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2010 - 20115
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Subject: Forestry × Author: KAU × End date: 2011 × Start date: 2010 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Influence of host plant on the physiological attributes of field grown sandal (santalum album L.).
    (Department of Tree Physiology and Breeding,College of forestry, Vellanikkara, 2011) Delphy, Rocha; KAU; Ashokan, P K
    Effects of host plant, casuarina on the carbon assimilation, water and nutrient absorption in field grown sandalwood was studied at College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, Thrissur during the year 2009-2011. Radioisotopic study to understand the trans-haustorial translocation from the host to field grown sandalwood tree and anatomical studies of sandalwood haustoria were also taken up during the investigation. The investigations were carried out in a six year old sandal-field, where sandalwood tree with and without host were established as a part of an earlier research project. The experiment was laid out with single tree plants, in RBD with three treatments viz, T1 - Sandalwood tree without host (Casuarina) (Host plant dead naturally within 2 years after establishment of sandal), T2 - Sandalwood tree with host (Casuarina), T3 - Sandalwood tree with host (Casuarina) and the host plant cut and removed at six year stage of growth. The host plant casuarina did not influence the height and diameter (dbh) of the sandalwood tree significantly during its six years growth. Sandalwood trees growing with host showed higher rate of photosynthesis (carbon assimilation) than sandalwood trees growing without host. Sandalwood tree growing without specific host can extend its root for finding a host in its vicinity, and forming haustorial connections, for meeting its water and nutrient requirements. Sandalwood trees grown with host showed higher plant water potential than sandalwood trees grown without host. Plant water potential has decreased significantly after the removal of host plant from the sandalwood pit. It also resulted in leaf wilting and leaf fall in sandalwood tree, indicating the contribution of the host in maintaining higher water potential in sandalwood trees. Sandalwood trees growing with host showed higher leaf N, P and K content. The N, P and K content of the sandalwood tree leaf decreased considerably after the removal of the host plant. The removal of host did not show any significant effect on leaf micronutrient content of sandalwood tree. Sandalwood growing without host also formed haustoria with roots of host plants growing in the adjacent pit. The sandalwood growing with host in the same pit showed higher number of haustoria. Total number of haustoria was higher on the primary root of the host followed by secondary and tertiary roots. Size of the haustorium, the depth of the penetration, the length of the penetration peg and area of coverage of endophyte was higher in the case of secondary root haustoria than in tertiary. Anatomical study of sandalwood haustoria showed that elongated parenchyma cells of the haustorium projected towards the host root xylem, making vascular connection between sandalwood tree root and the host plant root. Radioactive phosphorus (32P) labelling on host plant, casuarina and tracing in sandalwood tree and other hosts revealed that there is inter-translocation of nutrients between sandalwood and host plants, sandalwood and sandalwood, host and host. The data indicated that a network of roots of sandalwood tree and the hosts are formed through haustorial connection resulting in xylem-translocation. Peak count of 32P was obtained on the eighth day of its application. Radiotracer studies on different sandalwood tree-host associations showed that association of sandalwood and cocoa as host was efficient in haustorial translocation of 32P. Labelling of wild grasses growing around sandalwood tree with 32P revealed that, sandalwood also depends on wild grass for meeting its nutrient requirements.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Floristic and edaphic attributes of three land use systems in Wayanad, Kerala
    (Department of Forest Management and Utilisation, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2011) Aneesh, K S; KAU; Gopakumar, S
    The present study was conducted in Thollayiram area of South Wayanad Forest Division of Wayanad district. The objective of the study is to compare the various floristic and edaphic attributes of three land use systems, viz an ecologically fragile land (EFL), a section 5 land (as per section 5 of Kerala Preservation of Trees Act (1986) and vested forest found in South Wayanad Forest Division. A total area of one hectare was surveyed in each of the three land use systems. The floristic study revealed that species richness of these land use systems were 40, 26 and 32 respectively. The major associations of trees in the ecologically fragile land were Melicope lunu-ankenda- Litsea oleoides- Litsea wightiana and Diospyros nilagirica. In section 5 land, the major associations are Litsea wightiana- Dillenia bracteata and Diospyros nilagirica whereas the vested forest is dominated with Palaquium ellipticum, Myristica beddomei, Dimocarpus longan and Mesua ferrea. Total basal area of vested forest is 44.56 m2 followed by ecologically fragile land (37.47 m2) and section 5 land (33.60 m2). By comparing the Shannon –wiener index of these land use system, vested forest recorded the highest value (2.96) followed by ecologically fragile land (2.93) and section 5 land (2.80) whereas Simpson indices are 0.93, 0.91 and 0.92 respectively. Regarding vegetation structure, a typical three storeys was noticed for ecologically fragile land and vested forest but section 5 land has only two storeys. Texture analysis revealed that soil texture of these land use systems are sandy loam. The pH values of the soil ranges from 3.84 to 4.79. The higher value of bulk density was recorded for section 5 land (1.46 g cm-3) followed by ecologically fragile land (1.34 g cm-3) and vested forest (0.88 g cm-3). There is no significant difference in the values of organic carbon and available potassium across three land use systems whereas available phosphorous was significantly higher in vested forest. The information regarding diversity of ecologically fragile land in Thollayiram will be helpful to the state forest department in designing better strategies for the long term conservation of this ecosystem.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Ecology of the lesser known mammals of Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary
    (Department of Wildlife Sciences,College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2010) Malik Fasil, M; KAU; Nameer, P O
    Studying the lesser known mammals such as the small carnivores, rodents, insectivores and bats is always a challenging one for the wildlife researchers because these mammals are nocturnal or crepuscular, small bodied and inhabit inaccessible areas. This makes these groups of mammals least studied and hence less information is available regarding their ecology, behaviour and habits. In this study, an attempt was made to understand the ecology of the lesser known mammals of Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary. The techniques employed include line transect survey for direct and indirect evidences, camera trapping, Sherman trapping for rodents and insectivores, and mistnet for bats. A total of 240 kilometres transect walk, 270 camera-trap nights, 5000 Sherman trap-nights and 80 hours of mistnet were carried out in the sanctuary. A total of 22 species belonging to 10 families of lesser known mammals studied were recorded from the sanctuary. These include six species of small carnivores, eight species of rodents and eight species of bats. Small carnivores include two civets, two mongooses, one otter and one small cat. Rodents recorded include four species of squirrels, three species of rats and the Porcupine. Similarly, the bats studied include three species of fruit bats and five species of insectivorous bats. Among the small carnivores civets were abundant followed by mongoose. Ratufa indica and Rattus rattus wroughtoni were the abundant species of squirrels and rats respectively among the rodents. Rhinolophus rouxii was the abundant species of bats in the sanctuary. Herpestes vitticollis, Petaurista philippensis, Cremnomys blanfordi and Hipposideros ater were observed only in the moist deciduous forests whereas Millardia meltada, Cynopterus sphinx, Hipposideros speoris, Cynopterus brachyotis and Rhinolophus beddomei were observed only in the semi-evergreen forests. All other species recorded were habitat generalists observed in both the moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests. Small mammals with smaller area requirements would have been the last one to be affected due to the changes in the landscape and habitat degradation. Smaller mammals are susceptible to the alterations in the habitat and thus could be a good indicator of the habitat health. Conservation strategies may be improved if information on species ecology is taken into account.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Seed source variation in the seed and seedling characters of Ashoka (saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Wilde)
    (Department of Tree Physiology and Breeding, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2010) Deepa, K S; KAU; Santhoshkumar, A V
    An investigation was conducted on “Seed source variation in the seed and seedling characters of ashoka [Saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Wilde]” in the nursery of College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala, India. In order to fix the seed sources, the state was divided into six equal portions based on the latitude. The seeds collected from each source were bulked and used for the study. Seed traits, germination attributes and seedling characters were used for investigating seed source variation in Saraca asoca. Different seed traits like seed length, seed breadth, seed length to breadth ratio, seed weight and pericarp thickness was evaluated in the present investigation. Study showed significantly lower size for the seeds collected from seed source SS 3. The performance of seed source SS 1, SS 2, SS 4 and SS 6, were on par with each other in case of most of the seed attributes. In the present study altogether 2400 seeds were sown, with 400 seeds representing each seed source. Germination of seeds were noted daily. In general germination per cent in Saraca asoca was found to be good with an average of 81.5 per cent. Maximum germination per cent was exhibited by seed source SS 1 (98 per cent). Germination per cent of seed source SS 2 was also on par with SS 1, with a recorded value of 93.8 per cent. Significantly lower germination per cent was shown by seed source SS 5 (37.8 per cent). This may be attributed towards the presence of mostly non viable seeds in seed source SS 5. Apart from germination percentage, days required for germination to initiate, days required for germination to cease, germination days, days required for attaining 50 per cent of germination, germination energy, mean daily germination, peak value and germination value of Saraca asoca was assessed. Most of the germination attributes were the least in case of seed source SS 5. A number of seedling parameters like height, collar diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, number of branches, leaf thickness, fresh weight of shoot and root dry weight of shoot and root, shoot to root dry weight ratio, relative growth rate, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate was measured. The study showed seed source SS 1, SS 2 and SS 4 to be the best followed by seed source SS 3 and SS 6. However the variation with respect to seed source SS 5 was significantly the lowest in most of the attributes studied. The cluster analysis revealed seed sources SS 2 and SS 4 along with seed sources SS 3 and SS 6 to be genetically closer. A highly distant relationship was exhibited by seed source SS 5 with rest of the seed sources. Apart from the seed source variation study, karyomorphhological analysis was also carried out in ashoka. The study revealed 2n = 34 chromosomes, in Saraca asoca. In order to standardize the procedure for cytological preparation two pre- treatment chemicals namely 8-hydroxyquinoline and colchicine were used. Two fixatives Carnoys I and Carnoys II were used in the present study. For staining acetocarmine and fuelgen were used. It was found that pretreating the chemicals with 8-hydroxyquinoline and fixing it in Carnoys II and using the stain acetocarmine gave the best cytological preparation.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Diversity and abundance of herpectofauna in kole wetlands, Thrissur
    (Department of Wildlife Sciences, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2011) Sreehari, V S; KAU; Nameer, P O
    : Kole wetland is an internationally important Ramsar site, an Important Bird Area and a High Value Biodiversity Area. The wetland diversity is not fully assessed in our country. Herpetofauna including the amphibians and reptiles are one of the least studied groups of animals in India as well as in Kerala. In this study, an attempt was made to understand the diversity and abundance of herpetofauna in the Kole Wetlands, which is the first ever study on the herpetofauna of the Kole wetlands. The study was mainly concentrated in four locations of Kole Wetlands viz. Adat, Enamavu, Thommana and Maranchery. The study period was divided into two seasons as wet season (June to October) and dry season (November to May) in 2011 and the difference in the population was compared. Visual encounter survey was the method to study the hepetofauna. A total of 12 species of herpetofauna was recorded in the study period which includes seven species of amphibians and five species of reptiles. Among the amphibians, Hoplobatrachus tigerinus was the most abundant and frequently seen species in the Kole Wetlands and among the reptiles, Xenochrophis piscator was the most abundant in the Kole Wetlands. Two endemic species of amphibians Hylarana malabarica which is endemic to Western Ghats and Hylarana aurantiaca which is endemic to Sri Lanka and Western Ghats was reported in the study. The maximum number of species was recorded from Enamavu and Thommana. The mortality observations showed that road kill is a serious problem for the amphibians at Kole wetlands and habitat destruction as well as poaching is also negatively affecting the populations of herpetofauna at Kole wetlands. Strict conservation measures including the non-construction of any more new roads at Kole wetlands, checking the land use or habitat conversion and strict enforcement of law against poaching could only save the herpetofauna of this internationally important wetland habitat- the Kole wetlands.