Phyto-regeneration and diversity indices of West Rajabhatkhawa Range of Buxa Tiger Reserve of West Bengal, India

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate tree species diversity, population dynamics, and tree species regeneration patterns at Rajabhatkhawa Range of Buxa Tiger Reserve of West Bengal to better understand the regeneration dynamics and population structure of tree species. A total of 140 quadrats (size 2m × 2 m) were set with the sampling intensity 0.1% for regeneration survey of the area by following random quadrat sampling method. This study documented about ”106" regenerating tree species, representing “74” genera and “40” families from the study area from which about “47” percent of tree species showed “good” regeneration status. Monoon simiarum had highest seedlings density with 8125.00 seedlings ha-1 followed by Aglaia spectabilis (4642.86 seedlings ha-1). Monoon simiarum showed highest IVI index of 15.19, followed by Aglaia spectabilis (10.41). About 9 percent of the species had “fair” regeneration status and 8 percent had “poor” regeneration status, the fair or poor regeneration might be due to insufficient seed dispersal that limits native species colonisation. However, it was observed that a total of 18 percent of tree species were classified as “not regenerating” and again 18 percent of tree species that were present in either sapling or seedling stage but no adult stage were categorized as new regeneration.