Sahyadri ENews Issues: I - LXXVIII
Mini forest at Indian Institute of Science: The Success Model for Rejuvenating Ecology and Hydrology in Rapidly Urbanizing LandscapesCite
Ramachandra T V, Gouri Kulkarni, Bharath H. Aithal, Bharath Settur, Vinay S and Harish R Bhat
ENVIS[RP], Environmental Information System, Energy and Wetlands
Research Group,
Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science -
560012
envis.ces@iisc.ac.in
tvr@iisc.ac.in Phone:
080 22933099/22933503
2.0 Introduction:
India is bestowed with the rich diversity of flora and fauna due to diverse landscapes. The species diversity has also helped in the selection of appropriate native species to enhance the ecological functions of urbanizing landscapes. Global warming and consequent impending danger of climate changes has necessitated appropriate interventions to arrest deforestation. Adoption of monoculture plantations though the region appears green, but not fulfilling the vital ecosystem functions such as groundwater recharge, food and fodder to dependent biota, etc. There is also a looming threat of climate change on food and water security in the country. This necessitates propagation of our native tree species to improve the micro climate, mitigation of floods, water security, etc. In this context, creation of mini forest was mooted three decades ago at the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore and tree species of Western Ghats forests. This exercise also helped in evaluating the performance of Western Ghats native plants in the Deccan plateau region - Bangalore. A small vacant space (about 1.75 hectare) that was beset with scrub vegetation (infested with invasive weeds - Parthenium) opposite to the CES in the campus of Indian Institute of Science was chosen for planting tree saplings from the forests of the Western Ghats. This region is now popularly known as IISc mini forest. Saplings (480 no's.) belonging to forty nine species (Table 1) which were raised at the CES Field Station Nursery at Sirsi, Uttara Kannada district and from forest divisions of Uttara Kannada district (Karntaka Forest Department, Canara Circle) were obtained and planted along with few species already existing on the plot with a spacing of 3 x 3 m.
Vegetation of Western Ghats: Western Ghats mountain ranges constitute the gorgeous array of mountains along the west coast of India, separating the Deccan Plateau and a narrow coastal strip (along the Arabian Sea). The mountain range starts from the southern part of the Tapti River near the border area of the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Western Ghats mountain ranges cover a length of around 1600 km (8o to 22o N, 73o to 78 oE ) running through a geographical area of about 160,000 km2 of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states fin ally terminates at Kanyakumari district, in the southern-most tip of the Indian peninsula (Daniel, 1997). The climate is also extremely variable. The rainfall varies from 5000 mm per annum in windward areas to less than 600 mm in the leeward or rain shadow areas with prolonged dry season.
The vegetation varies broadly from evergreen, semi-evergreen, deciduous, scrub forests, sholas, grasslands and bamboo clumps. Factors including sunlight, rainfall, humidity, altitude, topography and location contribute to the uniqueness of this habitat, its animal and plant diversity. Plants species such as Holigarna grahamii (Wight) Kurz, Garcinia sp., Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth., Lophopetalum wightianum Arn., Syzygium leatum (Buch.-Ham.) Gandhi, Entada rheedei Spreng., Calamus prasinus Lak. & Renuka and the like represent evergreen, semi evergreen and moist deciduous species of the Western Ghats (Pascal and Ramesh, 1987, Pascal, 1988). These species generally thrive in Western Ghats with the unique climatic and edaphic factors and are not generally found thriving in other plateau regions.
