Effect of Simulated Harvesting on the Plant Composition in the Floating Grasslands of Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur

Abstract

The Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur has been a source of livelihood for the peripheral villagers, who have been extracting different types of plant resources throughout the year. A simulation harvesting experiment was carried out in permanent plots in the park to understand the trend in which grass composition might have changed over the years due to human disturbances. Three harvesting regimes of no harvest (0%) half harvests (50%) and complete harvests (100%) were employed. The result indicated that no harvest of Hedychium coronarium and full harvest for Leersia hexandra yielded positive results. Moderate harvest gave positive results for Phragmites karka, while full harvest significantly decreases the plant density.