Vegetation Ecology of Coastal belt of Khejuri area of Purba Medinipur District with special reference to Hijli coast, West Bengal, India

Abstract

The present article deals with vegetation admixed with populated shoreline elements along with some exotics which broadcast valid and successional change that can develop community as natural kind if managed by local people. The forest department (FD) is engaged with plantation of varied types of elements since two decades ago. The types of vegetation therefore three types as per the present situation either natural or plantation or preliminary natural followed by plantation type. This is due to the potential use of plants for different purposes either for fuel wood production or by other purpose they served. As a coastal line, all the managerial systems always associated with framing or making shelter belt or green belt for multipurpose reasons. The main theme was to sustain species in the present habitats and withstand there against natural calamities like devastating storms, heavy flood or to check the erosion which is annual and reoccurrence type. Therefore, the species planted there as artificial kind is Casuarina equisetifolia along with Acacia auriculoformis and a few strips of Eucalyptus for the sustenance of life. These species used for fuel wood production as well as for protection of the habitats in the upper strand. But the species planted along the shoreline are Sonneratia apetala, Avicennia officinalis, A. marina, A. alba and Prosopis juliflora. Other species they planted the same site are Acacia nilotica, but the species grew there with stunted growth and dynamics of stability was confined. Therefore, the types of special vegetation required here are to check the habitats as well as to develop biodiversity through the growing vegetation and reaching climax formation by halophytes. Though mixed pattern of vegetation found here are mesophytic, xerophytic, hydrophytic, halophytic, halophytic associate type and exotic introduced type. Most of the species grow there as plantation type except a few true halophytes near the High Tide (HT) and Low Tide (LT) area. Ground vegetation of Aleuropus lagopoide, Suaeda maritima and Suaeda monoica cover the disturbed area grazed by cattle which need immediate protection. A general discussion along with vegetation cover of true halophytes both in natural habitat and in plantation stands have been made for critical analysis as preliminary study. A total number of 16 plant species have been critically analyzed along with some potential plants with market demand have been discussed thoroughly. These will generate oxygen for categorically different researchers in the field of biology in near future to manage the ecosystem more usable than the present and will provoke sufficient path to generate income for eco-sustenance of life.