Table 1: List of species in the mini forest
Adenanthera pavonina L. Family: Fabaceae Vernacular name: Manjatti kai Description: Deciduous tree. Leaves bipinnate, alternate or clustered. Flowers clustered, bracts linear. Pod spirally coiled after dehiscence, pointed, tapering to the base. Seeds 8-15, lenticular globose2. Flowering and fruit: March - August |
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Adina cordifolia (Roxb.) Hook.f. ex Brandis Family: Rubiaceae Vernacular name: Anavu Description: Deciduous tree. Leaves simple, orbicular to cordate, with an acuminate tip. Flower small, yellow aggregated in heads. Fruit is a capsule2. Native: India, Sri Lanka, China Flowering and fruit: March - June. |
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Ailanthus triphysa (Dennst.) Alston Family: Simaroubaceae Vernacular name: Gugguldhupa Description: A single-stemmed tree. Leaves are pinnate, large, shiny, glabrous. Flowers greenish white, polygamous in lax axillary. Fruit is samara, reddish-brown2. Native: India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Australia Flowering and fruit: December - April |
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Albizia amara (Roxb.) Boiv. Family: Fabaceae Vernacular name: Tugli mara Description: Deciduous tree. Leaves 12 cm long, petiole gland near middle or above it. Flowers subsessile. Pod greyish-brown, faintly veined2. Native: India, Sri Lanka, Tropical Africa Flowering and fruit: March - June |
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Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. Family: Apocynaceae Vernacular name: Haale mara Description: Large evergreen tree. Leaves simple, bright green on the upper side. Flowers are small, greenish-white. A pair of fruits develops from each flowers. Seeds are papery2. Native: India Flowering and fruit: October - December |
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Areca catechu L. Family: Arecaceae Vernacular name: Adike mara Description: A tall palm. Leaves long, leaflets numerous. Inflorescence much branched, glabrous. Fruit upto 5 cm long, ovoid. Seed globose to subglobose1. Native: Tropical Asia Flowering and fruit: Throughout the year |
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Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. Family: Moraceae Vernacular name: Halasu Description: Large evergreen tree. Leaves are simple, bear two large stipules. Flowers unisexual in separate inflorescences. Entire female inflorescence together with parts of individual flowers1. Native: India Flowering and fruit: Throughout the year |
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Artocarpus hirsutus Lam. Family: Moraceae Vernacular name: Hebba halasu Description: A large evergreen tree. Leaves are simple, dark green. Female inflorescence is globose with individual flowers embedded in its axis. Female inflorescence with its constituent flowers forms a multiple fruit similar to Jack fruit but is not as big1. Native: Tropical Asia Flowering and fruit: December - June |
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Artocarpus lacucha Roxb. ex Buch.-Ham. Family: Moraceae Vernacular name: Vatehuli Description: Large tree. Leaves broadly oblong or elliptic-obovate. Inflorescence axillary, globose on short pubescent peduncles. Syncarp globose, irregularly lobed, almost smooth2. Flowering and fruit: March - July |
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Bombax malabaricum DC. Vernacular name: Booraga Family: Bombacaceae Description: A tall native with straight trunk that is covered with hard, sharp, conical prickles. Leaves are large with 3-7 lanceolate to oval leaflets having pointed apex. Flowers are large clustered at the end of branches. Fruit ovoid in shape with five partitions. Seeds are covered with silky white hairs. Native: India Flowering and fruits: February - March |
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Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.) Willd. Family: Poaceae Vernacular name: Bidiru Description: A tall woody bamboo with thorny culms, numerous and tufted. Stem-sheaths are leathery, orange-yellow. Leaves thin, linear. Inflorescence is a panicle of enormous size1. Native: Southeast Asia |
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Broussonetia luzonica Bureau Family: Moraceae |
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Butea monosperma (Lam.)Taub. Common name: Flame of the Forest Family: Fabaceae Description: A medium-sized native tree which is highly ornamental. Leavea are pinnately 3-foliate with large leaflets. Flowers are bright red or orange-red in color. Pod is broad, oblong follicle. Native: India; Flowering: February - March |
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Calamus prasinus Lak. & Renuka Family: Arecaceae Vernacular name: Ontibetha Description: A high climbing cane. Stem solitary. Leaves upto 2.5 m long, sheath flagelliferous. Inflorescence long, pendulous, primary sheath compactly sheath. Fruit globose, scales deeply channeled along the middle3. Native: India |
