Community composition, structure and management of subtropical vegetation of forests in Meghalaya State, northeast India

Abstract

The study was conducted in three major forest types in Meghalaya State, northeast India, to characterise soil properties, community composition, tree population structure and management. Random sampling was conducted in each representative forest patch for community and soil analysis. Soils of pine forest were more acidic and relatively low in nutrients compared to evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. Tree species richness was higher in broadleaf forests than in needle-leaf forests. The dominance–distribution pattern was log normal in the former forests and was like a broken stick in the pine forest. The Shannon diversity index was higher in broadleaf forests than in pine forest, while the Simpson dominance index showed a reverse trend to that of the diversity index. Distribution of stand density in different DBH classes revealed that young individuals constituted the maximum, with a declining trend as trees matured. All three forest types showed dominance of tree seedlings and a low population density of saplings and adult trees, resulting in a pyramidal structure, indicating that the period between seedling and sapling stage was most critical in the tree life cycle, with maximum mortality during this last period. The findings of this study can help to more sustainably manage the three forest types, both in the study area and in areas elsewhere that have similar edapho-climatic conditions, and aid in conserving regional biodiversity, although more ecological research is needed.