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The forests of the Western Ghats (WG) of India are a highly diverse ecosystem though altered over time by human interference. The Northern Western Ghats (NWG) differ in bioclimatic and geological characteristics from the rest of the Western Ghats, featuring a mix of forested and open landscapes. Human activities such as shifting cultivation, cutting, lopping, periodic fire, constructions (road and dam), and mining have further increased their fragmentation, leading to a decrease in biodiversity. While the region has been extensively investigated for its floristic diversity, quantitative ecological studies are limited. This review seeks to identify research gaps and new research directions in the forest ecology of the NWG by compiling various periodical studies carried out in the region. It covers various works on vegetation types, species diversity and composition, and forest degradation due to anthropogenic activities. We provide compiled comparative vegetation types applicable to the region. The present review also discusses works carried out on forest areas under various protection regimes, such as legally protected areas, sacred groves, and private forests, using quantitative and remote sensing tools. We believe that understanding the NWG as an entire unit using uniform methods is essential, and this review serves as an important step in achieving this. It provides a comprehensive overview of the NWG, which can be used to plan out future research in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desiccation-tolerant vascular (DT) plants are predominant occupants of rock outcrops in tropical regions. Though rock outcrops are common landscapes in the Western Ghats (WG), a biodiversity hotspot in India, knowledge of DT plants in the region is poor. This study provides an overview of Indian DT vascular plants, emphasizing the WG, and includes an inventory of species with their habitat preferences. Outcrop species were scrutinized for their DT properties by seasonal field observations, followed by relative water content estimation protocols. The inventory revealed 62 DT species, many more than the earlier known nine species. Nine genera of DT plants are reported as new also in a global perspective, and Tripogon capillatus represent the first record of an epiphytic DT angiosperm. We also provide the first field observation-based proof of DT properties of the gesneriad Corallodiscus lanuginosus. Of the 62 species, 16 are Indian endemic, and 12 are exclusive to Western Ghat outcrops, highlighting WG's importance as a global DT hotspot. In addition to rock outcrops, partially shaded sites in forests are crucial habitats for DT species. This pioneering inventory addresses India's need for more knowledge on DT plants and opens new research avenues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]