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Calophyllum apetalum Willd. Family: Calophyllaceae Vernacular name: Holehonne Description: Tree. Leaves chartaceous, oblong-obovate. Flowers pedicellate, white, sepals 4, petals 0. Fruit drupe, elliptic2. Native: India Endemism: Western Ghats |
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Calophyllum inophyllum L. Family: Calophyllaceae Vernacular name: Kalhonne Description: medium to large size evergreen tree. Leaves simple, opposite decussate. Flowers are in axillary, few-flowered corymbose inflorescence. Fruit is hard, globoid2. Native: Mozambique, Tropical Asia Flowering and fruit: October - April |
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Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. & Thoms. Family: Annonaceae Description: Medium -large size tree. Leaves simple, glossy. Flowers fragrant and borne in fascicles2. Native: Indo-malaysia Flowering and fruit: Throughout the year |
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Canarium strictum Roxb. Family: Burseraceae Vernacular name: Halemaddu Description: evergreen resinous tree. Leaves large, odd pinnate. Inflorescence is a large panicle. Flowers are polygamous and 3-merous. Fruit is a drupe2. Native: India Flowering and fruit: January - March, November - January |
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Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. Family: Malvaceae Vernacular name: Bili buruga Description: Deciduous tree. Leaves glabrous, lanceolate, cuspidate at apex. Flowers in axillary fascicles. Fruit capsules ovoid-oblong4. Native: South and Central America Flowering and fruit: January - March |
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Chukrasia tabularis A. Juss. Family: Meliaceae Vernacular name: Kalgarike Description: Deciduous tree. Leaves are pinnately compound, acute with unequal halves of lamina. Flowers are small, fragrant. Fruit is an ovoid capsule2. Native: India, South-east Asia Flowering and fruit: April |
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Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhand. Family: Burseraceae Vernacular name: Konda mavu Description: Tree. Leaflets 1-3, obovate, serrate in the upper part. Flowers fascicled. Petals brownish-red. Fruit drupe, ovoid2. Native: Western and peninsular India |
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Duabanga grandiflora (Roxb. ex DC.) Walp. Family: Lythraceae Description: Tree. Leaves large. Flowers are large, attractive. Sepals are fleshy and persistent. Sepals are fleshy and persistent5. Native: Cambodia, India, Laos Flowering and fruit: February - April |
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Elaeocarpus serratus L. Family: Elaeocarpaceae Vernacular name: Beejadamara Description: Large -sized tree. Leaves simple, elliptic. Inflorescence is a raceme. Flowers white, oriented facing downwards. Fruit is a drupe, pyrenes are tuberculate2. Native: India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal. China, Myamnar, Java, Malaysia Flowering and fruit: April - May |
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Elaeocarpus tuberculatus Roxb. Family: Elaeocarpaceae Vernacular name: Rudraksha Description: Large tree with buttressed. Leaves simple, obovate, clustered at the ends of branchlets. Flowers are white with yellow tinge. Fruit is a drupe with smooth surface2. Native: India, Malaysia Flowering and fruit: January - May |
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Entada rheedei Spreng. Vernacular name: Hallekaayi-balli, Pallekaayi (Kannada) Description: It is a gigantic climber with twisted angled stems. Leaf-rachis glabrous, grooved, ending in a bifid tendril, pinnae 2-3 pairs, leaflets 3-4 pairs, ovate-oblong, obtuse of emarginated at apex. Spikes upto 30 cm long, from the axils of upper leaves or from nodes on the leafless branches. Flowers pale yellow. Pod woody, 6-15 jointed, 100*10 cm, joints discoid or square. Seeds glossy brown, with vary hard testa. Flowering: March - May; Fruit: June |
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Ficus benghalensis L. Family: Moraceae Vernacular name: Aladamara Description: Gaint evergreen tree. Bark is grey-brown, relatively smooth, milky latex when cut. Leaves simple, leathery and alternate. Figs are about 2 cm. diameter, rich red. Regarded as 'Keystone' species1,2. Native: India Flowering and fruit: Throughout the year |
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Ficus racemosa L. Family: Moraceae Vernacular name: Atthimara Description: Large tree with latex. Leaves simple, ovate, glossy-green. Galls are seen on leaf. Figs yellow-orange edible in clusters are borne on main trunk1,2. Native: India Flowering and fruit: Throughout the year |
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Garcinia indica (Thouars) Choisy Family: Clusiaceae Vernacular name: Murgina hulimari Description: Large evergreen tree. Leaves are opposite, leathery, red when young and oblong lanceolate. Flowers small, axillary as well as terminal. Petals four. Fruit is globose2. Native: India Flowering and fruit: March - April |
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Holigarna grahamii (Wight) Kurz Family: Anacardiaceae Description: Large-sized evergreen tree. Leaves simple, large with obovate-elliptic lamina. Flowers are polygamous, calyx toothed and accrescent. Fruit is a drupe2. Native: India Flowering and fruit: December - May |
