Cartography of Vegetation and Conservation plans B.R. Ramesh & G. Muthu Sankar French Institute of Pondicherry
Vegetation map of the Peninsular India Scale: 1 million 12 sheets published during 1959-1973 In collaboration with ICAR Our illustrious predecessors: Gausen Legris Meher-Homji Blasco Troys Virat Fontanel Gupta Pascal...
Scale 1:250 000 Forest Map of South India (Pascal et al. 1982, 1984, 1992, Ramesh et al. 1997, 2002) 80,000 km2 forest area 150 vegetation classes
Vegetation classes Characterization and classification of vegetation: Based on dynamics and succession along the natural gradient and the disturbance regime Heterogeneity in vegetation: Variability in bioclimate, soil and topography Anthropogenic activities of different intensity
Climatic Climax a climax is the mature, stable and optimal state of a phytocoenosis, representing the final outcome of a progressive series of successive stages of vegetation. Under a given climate, all the successions converge towards a unique climax, which is the climatic climax (Clements,1936)
What is an ecosystem? Odum, 1953 Systems of biotic communities interacting with their physical environment
Ecosystem Structure Varies Geographically
Ecosystem / biodiversity regulators Natural Process Human intervention (threats) Climate, Soil, Topography Effects Processes / Function Logging, grazing, Land conversion, burning, NWFP, exotics Structure Responses Landscape level Distribution Reproduction Dispersal Migration Regeneration Trophic dynamics Biogeochemical process Vegetation type Fragmentation Area change Neighborhood. Habitat level Habitat diversity Interior to exterior Degradation. Species level Biodiversity / Ecosystem Components of ecosystem assessment Species diversity Population structure Species shift Extirpation / extinction Genetic level
Western Ghats Great escarpment running parallel to West Coast of India - 1600 km Best non-equatorial forests: from Wet Evergreen to Dry Evergreen forests Moist to Dry Deciduous forests and Grasslands High rate of Endemism (45% of 4000 plant species; 29% of 1153 vertebrates) High human population density (341 Per km²) One of the Biodiversity Hotspots of the World
Palnis Anamalai LONGITUDE profile Nilgiris 2700 m Babudangiri 600 m N S 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 Latitude ( N) LATITUDINAL profile (Latitude 12 20 N) 1400 m 800 m W 0 E 50 100 150 km
Temperature decreases with altitude High-elevation (> 1400 m) mountain forests (Sholas) and grasslands _ (Source: Pascal 1984) Palnis Anamalai Nilgiris Babudangiri C + 1400 m 600 m N S 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 Latitude ( N) Medium- (600-1400 m) and low- (< 600 m) elevation forests (tall forests) 8
1st JULY 15th JUNE 10th JUNE 5th JUNE 1st JUNE Western monsoon arm Eastern monsoon arm
15th SEPTEMBER 1st SEPTEMBER 1st OCTOBER 1st JULY 15th JUNE 10th JUNE 5th JUNE 1st JUNE 15th OCTOBER
Rainfall decreases from west to east (Source: Pascal 1982) 5000 mm/an ip ec Pr ita tio MONSOON WINDS n 2000 mm/an 500 mm/an W 0 E 50 100 150 km
Rainfall decreases from west to east (Source: Pascal 1982, 1984) Rainfall (mm/an) > 5000 2000-5000 1500-2000 1200-1500 Moist 900-1200deciduous forest 5000 mm/an 600-900 < 600 Dry deciduous forest ip ec Pr ita n Wet evergreen forest tio MONSOON WINDS 2000 mm/an 500 mm/an W 0 E 50 100 150 km Deciduous
Dry season increases from south to north (Source: Pascal 1982) Palnis Anamalai 2700 m Nilgiris MONSOON WITHDRAW Babudangiri 600 m N S 16 15 14 13 12 11 Latitude ( N) MONSOON ONSET 10 9 8
