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Abstract: A field based technique has been developed to identify and delineate the areas of potential hill slope instability with the help of ecological indicator. Habitat characteristics and spatial–temporal occurrence of indicator taxon were investigated with respect to its natural environment. The study includes extensive field surveys, laboratory studies and comparison of historical maps at local scale coupled with literature appraisal at local, regional and global scales. Instability generated due to slope disturbances by natural and anthropogenic activities along the roads, ravines, stream banks, terraces, cultivated land, old landslide sites and human settlements was investigated during the years 2000–2005. It was followed by regional and global scale study during the years 2009–2011. It is established that the instability is manifested by occurrence of indicator species and its spatial dominance delineates the areas of potential instability. The investigated inherent characteristic features of the indicator species viz., rapid growth (145cm/year), primary succession, nitrogen fixation and obtrapezoid-winged seed structure, roots and suckers morphology and associated microclimatic scenario have been found extremely decisive to the process of manifestation of slope instability. Study at three experimental sites and vicinity also confirmed that wide-spread occurrence of indicator taxon is not related to specific soil and rock type, gradient or aspect but is exclusively attributable to its unstable environment. The indicator taxon has been identified as Alnus nepalensis D. Don and its invasion delay to the unstable slopes was reported by one to two years. Indicator''s habitat affinity to instability and its phyto-geographical range was explored between 1000–2590m asl at local scale in Garhwal Himalaya and 900–2700m at regional scale in Indian Himalayan and other mountain states viz., Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya, while it is reported between 200m and 2800m at global scale in Asian countries like Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh. The proposed ecological approach to identify and delineate the areas of potential hill slope instability seems to be promising and may be termed innovative, as it involves only local resource as a scientific tool and traditional wisdom as technical excellence. Unlike geotechnical methods of slope instability assessment, this being simple, eco-friendly, self sustainable and cost effective, it is socially acceptable and can also be used by non-scientists for planning and management in Himalayan region and similar other regions of the world. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Despite the expectation in nineteenth-century botany that the plants of one country were most similar to those of adjacent countries, by the middle of the century it was accepted that there was a connexion between flora of northern Australia and 'India'. The pattern and reasons for plant distribution around the world were studied in the emerging science of phytogeography, but this paper suggests that the strength of the Indo-Australian connexion was influenced by species limits in the established science of phytography or descriptive botany. This paper also shows that while the botany of Australia and 'India' was predominantly studied in European nations, Ferdinand Mueller used resources obtained from Joseph Hooker in Great Britain, and Friedrich Miquel in the Netherlands to add new details to the distribution pattern of 'Indian' plants in northern Australia. Although Mueller was unwilling to reflect on these findings himself, they seemed to challenge attempts to introduce evolutionary and geological explanations into phytogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current distribution and threat assessment of Dendrobium tenuicaule Hook. f. (Orchidaceae), an endemic orchid of Middle Andaman Island is presented here. New data available from field surveys indicated the species is Critically Endangered as per the 2001 IUCN Red List Catagories and Criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present analysis of endemic orchids shows a total account of 130 species belonging to 38 genera in peninsular India. Of these, 43 are terrestrial, 85 epiphytic and two holomycotrophic (saprophytic). The Western Ghats comprises of 123 endemic orchid species, Deccan Plateau has 29 endemic orchid species and Eastern Ghats has 22 endemic orchid species. However, in the present analysis the number of endemic species is reduced from the earlier reports because of the rapid development in the taxonomic explorations in the neighboring countries. As a result, many species were found to show extended distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a checklist of the 30 taxa of Ericaceae collected from a survey in Tuensang District of Nagaland, India and Mount Saramati from March 2003 to April 2003. The survey was conducted by a team of six members from the Botanical Survey of India. The accepted scientific names, distribution and specimens of the 30 taxa are examined in the article. Moreover, the taxa include lyonia ovalifolia, agapetes borii, and vaccinium vacciniaceum.

