A report of Siwalik forest around Letang Raja-Rani wetland, Morang, eastern Nepal

Abstract

Species composition, phytosociological status and soil characteristics of Siwalik forest occurring around Raja-Rani wetland, Letang municipality, eastern Nepal was studied. A total of 47 tree species belonging to 40 genera and 26 families were reported. Dominant and co-dominant trees were Shorea robusta (IVI=133.4) and Schima wallichii (IVI=70.6), respectively. In the forest total tree density, basal cover area, seedling density, fallen dead density and dead standing density were 378.4 trees ha-1, 163.7 m2 ha-1, 105250 individual ha-1, 4 trees ha-1 and 1.6 trees ha-1, respectively. Irregular girth class distribution and high stump density (136.8 tree ha-1) denote disturbance. Soil physicochemical characteristics were: acidic soil (pH 4.8), moisture (12.5%), water holding capacity (50.05%), bulk density (1.17 g cm-3), porosity (0.55%), humus (8.6%), organic carbon (0.52%), nitrogen (0.1%), phosphorus (33 kg ha-1), and potassium (300 kg ha-1). Regulating human encroachment to ensure natural regeneration of species to maintain the viability of the Letang Raja-Rani wetland site and integrity of the local ecosystem is strongly recommended.

First record of Takydromus sikkimensis Günther, 1888 (Squamata, Lacertidae) from Nepal

“…03 km east of the earlier location on the 9 September 2021. The specimen was found in tropical mixed Schima-Castonopsis forest habitat in the upper Chure hills (Chettry et al 2021) at 720 m msl. The lower grassy vegetation of the locality is characterized by Microlepia speluncae, Brachiaria ramose, Cyathea spinosa, Pteris biaurita, Cynodon dactylon (Ojha and Niroula 2021).…”

“…Geographically, the Chure hill range covers 12.8% of Nepal's area. However, the biodiversity of the area is poorly documented (Chettry et al 2021). Fewer studies have been conducted in recent years in Chure hills but they have occasionally resulted in a new herpetofauna species record such as Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768) and Hydrophyllax leptoglossa (Cope, 1868) from Nepal's eastern Chure (Bhattarai et al 2020).…”

“…The extent of occurrence (EOO) calculated for this species is 2200 km 2 with the majority of the area non-protected forests and within agricultural landscape, with narrow distribution band. The approximate EOO calculated based on elevation and habitat types (Chettry et al 2021). A recent global assessment of reptiles (Cox et al 2022) revealed that one of every five reptile species is facing extinction risks, and that risk is highest for reptiles inhabiting forest habitats outside of protected area systems.…”