Population structure and regeneration potential of Sal dominated tropical dry deciduous forest in Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

Several biotic and abiotic factors including poor regeneration, changing environment and edaphic factor along with poor regeneration affects health and establishment of Shorea robusta nowadays. No systematic attempts were made to understand the dynamism of its natural regeneration and to suggest management inputs to encourage its regeneration. The present study deals with the regeneration status and population structure of four sites of Sal dominating tropical dry deciduous forest during 2016–18. Regeneration status of the forest was determined based on population size of seedlings and saplings. A total of 24 species of 19 families were encountered. Regeneration status in all the study sites is dissimilar. In the entire four sites, site quality I was good regenerating because of the high density of seedlings and saplings in forest site. The results indicated that the average number of regeneration of Sal seedlings per hectare worked out to be 2562 ha, which are quite adequate. It was also observed that Shorea robusta showed uninterrupted type of distribution pattern along with abundant regeneration in the forest stand which showed healthy sign of establishment and growth of this species in the past. Other associates showed different growth patterns. Efforts are needed to conserve the forest for their diversity and existence.