Diversity and Ecological Status of Major Lac Host Species in the Village Commons of the Periphery of Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary of Odisha

Abstract

An ecological study was carried out in village commons of fringe forests (i.e. 05 Km) in the tropical deciduous forests of the periphery of Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary of Odisha during 2018-19. This paper has endeavoured to assess the diversity and distribution pattern of trees vis-à-vis major lac host species in the outer peripheral region of Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in the Garadihi Gram Panchayat of Nilgiri Block, Balasore, Odisha. An attempt was made to present floral diversity in the study site and estimated diversity index using Simpson's Diversity Index were determined to draw a comparative inference. Stratified random samplings were laid in the field. A total of 44 tree species consisting of 31 genera and 17 families were recorded. Fabaceae was the most dominant family with 13 species. a major lac host Butea monosperma, species, recorded the highest tree density (120.00 individual's ha ) and the lowest tree density (10 individual's ha ) was observed for -1 -1Neolamarckia cadamba Ficus religiosa Shorea robusta and . had the highest basal area ha of 164.56. The Importance Value Index (IVI) of -1 trees was the highest for (20.74) followed by which was also a major lac host species (16.15) andShorea robusta Schleichera oleosa Holarrhena antidysenterica Neolamarckia cadamba (15.07 while the lowest was for (1.82). Species evenness for trees was (0.951). ) Abundance/ Frequency ratio (A/F) for trees of 44 species exhibited mostly random distribution patterns for 26 species, 13 species contagiously and 5 species were regularly distributed.