Distribution and population status of Kingiodendron pinnatum (Angiosperms: Fabaceae) an endemic and endangered legume tree in southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India
Main Article Content
Abstract
An extensive survey and population analysis of the endemic and endangered tree Kingiodendron pinnatum, was carried out in the Kerala area of the Western Ghats. The aim was to assess the pattern of distribution, population size and natural regeneration of the species. The fragmented and patchy populations of the species are distributed in evergreen/semi evergreen habitats within an altitudinal range of 176-680m elevation. The tree attained a first layer/canopy species with a height range from 24–30m. Altogether 17 populations were identified and mapped in 13 forest locations in the region. A total of 140 adult individuals of the species were enumerated within the 13 forest locations. Natural regeneration of the species recorded from three zones among the 13 forest locations covering 21,000m2 area representing the Kerala state. The flowering trees displayed a height and dbh range of 10-30m and 85-320cm, respectively. The individuals are spatially arranged in aggregation among patchy populations. The populations are well represented by reproductive individuals with 77% and pre reproductive with 23%. Seedlings of 35.9% attained a height below 1m and 64.01% of a height above 1m. Considering the extent of distribution in the state, increase in the number of mature individuals (in addition to the enumerated area), and fair count of seedlings suggests a healthier conservation status of the species in the region. The economic and medicinal values, occurrence of isolated and fragmented populations, irregularities in the flowering and fruiting period among populations, however, extends urgent concerns over the pollination biology, detection of diverse genotypes subsequent multiplication and restoration of dwindling populations for the effective conservation and management of the species in situ.
ÂArticle Details
Authors own the copyright to the articles published in JoTT. This is indicated explicitly in each publication. The authors grant permission to the publisher Wildlife Information Liaison Development (WILD) Society to publish the article in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The authors recognize WILD as the original publisher, and to sell hard copies of the Journal and article to any buyer. JoTT is registered under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY), which allows authors to retain copyright ownership. Under this license the authors allow anyone to download, cite, use the data, modify, reprint, copy and distribute provided the authors and source of publication are credited through appropriate citations (e.g., Son et al. (2016). Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the southeastern Truong Son Mountains, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(7): 8953–8969. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2785.8.7.8953-8969). Users of the data do not require specific permission from the authors or the publisher.
References
Anonymous, (1959). The Wealth of India - Raw Materials. 5: 319-320.
Bhatt, G.D., S.P.S. Kushwaha, S. Nandy, K. Bargali, P.S. Nagar & D.M. Tadvi (2015). Analysis of fragmentation and disturbance regimes in south Gujarat forests, India. Tropical Ecology 56: 275–288.
CAMP Workshops on Medicinal Plants, India (January 1997). 1998. Kingiodendron pinnatum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1998: e.T33647A9800386; http://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T33647A9800386.en Date accessed: 1998-01-01
Dias, P.C. (1996). Sources and sinks in population biology. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 11: 326–330.
Dutta, G. & A. Devi (2015). Phenology and population structure of six tree species in tropical forest of Assam, northeast India. Tropical Ecology 56: 393–399.
Jayakumar, R. & K.K.N. Nair (2013). Species diversity and tree regeneration patterns in tropical forests of the Western Ghats, India.International Scholarly Research Notices Ecology Article ID 890862; http://doi.org/10.1155/2013/890862.14
Jose, P.A., P. Sujanapal, P.K.C. Pillai & S. Sandeep (2017). Ecology and Restoration of Cynometra beddomei and Kingiodendron pinnatum- two endemic and endangered tree legumes of Western Ghats of Kerala. Final Project Report No. 531. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, 148pp.
Kumar, J.K., A.G.D. Prasad & S.A. Richard (2011). Biochemical activity of endangered medicinal plant Kingiodendron pinnatum. Asian Journal of Plant Science and Research 1: 70–75.
LPWG [Legume Phylogeny Working Group] (2017). A new subfamily classification of the Leguminosae based on a taxonomically comprehensive phylogeny. Taxon 66: 44–77.
Mast, J.N., P.Z. Fuel & M.M. Covington (1999). Restoration of pre settled age structure of an Arizona Ponderosa Pine forest. Ecology and Application 9: 228–239.
Odum, E.P. (1971). Fundamentals of Ecology - 3rd Edition. W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 574pp.
Parthasarathi, N. & P. Sethi (1997). Trees and liana species diversity and population structure in a tropical dry evergreen forest in South India.Tropical Ecology 38(1): 19–30.
Pascal, J.P. (1988). Wet Evergreen Forests of the Western Ghats of India: Ecology, Structure, Floristic Composition and Succession. Institut Francais de Pondichery, India, 345pp.
Sukumar, R., H.S. Dattaraja & H.S. Suresh (1992). Long-term monitoring of vegetation in a tropical deciduous forest in Mudumalai, Southern India. Current Science 62: 608–616.
Ramachandran, V.S., K. Swarupanandan & M. Sanjappa (2014). Status and distribution of Humboldtia bourdillonii (Leguminosae), an endangered tree species of the Western Ghats, India. Tropical Ecology 55: 85–91.
Sanjappa, M. (1992). Legumes of India. Bishen Singh-Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun, 338pp.
Sasidharan, N. (2011). Flowering Plants of Kerala- Digital Version 2.0. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Thrissur.
Sasidharan, N. (2017). A Handbook on the Red listed species and their conservation status in Kerala. Final Technical Report. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, 527pp.
Smith, D.M., B.C. Larson, M.J. Kelty & P.M.S. Ashton (1997). The Practice of Silviculture: Applied Forest Ecology - 9th Edition. John
Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, New York, 537pp.
Zhu, H., Z.F. Xu, H. Wang & B.G. Li (2004). Tropical rain forest fragmentation and its ecological and species diversity changes in southern Yunnan. Biodiversity & Conservation 13: 1355–1372.