Abstract: Eleven fossil woods belonging to seven families are described from a petrified wood forest of Mizoram. This fossil assemblage is derived from sediments belonging to the Tipam Group considered to be Late Miocene–Early Pliocene in age. The modern counterparts of the identified taxa are: Gluta L., Mangifera L. (Anacardiaceae), Bursera Jacq. ex L. (Burseraceae), Terminalia L. (Combretaceae), Shorea Roxb. (Dipterocarpaceae), Cynometra Linn., Dalbergia L. f., Millettia Wight et Arn.–Pongamia Vent, Ormosia Jacks. (Fabaceae), Artocarpus Forst. (Moraceae) and Madhuca Gmelin. (Sapotaceae). The genus Dalbergia is described for the first time from India. The modern environmental tolerances of the above taxa indicate the existence of a tropical warm and humid climate in Mizoram during the depositional period. The reconstructed climate data using Coexistence Approach (CoA) based on palaeoflora database of Mosbrugger and Utescher, along with other published data sets indicates an MAT (mean annual temperature) of 26.1–27.7°C, a mean temperature of the warmest month (WMT) of 25.4–28.1°C, a mean temperature of the coldest month (CMT) of 25.6–26°C, and a mean annual precipitation (MAP) of 3180–3263mm. These climatic interpretations are congruent with the data obtained from the anatomical features of all the fossil taxa. As all the fossil taxa possess diffuse porous wood, they further indicate a tropical climate with little seasonality. The majority of the taxa in the fossil assemblage generally have large vessels and simple perforation plates which indicate high precipitation. The present study provides vital evidence of floral exchange or migration between India and southeast Asia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Among the Orchid flora of Assam 4 species of Micropera recorded Micropera mannii, Micropera obtusa, Micropera pallida and Micropera rostrata in an intensive survey during 1996-2011. The present paper deals Micropera species diversity and distribution in Assam, India. This attempt is the first step to correct taxonomic identification to workout currently accepted botanical names with present ecological status, date of collection, Voucher specimen numbers, habitat, phenology and local and general distribution of Micropera species in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted in the Solan Forest Division with an area of 57,158 ha in Himachal Pradesh to study spatial distribution of plant biodiversity. The forest division has an altitudinal gradient from 600–2,260 m amsl. The contours on the Forest Survey of India (FSI) topo sheets (1:25000 scale) for this division were digitized to generate its Digital Elevation Model (DEM). It was stratified into five elevation classes (600–900, 900–1,200, 1,200–1,500, 1,500–1,800, 1800 m and above). A stock map of the division was digitized and superimposed on stratified DEM to know the distribution of vegetation at different elevations. Eight types of land use covers recorded in this division are: (a) chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) forests, (b) bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus) forests, (c) khair (Acacia catechu) forests, (d) ban oak (Quercus leucotricophora) forests, (e) deodar (Cedrus deodara) forests, (f) broad leaved forests, (g) cultivation, and (h) culturable blank. Around 16.50% of the division's area was estimated to be under different land uses. Total biomass of vegetation in different land uses of the division is estimated as 63.80 × 104 tons. Total carbon stock of the division was 11.71 × 105 tons. Biomass density and carbon density were found to increase with elevation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Tropical Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn. f.) is a dominant tree species, whose natural range lies between 20-32°N lat. and 75-95°E long., is spread across 10 million ha in India. Species distribution models predict the species geographic ranges from occurrence records and sitespecific environmental data. Here, we have (i) generated the 1960s scenario for sal species on the basis of the existing published literature; (ii) confirmed the species occurrence data using satellite imagery for the period of 1972-75; (iii) run the Maxent species distribution model to predict the distribution for the year 2020 under climate change scenario SRES A1-B and (iv) validated the prediction using more than double the amount of species occurrence data gathered during the last decade (1998-2008). The model identified moisture as the key player that would influence the distribution to shift towards northern and eastern India, with greater than 90% certainty. The study highlights utility of the archived remote sensing data in providing locational information in climate change studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pterospermumocarpon (Type: P. kalviwadiensis), a new morphogenus of fossil fruits showing resemblance with fruits of extant Pterospermum Schreb. (Malvaceae s.l.), is described from the Sindhudurg Formation (Miocene) at the Kalviwadi Village, Sindhudurg District, Maharashtra, India. Diagnostic feature of the fossil taxon is the dehiscent pentalocular capsule with five distinct sutures and imprints of winged seed-like structures in the locules. Recent modifications in the systematics of the Malvales, their fossil record, and the distribution and migration of Pterospermum and other malvalean taxa in the context of the Indian subcontinent are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Agricultural residues are spatially scattered in Punjab. The spatial distribution and associated costs on collection and transportation of this resource are the critical factor in planning the biomass based power plants. This paper presents a case study of Bathinda district of Punjab, using geographical information system to evaluate the feasibility of setting up biomass based power plants and optimizing their location. Mathematical models were developed to determine the storage and handling cost of agricultural residue. Geographical information system and non-linear optimization techniques were employed to locate appropriate sites and sizes of power plants. It was found that two power plants and their two collection centres are financially feasible. Power generation capacity is 20 MW (e). The fuel procurement area was in the range of less than 20 km. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We report on the first find of peltasperms in the Permian of Gondwana. Well-preserved leaf compressions and reproductive structures of these plants came from the Lower Permian Barakar Formation of Satpura Basin, central India, where they co-occur with diverse glossopterids. The Indian peltasperm record is evidence of floristic exchanges between Laurasia and Gondwana in the Early Permian involving a dominant group of North American–European arboreal vegetation of the time. The phytogeographic differentiation, leaf micromorphology and stratigraphic occurrence of Permian peltasperms suggest a thermophilic group appearing in central India during the transition from humid peat forming to seasonally dry redbed environments. Therefore peltasperms are unlikely invaders to high-latitude cool-temperate zone postulated for Early Permian Australindia. Instead their Satpura occurrence assigns the Indian subcontinent in the equatorial zone of mixed Laurasian/Gondwanan floristic assemblages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Many studies have shown that alien species richness pattern follows that of native species richness patterns along environmental gradients, without taking the specific composition of the two groups into account. Objectives: To compare species richness patterns of native and alien woody plants along an altitudinal gradient in Kashmir Himalaya, India, and to analyse the specific composition, e.g. proportion of life forms. Methods: Analysis of secondary data from published floristic inventories. The gradient (500–4800m asl) was split into 100m bands and presence/absence data for each species were obtained, for each band. Results: Species richness of both native and alien species followed a hump-shaped distribution. Alien species richness dropped faster above 2000masl than the native did. The ratio of trees to shrubs decreased monotonically along the gradient in native species, but showed a peak at c. 2500masl in alien species. Alien species flowered in average earlier than native species. Conclusions: The change of species richness of native and alien species along altitude is similar, but the proportion of life forms is not. Most likely both climatic and socio-economic factors affect alien species richness and its specific composition in the Kashmir Himalaya. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents an ethnobotanical investigation with the purpose to explore the traditional rice varieties cultivated in the interior localities of Jajpur district, Odisha, India. A total of 39 varieties of paddy, befitting the geo-climatic conditions of the place were identified. Most of them are disease and pest resistant varieties, suitable for lowland cultivation. They are also resistant to water logging and flooding. These traditional varieties are gradually being replaced by the high yielding hybrid germplasms, thereby threatening the existence of many invaluable traits present in such local landraces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on an endemic plant belonging to the Gentianaceae family called Gentiana tetrasepala found at the Valley of Flowers National Park of Gharhwal, India and its extinction due to reasons like habitat specific, unstable habitats and a restricted geographical range. It further discusses the potential threats posed to the extinction of the species that includes invasion of timberline species, unstable snow covers, global warming and climatic change.

Caralluma bicolor Ramach, S. Joseph, H. A. John & C. Sofiya sp. nov. (Apocynaceae) collected from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu in India is described and illustrated. Morphological differences between the new species and the allied species C. adscendens (Roxb.) Haw. and C. sarkariae Lavranos & Frandsen are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reconstruct the palaeoclimate, a number of fossil wood pieces were collected and investigated from two new fossil localities situated in the Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts of Assam. They belong to the Tipam Group considered to be of Middle-Late Miocene in age and show affinities with Gluta (Anacardiaceae), Bischofia (Euphorbiaceae), Bauhinia, Cynometra, Copaifera-Detarium-Sindora, Millettia-Pongamia, and Afzelia-Intsia (Fabaceae). The flora also records a new species of Bauhinia named Bauhinia miocenica sp. nov. The assemblage indicates a warm and humid climate in the region during the deposition of the sediments. The occurrence of some southeast Asian elements in the fossil flora indicates that an exchange of floral elements took place between India and southeast Asia during the Miocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on Achyranthes coynei (Amaranthaceae) and its distribution in Karnataka, India. It states that repeated random sampling shows prevalence of A. coynei, which was first reported by H. S. J. Santapau in 1949, in three localities such as Madanabhavi, Pachapur, and Godachinmalki. It says that the said species feature many branches, deciduous leaves, and truncated ovary. It adds that the species, which are found along canal bunds and road side, is on endangered status.

The article focuses on the distribution of two endemic angiosperm plants in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, India. It says that Celastrus paniculatus Willd., also known as unarmed straggler or liana, bears fruits and flowers from April to October and occurs in montane forest and is segregated into the subspecies paniculatus and aggregatus. Furthermore, the annual erect herb Canscora sanjappae bears flowers and fruits from October to March and dwells in deciduous and evergreen forests.

The genus Cantharellus is known to have a global distribution and to form ectomycorrhizal associations with a diverse set of host plants. Here we describe Cantharellus pseudoformosus as a species new to science with a possible association with Cedrus deodara. ITS and LSU data demonstrated that the material from India is distinct from Cantharellus formosus and other closely related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four chromite-mineralized areas, viz. Jambur, Tagadur, Byrapur and Pennasamudra in the ultramafics-dominant Nuggihalli schist belt in southern Karnataka have been studied geobotanically and biogeochemically. All the four areas are characterized by 'serpentine' soils and support a distinct vegetation pattern of herbs and shrubs. Twenty two plant samples of seven different species and 22 soil samples including the dump areas near the abandoned mines, have been analysed for Cr, Co, Ni, V, Cu, Zn, Mo, As and Se to know their accumulation patterns in plants and their substratum. Dodonaea viscosa and Hyptis suaveolens growing in the dump area show poor growth and wilting effect, mostly due to hyperaccumulation of metals, especially the toxic ones like Cr, Ni and V. All the analysed samples of plant species show enrichment of Cr (up to 659 ppm), whereas other metals like Ni and Co, which are usually associated with Cr, are not in higher concentration. The individual uptake pattern of Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn, As and Mo is more or less homogeneous in all the different species. However, Se and V show considerable variations in their concentration. By and large, accumulation of average concentrations suggests that Cu, Cr, Ni and V in plant species is proportional to their (higher) average concentrations in soil. However, the concentration of Co, Zn and Mo is almost the same in both plant and soil samples. In the absence of any specific plant species as higher accumulator of Cr, all the studied plant species could be considered as good accumulators. The 'not so high' level of other metal accumulation in plants could have been due to slightly higher pH (7.5-8.2) range of soils, which normally affect metal uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical moist climate in Manipur supports rich and luxuriant growth of Bambusa tulda Roxb. locally known as Sameibi, which is endemic to northeastern region and West Bengal of India. It represents one of the most costly species of bamboo in Manipur, its price ranging from Rs. 70-150/-per mature bamboo culm. The meitei Manipuris have a rich traditional knowledge for utilization of this particular bamboo species. In fact, it has got multipurpose use covering several aspects from religious to industrial. Because of its strength and durability it is of great demand on the market. Its young shoots (ushoi) and the fermented young shoots (soibum) represent a significant vegetable for local people. Ushoi costs Rs. 10-50/- per piece while soibum cost Rs. 30-50/- per kg. Local medicine man use this for healing properties. It forms a good raw material for various handicraft works, house building, paper industries, fencing, and several other useful equipments for day to day life. This bamboo species could yield more than 15 very commonly used and highly marketable articles with prices ranging from Rs.10/-to Rs 300/-per piece. Therefore, the development of small scale industries with highly skilled handicraftsmen cats be profitable. Plantation of this bamboo species on farmland, borders of home garden, foothills, riversides, sides of ponds will prove to be a good business as well as a proper help its the conservation and sustainable management of this endemic species. Traditional mode of propagation is done successfully through off-set planting method. This paper presents a detailed study on this particular bamboo species regarding taxonomy, status of distribution, density, regeneration capacity, traditional uses, methods of processing and its commercial implications highlighting else eco-friendly nature of bamboo plantation and bamboo products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A small collection of fossil fruits of dicotyledonous plants, having close affinity with modern taxa, Ziziphus xylopyros Willd. (Rhamnaceae), Combretum decandrum Roxb. and Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae) and Lagerstroemia flos-reginae and Lagerstroemia parviflora (Lythraceae) is reported from the subsurface beds of the Cambay Shale Formation exposed in an open-cast lignite mine at Vastan village near Surat, western India. Well preserved fossilized fruits have limited transport to burial histories from their plant producers and therefore have great potential to provide excellent data about the character of forests such as the one that may have contributed to the formation of the extensive Lower Eocene lignite deposits of western India. The fossilized fruits from Vastan are referred here to four new form species, viz. Ziziphus eocenicus, Combretum vastanensis, Terminalia cambaya and Lagerstroemia sahnii. The habitat and present day distribution of extant comparable taxa suggest the prevalence of tropical deciduous forest with moisture-loving plants in the Vastan mine area during the Early Eocene period. Such deciduous forests presently occur in south Coimbatore, Palghat and moister parts of Mysore region of southern India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astragalus rhizanthus with three infraspecific taxa (i.e., A. rhizanthus ssp. rhizanthus var. rhizanthus, A. rhizanthus ssp. rhizanthus var. pindreensis, and A. rhizanthus ssp. candolleanus) is widely scattered in the Himalaya from Jammu and Kashmir to Uttarakhand provinces in India. Among them, A. rhizanthus ssp. rhizanthus var. rhizanthus exhibits enormous morphological diversity throughout its range of distribution. An assessment of genetic diversity studies was undertaken to understand the level and pattern of diversity, using Inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR), Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and Directed amplification of minisatellite DNA (DAMD) profiles. Fifteen ISSR, 18 RAPD and 6 DAMD primers were used to unravel the diversity among 20 genotypes collected from the known localities in the Indian Himalaya. A total of 242 bands from ISSR, 352 from RAPD and 142 from DAMDwere obtained with an average of 92.23% polymorphism in the species. Pair-wise genetic similarity for the cumulative data was determined using Jaccard's similarity coefficient which varied from 0.19 to 0.84. A combined UPGMA dendrogram was generated which revealed that different genotypes exhibited their affinity according to their geographical distribution. Tree topology suggests the existence of two distinct groups of the genotypes. Gene diversity (H) and Shannon's information index (I) were estimated and these values were found higher in the genotypes collected from Jammu and Kashmir than Himachal Pradesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of the high economic value of the Saussurea species in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), the potential of most of the species is yet to be investigated. Therefore, an attempt has been made to study the diversity, distribution, habitat preference, nativity, endemism, status and indigenous uses of Saussurea species in the IHR. A total of 62 species were recorded from the IHR; of these, 37 species were native to the Himalayan region, 8 were endemic and 21 were near endemic to the IHR. Twenty-seven of the 28 species that were known to have indigenous uses also had medicinal value and are used for the treatment of various diseases/ailments. Many species, e.g., S. affinis (Ganga Mula*), S. auriculata (Pachak Kut), S. bracteata (Prerak Mul), S. costus (Kuth), S. gossypiphora (Kasturi Kamal) and S. obvallata (Brahm Kamal), have multiple uses. The genus showed high habitat specificity in that 16 species were recorded to be restricted to one or two habitats only. As many as 44 species were identified as rare in the study region. Considering the high industrial demand for raw materials and the endangered status of S. costus, S. gossypiphora, S. obvallata and S. simpsoniana (Fen Kamal), these species should be prioritized for conservation (in situ and ex situ) throughout the IHR. Population assessment of the rare-endangered, native, endemic and economically important species using standard ecological methods has been suggested for the quantification of the existing stock of these species in their natural habitats. Further, phytochemical investigations for the identification of active ingredients are suggested. Propagation and cultivation techniques are lacking for most of the species of Saussurea except for S. costus, S. obvallata and S. medusa (Snow Lotus). Furthermore, the native communities need to be sensitized to the sustainable use and conservation value of the species in this genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the geographic distribution of the gentianales Ceropegia hookeri. It says that the Ceropegia hookeri is a straggling herb which is endemic to Himalayas. It also mentions that the floristic exploration of the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve (KBR) in Sikkim, India, has resulted to its discovery, wherein the genus represents 48 species and three varieties. Meanwhile, there is an increased disturbance to its natural habitat due to the trekking activity of the tourists that threatens the existence of Ceropegia. Moreover,the plants can be conserved through various ex situ method such micropropagation, field gene banks, and maintaining Ceropegia hookeri in institutional botanical gardens and in situ measures such as habitat protection.

The main focus of the paper is to assess the land use/ land cover (LULC) change in northern Chhattisgarh due to industrialization using remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS). The impact was assessed using an information extraction method applied to temporal satellite data (LANDSAT and IRS scenes) in GIS domain. For assessing the impact on natural resources, the classification scheme was restricted to (1) Forest patches ((a) completely cleared, (b) partially cleared, (c) least affected), (2) Non-Forest ((d) completely changed, (e) least changed), (3) Industrial/Mining area, and (4) River. Over the three decades 22.22% of forests have been completely cleared and converted to industrial setup. Another 25% is completely cleared and 10% is degraded. Around 4% of agricultural area is totally affected due to industrial activity. Random assessment of plant distribution (Trees, Shrubs and Herbs) indicates significant changes in the herb distribution directly related to distance gradient form the industrial/mining setup. Visual recording, socio-economic survey and satellite data also helped in delineation of extent of environmental pollution in forest and non-forest areas. The paper presents methodology for the environmental impact assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the extended distribution of Polycarpaea aurea to Chota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand, India.

A checklist of Pittosporaceae on the Indian subcontinent was prepared on the basis of observations of different taxa belonging to this family in wild habitats, examination of herbarium specimens and reviews of taxonomic literature. On the Indian subcontinent (comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India), the Pittosporaceae family is represented poorly, i.e. by 16 species (6.4 % of global number of species). The cumulative rate of phytoendemism of Pittosporaceae on the Indian subcontinent was determined. Eight species (50 %) are endemics in the analysed area, i.e. 5 species (31.25 %) are narrow range endemics and 3 species (18.75 %) are broad range endemics. For better understanding of the species dynamics of Pittosporaceae on the Indian subcontinent, the present status of phytoendemism was compared to the data of previous investigations performed in the 19th century. On the basis of phytogeographical analysis and fossil evidences of Pittosporaceae on the Indian subcontinent, endemics were divided into holoendemics and island endemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aglaia bourdillonii is a plant narrowly endemic to the southern portion of the Western Ghats (WG), in peninsular India. To understand its ecological and geographic distribution, we used ecological niche modeling (ENM) based on detailed distributional information recently gathered, in relation to detailed climatic data sets. The ENMs successfully reconstructed key features of the species' geographic distribution, focusing almost entirely on the southern WG. Much of the species' distributional potential is already under protection, but our analysis allows identification of key zones for additional protection, all of which are adjacent to existing protected areas. ENM provides a useful tool for understanding the natural history of such rare and endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The study examined the relationships among seed size, plant distribution and abundance in a dry tropical forest of northern India. Results indicated that small-seeded species, which were generally wind-dispersed, were more widely distributed, at this local scale, compared to large-seeded species. However, the proportional abundance and basal cover of seed size categories indicated that the structure of the dry forest was largely determined by the medium- to large-seeded species. There was a considerable amount of redundancy within each seed size group, which added to the species diversity. Variability in seed size and the variable degree of shade-tolerance permit the species to occupy the full range of the gradient of light environments of the forest floor. This study revealed that in little to moderately disturbed locations seedlings of large-seeded species increased in abundance, whereas in extremely perturbed locations seedlings of species with medium-sized to small seeds were more abundant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Tropical Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Tropical Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Tropical Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A brief account of the distribution, phytoendemism, and possible fossil ancestry of the members of the family Berberidaceae in India is presented. A preliminary checklist of Berberidaceae on the Indian subcontinent has been prepared based on primary observations of different taxa of this taxonomic group in wild habitats and on secondary observations based on examining herbarium specimens. An appraisal of the survival threat and phytoendemism of the Berberidaceae taxa is presented. On the Indian subcontinent (comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India), the family Berberidaceae is moderately represented (49.31 % of the total taxa). For a better understanding of the species dynamics of Berberidaceae on the Indian subcontinent, the present status of endemism has been compared with the data of previous investigations done in the nineteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucumis sativus var. hardwickii (Royle) Alef, a wild sympatric botanical variety of C. sativus L. var. sativus has long grown in the foothills of the western Himalayas and is believed to be either a progenitor or feral relative of the cultivated cucumber. It is a source of several valuable genes for the improvement of cultivated cucumber but is poorly represented in major genebanks world over. A detailed inventory of C. s. var. hardwickii from various parts of the country was therefore made for collecting the germplasm accessions, and assessing the genetic diversity in the assembled