Dry season increases from south to north (Source: Pascal 1982) Palnis Anamalai Nilgiris Number of dry months/yr 1-2 Babudangiri 7-8 mo Numbe r 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 of dry m onths/ yr 1-2 mo N S 16 15 14 13 12 11 Latitude ( N) 10 9 8
Potential areas of 22 forest types (Source: Pascal 1984, 1988) D Palnis Anamalai e c Nilgiris 2700 m u s u o i d Babudangiri 600 m N S 16 15 14 13 12 11 Latitude ( N) 10 9 8 s s t r e f o
Evergreen forest types (19) Rainfall (mm) Temp ( t:c ) DS (months) DKS DDS DKH DHP DDD PDH DP* DDP* 2000-5000 2000-5000 2000-6000 5000-8000 3500-7000 2000-6000 >2000 1500-1800 >23 >20 >20 >20 >20 >23 20-23 23-24.5 2-3 2-3 4-5 5-5.5 5-6 6-7 5-6 6-7 Wet eg Medium Elevation (7501400m) CMPG CMP MP PPH MSA 2000-5000 2000-5000 2000-5000 5000-7000 5000-6500 16-23 16-23 17-22 18-20 17-22.5 2-3 2-4 4-5 4-5 5-7 Wet eg High Elevation (>1400m) BGL LSM SMG 3000-5000 900-6000 >2000 13.5-16 <13.5 13.5-17 2-3 0-4 3-6 DMMK DMM DMO 1200-1500 1200-1500 1200-1500 >23 >23 16-23 4-5 4-6 4-6 Forest types Wet eg Low Elevation (<800m) Dry evergreen
Stages of successions derived from climax forest Deciduous climax forest Evergreen climax forest moderate exploitation exploitation Scrub woodland Exploitation + grazing Thickets further degradation Discontinuous thickets Fire Savanna woodland + cutting of trees Tree savanna heavy biotic pressure Shrub savanna heavy anthrpogenic pressure + soil degradation protection Dense evergreen forest with a structure close to the climax forest but with different floristic composition Dense evergreen or semi-evergreen forest, potentially linked to climax type heavy exploitation exploitation Evergreen or semi-evergreen forest with disturbed structure and without characteristic species of the climax forest over exploitation protection Secondary semi-evergreen forest degradation Secondary deciduous forest protection
Groundtruthing Satellite data Bioclimate
Vegetation criteria Phenology (relative percentage of evergreen and deciduous species) Evergreen forests: pure patches of evergreen species; Deciduous forests: majority of species shed their leaves during the dry season; Semi-evergreen forests: mixture of deciduous and evergreen species in various proportions.
Floristic types: Floristic types are determined by species abundance Species with bioclimatic indicator value both Dipterocarpus indicus Cullenia exarillata (<800 m elevation) (700 to 1400 m elevation)
Physiognomy: Dense forests: >70% tree cover Disturbed forest: 50 70% tree cover Woodland: 50 70% tree cover and paucity in under storey trees Savanna woodland: woodland with carpet of tall grasses Tree savanna: scattered trees with tall grasses Scrub woodland: thorny bushes with scattered trees Thickets: continuous or discontinuous bushes without trees.
Scale 1:250 000 Forest map of south India Sources: Pascal et al. 1982a,b, 1984, 1992, Ramesh et al. 1997, 2002) Vegetation classes: classified along bioclimatic gradients and disturbance regimes 150 vegetation classes Vegetation classes defined by: Phenolony (evergreen / deciduous) Physiognomy (dense, disturbed, woodland thickets, savannas) Floristic composition (typology based on species)
Broad vegetation groups based on dynamic relationship Climax formations in equilibrium with the prevailing condition of environment when biotic interference is minimum; Formations potentially linked to the climax after moderate exploitation, however, may return to climax if they are protected; Highly degraded formations with different physiognomy due to repeated logging and other biotic pressures like grazing and fire. These formations may no longer return to a climax under natural condition.
Temperature decreases with altitude High-elevation (> 1400 m) mountain forests (Sholas) and grasslands _ (Source: Pascal 1984) Nilgiris Babudangiri C + Tea plantations Palnis Anamalai 1400 m T C 600 m T HTE T C N S 16 Coffee plantations 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 Latitude ( N) Medium- (600-1400 m) and low- (< 600 m) elevation forests (tall forests) Hevea, Teak and Eucalyptus plantations 8
GEOGRAPHICAL DATABASE Habitation Administrative boundaries Road and rail network Vegetation Plantations Floristic types Physiognomic types Hydrology Coastal limits
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India Current status of Forests in Kerala State: 24 % (9473 km²) of total geographical area Nearly 1000 km² loss between 1961 and 1988 (Prasad, 1998) Primary forest types (4669 km2 49%) (2.92%) (2.29%) 216 275 (2.05%)194 1540 (16.31%) 149 (1.57%) 374 (3.97%) 1922 (20.37%) Percentage out of 9437 Km2 Low elevation evergreen climax forest Medium elevation evergreen climax forest High elevation evergreen climax forest Montane evergreen forest High elevation grassland Primary moist decidous forest (PMD) Primary dry deciduous forest (PDD)
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India Current status of Forests in Kerala State: 24 % (9437 km²) of total geographical area Nearly 1000 km² loss between 1961 and 1988 (Prasad, 1998) Disturbed / secondary / degraded forests (4768 km² - 51%) Secondary / disturbed evergreen forest of low, medium and high elevations 193 55 452 Secondary moist deciduous forest Degraded formations of low, medium, high elevations 1626 Degraded formations of PMD 2442 Degraded formations of PDD
Loss of forest areas in Western Ghats of Karnataka between 1977 and 1997 (Source: Ramesh & Swaminath 1999) Total - 11.9% Inside Reserve Forests - 4.4% Outside Reserve Forests - 19.0%
Proliferation of coffee plantations in Kodagu district (Source: Ramesh & Swaminath 1999) Kodagu loss 1977 Evergreen forests Deciduous forests 1997 20 km Coffee plantations Teak and Eucalyptus plantations
Endemic tree species distribution (356 species and 11,000 records)
Prediction model of richness in endemic tree species and actual forest cover
Rationalization of protected area network PAs are the repositories of biological richness Kerala has high biological richness vis à vis demographic and socio-economic complexities whether the existing PA network is enough to protect at least the priority areas? Priority areas derived from Biodiversity indicator values projected on vegetation classes: Species Richness Endemism Rare, Endangered and Threatened (RET) species Unique ecosystem Gap analysis: Integration of spatial data of above indicators and protected areas
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India Species Richness (745 tree species) Endemic (166 tree species) Endemic fauna (8 mammals, 16 bird species ) Density of RET mammals (elephant, gaur, sloth bear, mouse deer, bonnet macaque and wild dog) Unique ecosystems (2 species based & 4 habitat based)
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India Species Richness (745 tree species) Endemic (166 tree species) Endemic fauna (8 mammals, 16 bird species ) Density of RET mammals (elephant, gaur, sloth bear, mouse deer, bonnet macaque and wild dog) Unique ecosystems (2 species based & 4 habitat based)
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India Species Richness (745 tree species) Endemic (166 tree species) Endemic fauna (8 mammals, 16 bird species ) Density of RET mammals (elephant, gaur, sloth bear, mouse deer, bonnet macaque and wild dog) Unique ecosystems (2 species based & 4 habitat based)
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India Species Richness (745 tree species) Endemic (166 tree species) Endemic fauna (8 mammals, 16 bird species ) Density of RET mammals (elephant, gaur, sloth bear, mouse deer, bonnet macaque and wild dog) Unique ecosystems (2 species based & 4 habitat based)
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India Species Richness (745 tree species) Endemic (166 tree species) Endemic fauna (8 mammals, 16 bird species ) Density of RET mammals (elephant, gaur, sloth bear, mouse deer, bonnet macaque and wild dog) Unique ecosystems (2 species based & 4 habitat based)
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India Species Richness (745 tree species) Endemic (166 tree species) Endemic fauna (8 mammals, 16 bird species ) Density of RET mammals (elephant, gaur, sloth bear, mouse deer, bonnet macaque and wild dog) Unique ecosystems (2 species based & 4 habitat based)
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India PTR Shendurni Peppara Neyyar
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India Conservation value areas Conservation value Area (km2) % Low 1877 19 Medium 2908 30 High 5009 51 (low + low medium) (high + high medium) Total 9794 Gaps in conservation Conservation value PA Non PA (km2) (km2) Low 357 1520 Medium 605 2303 High 1119 (22%) 3889 (78%)
Principles for creating Protected Area Network The selection and design of PAs should be based on three basic principles: Representativity (all ecosystems, HCV, unique habitats, cultural value ) Ecological integrity (viable areas where all ecosystem components and their interactions are represented and functioning) Contiguity (PAs that are isolated from each other are prone to species loss; smaller the PA and more isolated it is, then the greater the risk; contiguity among PA network must be maintained to facilitate gene flow and migration of animals)
Gap Analysis, Southern Western Ghats, India Rationalization of PA network Sanctuaries Existing Protected Areas (WLS & NP) Extension (WLS & NP) New (WLS & NP) Corridors Conservation Reserves Community Reserves