Melocanna baccifera Bamboo Forests and Impact on Hill Ecosystem of the Indian Sub-Continent

Abstract

Melocanna baccifera (Roxb.) Kurz is a versatile NTFP resource. It forms natural bamboo vegetation extended over about 35,86,410 ha of hilly forests distributed only in the geographical region of northeast India, Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and Sylhet of Bangladesh, and Arakan hills of Myanmar. The major biological attributes of M.baccifera that strengthen the species capability in competing other bamboo and tree species in colonizing the hills of the above region are identified. These are underground extensive rhizome net-work with much elongated rhizome necks, the diffused nature of clump to provide room for more number of culms annually, rapid expansion rate of clump, tolerance to biotic interference including fire, huge production of fertile seeds with faster seedling growth, etc. The higher density of pagoda like erect solitary culms with radiating unequal numerous branches provide better mechanism in intercepting the rain water to the ground by throughfall and stemflow. The bamboo forest (BF) has profuse root growth and dense root distribution in the 0-66cm of soil depth and as a result ground is more porous in terms of non-capillary and total porosity of the soil mass. The large scale death of M.baccifera forests due to recent (2002-2010) flowering has mixed impact on the hill ecosystem, biodiversity and socio-economy of indigenous people.