): 241-253.  https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03167128

Google Scholar

13. Thangam, E.S. (1992). Shifting Cultivation in Northeast India. UNDP/ICFRE Project: IND/92/038. National  Consultancy for Shifting Cultivation. Report submitted to ICFRE, Dehra Dun, pp. 180.

14. Toky, O.P. and Ramakrishnan, P.S. (1983). Secondary succession following slash and burn agriculture in northeastern India. I. Biomass, litter fall and productivity. Journal of Ecology, 72: 735-745.  https://doi.org/10.2307/2259589

Google Scholar

15. Whittaker, R.H. (1965). Dominance and diversity in land plant communities. Science, 147: 250-260.  https://doi.org/10.1126/science.147.3655.250

Google Scholar

About this article

How to cite

Singh, J., Barua, K.N. and Hazarika, P., 2004. Analysis of plant communities during secondary succession after “Jhum” at Karbi  Anglong district of Assam, North-east India. Indian Journal of Forestry, 27(1), pp.83-87. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2004-D76W45

Publication History

Manuscript Published on 01 March 2004

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: