Vegetation composition and structure of Tectona grandis (teak, Family Verbanaceae) plantations and dry deciduous forests in central India

Abstract

Vegetation structure and composition of abandoned Tectona grandis (teak) plantations was compared with the neighboring dry deciduous secondary forests in Satpura Conservation Area located in central India. Species diversity and stem density were compared between plantations and secondary dry deciduous forests separately for adults and seedlings of trees, shrubs and lianas (collectively termed woody species). No significant difference was found between the two vegetation types in the seedling and adult species diversity. The adult stem density was significantly higher in plantations compared to the secondary forests, but the opposite was found to be true for basal area perindividual. Species abundance in plantations deviated from log-normal distribution while the secondary forests showed log-normal species abundance distribution. The size-class distribution of adults in plantations had greater positive skewness than the secondary forests due to high relative abundance of species in smaller size-classes. Overall results show that plantations have similar species richness as secondary forests, but have disproportionate abundance of sprouting and asexually reproducing species.