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Holigarna arnottiana Hook. f. Family: Anacardiaceae Vernacular name:Sanna holegare Description: Large tree of evergreen and semi evergreen. Leaves simple, obovate or oblanceolate. Inflorescence is a panicle withg pale golden brown tomentum. Fruit is elliposoidal drupe2. Native: India Flowering and fruit: January - March |
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Hopea ponga (Dennst.) Mabb. Family: Dipterocarpaceae Description: Lofty tree. Leaves simple, oblong-lanceolate, yellow tomentum. Flowers borne on branched inflorescence. Petals are ovate-lanceolate. Wings of samara green, turning red when mature2. Native: India, Flowering and fruit: July - November |
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Lagerstroemia lanceolata Wall. ex C. B. Clarke Family: Lythraceae Description: Large deciduous tree. Leaves simple, elliptic, entire, opposite. Flowers in terminal panicles. Fruit capsule ellipsoid, brownish1. Flowering and fruit: March - May |
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Lophopetalum wightianum Arn. Family: Celastraceae Vernacular name: Banale Description: Evergreen buttressed tree. Leaves opposite, obovate or obtuse-acuminate. Flowers 1.6 cm across. Fruit capsule oblong, coriaceous2. Native: Indo-malayan Flowering and fruit: November |
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Madhuca longifolia (Koenig) Macbr. Family: Sapotaceae Vernacular name: Sanna Ippe Description: Evergreen tree. Leaves chartaceous, oblanceolate, glabrous, apex acute. Flowers creamish-white, long pedicellate umbels. Fruit berry ellipsoid, glabrous2. Native: India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar Flowering and fruit: March - June |
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Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell.-Arg. Family: Euphorbiaceae Vernacular name: Kampillaka Description: Small sized evergreen tree. Leaves simple, ovate-lanceolate. Flowers unisexual, male and female occurring on different tree in terminal elongate inflorescence. Fruit is three-lobed orange-red small capsule. Native: Asia; Flowering and Fruit: November |
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Mangifera indica L. Vernacular name: Maavu Family: Anacardiaceae Description: Moderate sized tree, up to 8 m high. Leaves alternate or sub-opposite, simple, exstipulate, lanceolate, undulate, acute or acuminate. Inflorescence a terminal panicle. Flowers polygamous. Fruit a fleshy drupe, orange yellow, heart-shaped. Native: India Flowering and Fruits: February - May |
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Memecylon umbellatum Burm. f. Vernacular name: Mundi Alle Family: Melastomataceae Description: Tree. Leaf blade ovate-elliptic, nerves faintly visible. Calyx campanulate. Fruit berry to 5 mm in diameter1,2,6,7. Native: India, Sri Lanka Flowering and fruit: March - July |
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Mimusops elengi L. Vernacular name: Pagadi mara Family: Sapotaceae Description: Evergreen tree. Leaves simple, alternate, glossy-green with wavy margins. Petals are many. Fruit is berry, green at first, turning red-yellow when ripe2. Native: India Flowering and fruit: May - June |
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Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth. Family: Rubiaceae Vernacular name: Kadamba Description: Deciduous tree. Leaves obtuse-acute, suborbicular-ovate. Calyx limb short. Corolla creamy, white, sparsely pilose within. Fruit capsule in globose head2. Native: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh Flowering and fruit: May - August |
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Pajanelia longifolia (Willd.) K. Schum. Family: Bignoniaceae Vernacular name: Mokkudu Description: Deciduous tree. Leaves imparipinnate, compound. Glabrous, leaflets opposite, margin entire, chartaceous. Inflorescence panicle. Purplish outside and yellow within. Fruit capsule, brown1. Native: India and Myanmar Flowering and fruiting: January-June |
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Sterculia guttata Roxb. ex DC. Family: Malvaceae Vernacular name: Hultioradu mara Description: tree. Leaves simple, ovate, entire, rounded to cordate at base, palmately 3-5-nerved, softly tomentose. Follicles obovoid, rugose. Seeds on short stout funicles with spreading bristles2. Native: Peninsular India, Sri Lanka Flowering and fruit: January - February |
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Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels Vernacular name: Neerale Family: Myrtaceae Description: Tall tree. Leaves simple, elliptic, lush-green and leathery with insect galls. Numerous flowers aggregate into dense cluster with long stamens. Fruit is globose to oblong, single-seeded berries1,2,6. Native: South-east Asia; Flowering and fruit: February - September |
