Comparative Study of Understory Between Exotic Monoculture Plantation (Acacia Sp.) and Adjacent Natural Sal (Shorea Robusta) Forest

Abstract

To achieve forest management goal it is important to maintain biodiversity. This paper compares understory plant species diversity between exotic monoculture plantation (Acacia auriculiformis) and adjacent natural sal (Shorea robusta) forest. A total of 35 sample plots were taken by random sampling from six patches of adjacent natural sal forest and exotic monoculture plantation. Shannon-Wiener diversity index, species richness and evenness were calculated and compared. Result revealed that, a total of 2,218 plants of 42 species were recorded in natural sal (Shorea robusta) forest. Dominant families were Apocynaceae and Verbanaceae, having three species in each family. Shannon-Wiener diversity index was 2.1 and mean species richness was 14.4. On the contrary, 2,827 plants were found from 15 species in exotic monoculture (Acacia auriculiformis) plantation study area. Dominant family was Leguminosae family. Three species were found under Leguminosae family. Shannon-Wiener diversity index was 0.86 and mean species richness was 4.47. Therefore, Shannon diversity index and richness were significantly higher in natural sal forest as compared to exotic monoculture plantation. Species evenness of natural sal forest was 0.8 and 0.6 for monoculture plantation which indicates less equitable distribution of understory vegetation in monoculture than adjacent natural sal forest. With regard to herb species, evenness was significantly lower in monoculture plantation (0.03) as compared to natural sal forest (0.52). There was no equitable distribution for the herb species under monoculture plantation. Jaccard’s similarity index showed that 36% shrub species and 30% of herb species were same in exotic monoculture plantation area and adjacent natural sal forest.

Floristic Composition and Woody Species Diversity in National Park of Madhupur Tract Under Tangail North Forest Division, Bangladesh

“…Among five bits at Madhupur National Park Sadar Range under Tangail north forest division, Gasabari bit comprises the highest woody species density (234 stem ha -1 ) (Table 2). The mean density of the present study (200 stem ha -1 ) was higher than that in south eastern Bangladesh (121 stem ha -1 ) [36], but was lower than that of other forest parts (250 to 400 stem ha -1 ) of Bangladesh [28,37,38,40,41,43,46]. In case of basal area, the highest basal area was found in the Rajabari bit (49.55 m 2 ha -1 ) as well as the lowest was in the Gasabari bit (32.62 m 2 ha -1 ) (Table 2).…”

“…It is evident that almost all the families at the forests were represented by single genera and each genus was represented by a single species (Table 1). Therefore, the woody floristic composition of the present study is a little rich than that in south eastern Bangladesh (17 species under 10 families) [36], whereas it is lower than the study (42 species under 26 families) taken in natural Sal forest at Kaliakair Upazilla under Gazipur district Rahaman, et al [28]. The number of woody tree species found at Madhupur Sal forest was lower than the other studies, such as Ukhia Range (50 species) [37], Rampahar Natural Forest (50 species under 28 families) and Lawachara forest (78 species) [38], Sitapahar Reserve forest (85 species) [39], Bamu reserve forest (85 species) [40], Tankawati natural forest (62 species) [41], Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary (150 species) [42], Inani Protected Forest (151 species) [43], Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary (143 species) [44],…”

Profitability Assessment with the application of BRASS model of Small-scale Rubber Plantation at Chittagong Hill Tract, Bangladesh

“…In Bangladesh, the increasing demand for rubber and rubber products insisted on the new moneymaking plantation of rubber. Other hands, create any plantation near and within a natural forest or hill decreases the diversity of the forest (Rahaman et al 2020). But still, rubber plantation proved as an excellent tool to cope with the food, wood, energy, ecology, poverty crises and lessen the deforestation rate of forest lands in Bangladesh.…”

Status of Small-scale Rubber and Shifting Cultivators at Bandarbans District, Bangladesh

“…In Bangladesh, the increasing demand for rubber and rubber products insisted on the new moneymaking plantation of rubber. From the other hand, create any plantation near and within natural forest or hill decreases the diversity of forest [10]. But still rubber plantation proved as an excellent tool to cope with the food, wood, energy, ecology, poverty crises and lessen the deforestation rate of forest lands in Bangladesh.…”