germplasm. The species is widely and abundantly distributed in the north-western Himalayas, followed by fair distribution in the Western Ghats, and sporadic distribution in the Eastern Ghats, Chhota Nagpur plateau and the central Plateau region at elevations from 800 to 1700 m.a.s.l. Of the 41 accessions collected from these regions, a set of 29 representative accessions (including one cultivated landrace) were used for assessing the diversity for morphological and RAPD markers. Some of the populations were relatively more vigorous in growth, late maturing and had more laterals. High diversity for morphological as well as RAPD markers was observed, although the clustering of accessions with respect to the composition of specific groups was not identical. In each region, the presence of segregating populations of natural crosses between C. s. var. hardwickii × C. s. var. sativus were observed, indicating the existence of free gene flow between these two taxa. This underlines the importance of collecting more populations of the weedy races (natural hybrids). The results indicate the presence of high genetic diversity for useful traits, hence C. s. var. hardwickii has high potential for the improvement of cultivated cucumber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nypa megafossils dominated by fruits are described from Oligocene and Lower Miocene sediments of Assam and Mizoram, respectively. The origin, past distribution and migration of Nypa are discussed in the light of recent findings. This study indicates that India might be the place of its origin. Its presence, along with some other coastal elements, reinforces the concept that the Bay of Bengal was extending considerably northward during these epochs than its present day boundary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We studied the vegetation distribution in eight landscape types distinguished along an altitudinal gradient in the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, India. The pointintercept method was used for vegetation sampling. Six plant communities were distinguished by cluster analysis. Of these 6 communities, three communities were dominated by shrub species. Table lands are the landscape type with the highest species diversity followed by undulating areas and river beds. Most plant species were restricted to one landscape type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of vegetation in interpreting geological phenomena is becoming an important tool in the search for ore deposits which are buried under thick soil cover or layers of unmineralised rock. The present investigation was undertaken to study the distribution of Gymnosporia montana developed on pegmatites with a view to establish this species as a geobotanical indicator of these rock types. A significant feature of this area is the occurrence of G. montana as a lithological indicator of pegmatites. The biogeochemical behaviour of G. montana was studied by analysing the leaves and twigs of this plant species. It has the capability of accumulating large amounts of Ca, K, Mg, B, Ba, Cu, Mn, Sr and Zn. Further, this study has given great scope to understand the geobotanical and biogeochemical behaviour of this plant species in this famous Nellore mica belt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine wood-degrading fungi are believed to contribute to the settlement and growth of wood-borers in the sea. However, little information is available on the association between species of these two groups of organisms. In view of this, we studied the occurrence of marine lignicolous fungi and wood-borers in mango (Mangifera indica Linn.) panels submerged at three test sites along the Mandovi and Zuari estuarine systems in the coastal waters of Goa, India, during different seasons. A total of 33 fungi (20 Ascomycota, 1 Basidiomycota, 12 Mitosporic fungi) and 8 wood-borers (7 Teredinids and 1 Pholad) were recorded. A wide gamut of distribution patterns of fungi and wood-borers was found. A high frequency of occurrence (> 20 %) and a broad spatial distribution was noticed in the case of four fungi. Two wood-borers, likewise, were prevalent at all three sites. Several other fungi were also very frequent, but were restricted in their site distribution. Twenty-three fungi were rare or found infrequently (< 8 %). Four of the eight wood-borers recorded were also of sporadic occurrence. The fungi Periconia prolifica and Antennospora quadricornuta and the wood-borers Martesia striata and Lyrodus pedicellatus were present on the wood throughout the year. On the contrary, growth of most fungi and five species of wood-borers was adversely affected during the low salinity monsoons. Two fungi and one wood-borer colonized wood preferentially during the monsoon season. Contrary to earlier observations, more fungi appeared as early colonizers on wood during the first month of submergence than later. Our study indicates that in Goa waters, Periconia prolifica and Antennospora quadricornuta and the wood-borers Martesia striata and Lyrodus pedicellatus are highly versatile in their occurrence and were present throughout the year, at all sites. The numerous variations in distributional patterns observed in this study highlight the need to examine the response... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the population of critically endangered Pteris geminata Wall. ex J. Agardh or Pteridaceae in India. The study involved the collection of Pteridophyte species to determine its physical characteristics and habitat. Results show that species' population is declining at an alarming situation because of climate change and habitat destruction.

The article discusses the recollection of genus Taeniophyllum Blumea, a group of small monopodial which is a lefless epiphytic orchid with a minute central system. It discusses the occurrence of Taeniophyllum filiforme in Andaman Islands, India, which was first discovered by doctor Lars Johnson in 1867. It also presents a detailed description of the rare orchid and information on its ecology and distribution.

The article offers information on the study conducted on the presence of Gomphostemma eriocarpum Benth. (Lamiaceae), in Orissa, India. As mentioned, details of Gomphostemma is reported for the first time from the region of Eastern Ghats, which includes its description, distribution, habitat, specimen type, phenological data and biotic association. Also reported is the phytogeographical significance of Gomphostemma in Eastern Ghats which was previously reported from Western Ghats only.

The article discusses the phytogeography of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India with reference to the discovery of Hornstedtia fenzlii (Kurz) K. Schum plant. It notes that biological organisms of the islands are continental in origin and have evolved into the present status from a totally balanced continental biosystem through evolution of over million years. It cites that H. fenzlii (Kurz) K. Schum is the honey bee repellent plant species used by the Shompen tribes for honey collection.

The article focuses on the phytogeography of Heterostemma deccanense, a climbing plant specie that belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae, commonly found in the forests in Peninsular India. It discusses the Heterostemma deccanense's distribution, its geographic distribution map, as well as ethnobiological significance in treating kidney problems. It adds that Heterostemma deccanense has been categorized under the endangered and probably extinct species in the Red Data Book of Indian Plants.

The article presents a study which investigates the growth and distribution pattern of corchorus depressus in a semi arid desert in Jodhpur, India. The study assessed the phytosociological parameters of the area and the reproductive and aggressive capacity of the species in various soil mixtures. It reveals that the plant's aggressiveness and reproductive capacity increases in clay. The authors conclude that the vegetation patterns are linked with relief position and soil moisture.

• Downscaling PBs to the national level increases their policy relevance. • We use allocation approaches from the climate change literature on effort sharing. • Diverging equity considerations play out differently for countries and PBs. • Environmental footprints of EU, US, China & India are mostly higher than scaled PBs. • Methodology and results can inform national target setting for global SDG ambitions. The planetary boundaries (PBs) framework proposes global quantitative precautionary limits for human perturbation of nine critical Earth system processes. Together they define a global safe operating space for human development. Translating the global limits to the national level increases their policy relevance. Such translation essentially divides up the global safe operating space. What is considered fair distribution is a political decision and there is no globally agreed principle that can be applied. Here, we analyse the distributional consequences of alternative perspectives on distributive fairness. We scale the global limits of selected PBs to resource budgets for the EU, US, China and India, using three allocation approaches from the climate change literature. Furthermore, we compare the allocated budgets to 2010 environmental footprints of the four economies, to assess their performance with respect to the selected PBs. The allocation approaches are based on (1) current shares of global environmental pressure ('grandfathering'); (2) 'equal per capita' shares, and (3) 'ability to pay' to reduce environmental pressure. The results show that the four economies are not living within the global safe operating space. Their 2010 environmental footprints are larger than the allocated budgets for all approaches and parameterisations analysed for the PBs for climate change and biogeochemical flows, and, except for India, also for the PB for biosphere integrity. Grandfathering was found to be most favourable for the EU and US for all PBs, and ability to pay as least favourable. For climate change and biogeochemical flows, ability to pay even resulted in negative resource budgets for the two economies. In contrast, for China and India, equal per capita allocation and ability to pay were most favourable. Results were sensitive to the parameterisation. Accounting for future population growth in the equal per capita approach benefits India, with lower budgets for the EU, US and China, while accounting for future economic growth in ability to pay benefits the EU and US, with lower budgets for China and India. Our results underline the need for all four economies to act, while hinting at diverging preferences for specific allocation approaches. The methodology and results may help countries to define policy targets in line with global ambitions, such as those defined by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), accounting for differences in countries' circumstances and capacities. Further attention is required for PB-specific allocation approaches and integration of biophysical and socioeconomic considerations in the allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a proposal to conserve the name Cyclodendron against Subsigillaria and Eusigillaria of the fossils family Lycopodiophyta, Lepidodendropsida. The genus Cyclodendron is widely distributed in various regions of Central and Southern Africa, India and Australia and is also biostratigraphical marker of soil sedimentation,

Information about the training sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology in India on capacity building in plant taxonomy is presented. Topics include the importance of plant taxonomy in forestry, the essentials of plant taxonomy, and the floristic diversity, vegetation, and phytogeography in India. The training featured several experts including Dr. P. K. Hajra, Dr. V. R. R. Singh, and Dr. Subhash Nautiyal.