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Syzygium laetum (Buch.-Ham.) Gandhi Family: Myrtaceae Vernacular name: Dev Jambhul Description: Small tree. Leaves chartaceous, ovate-elliptic. Cymes terminal, few flowered. Flowers large. Fruit berry elliptic-ovate, dark brown2. Native: India Flowering and fruit: December - February |
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Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn. Vernacular name: Holimathi Family: Combretaceae Description: A large evergreen tree. Leaves are simple, oblong, crenulate and leathery in texture, petiole glandular. Flowers are small, white and are borne on catkins. Fruit is ovoid with 5-7 angles or wings1,2,6. Native: India; Flowering and Fruit: May - February |
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Terminalia crenulata Roth Vernacular name: Kirajul mathi Family: Combretaceae Description: Tree. Leaves alternate or subopposite, crenulate or entire, glabrous or tomentose. Spike branched. Flowers pale yellow. Fruit 5-winged, reddish when mature2. Native: India, Southeast Asia Flowering and fruit: August - January |
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Vateria indica L. Family: Dipterocapaceae Vernacular name: Dhupadamara Description: Tree. Leaves elliptic-oblong, coriaceous, glabrous, acuminate. Flowers white. Fruit capsule to 4.5 cm long, fleshy, obtuse. Native: India |
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Vitex altissima L.f. Family: Lamiaceae Vernacular name: Bharanige Description: A large dry deciduous and semi evergreen forests. Leaves are compound with three or five leaflets. Flowers are numerous on branched inflorescence, small. Fruit are small and purplish-black when ripe1,2,6. Native: Tropical Asia; Flowering and fruit: October - December |
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Xylia xylocarpa (Roxb.) Taub. Family: Fabaceae Vernacular name: Jambe Description: Unarmed tree. Leaflets 3-5 pairs, elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, with glands in between. Corolla yellowish-white. Pod brown-pubescent, axe-shaped1,2,6. Native: Indomalesia; Flowers: March - May, Fruit: May - January |
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Ziziphus rugosa Lam. Family: Rhamnaceae Vernacular name: Kotte hannu Description: Shrubs. Leaves broadly elliptic or elliptic -ovate, rounded. Flowers in long-peduncled panicles. Fruit drupe globose or oblong. White when ripe2. Native: India, Sri Lanka Flowering and fruit: February - April |
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It is observed that in less than 25 years, the experimental plot, now termed 'Miniforest' on account of the limited area, is transformed into a lush green forest on a terrain that was originally a scrub vegetation of the Deccan plateau type with apparently conditions alien to most of the species that have been introduced. The miniforest, in this respect, presented an opportunity to study the adaptations capability of the Western Ghats native forest species in Deccan plateau. The species composition that emerged in the experimental plot is quite interesting. Majority of them are the Western Ghats species whereas the others, the native to scrub vegetation, both found growing in perfect harmony, in spite of the difference in rainfall (850 mm), humidity, temperature and soil conditions for the former species.
The miniforest trees exhibited normal robust growth, flowered and set fruit as they would do in their native habitat. Some of the trees, for example Mitragyna parvifolia (Roxb.) Korth., Chukrasia tabularis A. Juss., Duabanga grandiflora (Roxb. ex DC.) Walp., Garcinia indica (Thouars) Choisy, Holigarna grahamii (Wight) Kurz, Lophopetalum wightianum Arn. and Syzygium laetum (Buch.-Ham.) Gandhi have grown as well as they would do in the evergreen forests.
The area developed rich micro- and macro-fauna, from insects, frogs, snakes to birds and smaller mammals like the most elusive Slender Loris. Smaller plants such as mosses, algae, fungi, ferns, herbaceous plants and climbers have grown well adapting to the change. The entire plot is amazingly transformed into the type of a habitat that prevails in the moist forests of Western Ghats. The water table at this location was in the range of 60- 70 m depth before. At Present monitoring of water table shows the level of water is at about 3 to 3.5 m below the ground. This indicates that land cover dynamics play a decisive role in recharging the groundwater sources. Other ecological benefits have resulted from creating the miniforest in urban ecosystem are;
- Improved campus microclimate (temperature is at least 2 o C lower than other parts of 178 hectares campus) and reduced SO4 and Suspended Particulate Matter in the atmosphere which was emitted by the vehicles;
- Carbon sequestration and reduction in air pollution - reduced atmospheric CO2 ;
- Reduced surface water runoff; infiltration of rain water and recharging of ground water resources;
- Eradication of invasive plant species;
- Supports diverse fauna (4 families of Slender Loris, wide variety of reptiles, butterflies, etc.);
- Mitigation of temperature and urban heat islands;
- Enhanced the aesthetic value (feel of rain forest in Bangalore);
- Good experimental plot with diverse micro habitats;
- Enhanced the recreation and has become campus visitor's favourite spot.