P.A.KatarkiC.R.Vijay2016-10-172016-10-172005http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/80691Sacred groves are unique landscapes and relies of original vegetation being preserved under community conservation concept. The assessment of population status of RET species was carried out in the sacred groves of Kodagu district. The growing stocks and regeneration status of RET species with respect to their potential spatial distribution that are influenced by ecological factors was assessed in ten sacred groves under semi-evergreen and seven groves under moist-deciduous vegetation. Species diversity of trees (H =2.570) and regeneration (H =3.673) and richness of both trees (17) and regeneration (8.00) were higher in sacred groves of semi-evergreen than that of moist deciduous vegetation. With respect to spatial pattern of RET trees Cannarium strictum showed clumped pattern ( 2 = 8.7042) where as other species showed neither clumped nor random pattern. In spatial distribution pattern of regeneration only Artocarpus hirsutus showed clumped pattern (x2= 6.6716). Assessment of species abundance was also done from data of both vegetation types. Cinommomum macrocarpum acquired first position (398) with relative abundance (0.3376) in case of growing stock and also in regeneration with recorded number of 245 individuals and relative abundance of 0.4890. while considering individual vegetation type, Cinommomum macrocarpum had 723 and 275 individuals in sacred groves of semi-evergreen and moist deciduous vegetation respectively. From the pooled data of regeneration of both vegetation types, the abundance with individuals of 188 and 157 and with relative frequency of 0.5000 and 0.4830. Regarding assessment of influence of ecological factors on population of RET species, the ecological parameters such as latitude, longitude and rainfall had significant influence on girth, height and basal area (r = 0.630, 0.49 and 0.597) respectively. The present study confirms the hypothesis that mild disturbance had great influence on higher density of RET medicinal species.Agricultural StatisticsThesis