Assessment of tree diversity in nithyapoojakona dry deciduous forest of Sri Lankamalleswara wildlife sanctuary, southern eastern ghats, India

Tree species enumeration was carried out in 5-ha Nithyapoojakona dry deciduous forest of Sri Lankamalleswara wildlife sanctuary. A total of 3406 tree individuals (>30 cm gbh) belonging to 97 tree species, 75 genera and 40 families was recorded. The mean and range of tree individuals were 681ha⁻¹ and 610 to 738 ha⁻¹, respectively. Shannon-Wiener index (H) was 3.38 and Simpson index was 0.074 and the mean and range of tree species were 60 species ha and 32–72 species ha⁻¹, respectively. The mean basal area recorded in the forest stand was 22.9 m² ha⁻¹. The rank abundance curve revealed that these dry deciduous forests were dominated by few tree species. Top five species registered 51.7% tree density, 41 species were recorded with 10–150 tree individuals and 52% of species are with less than ten tree individuals. Species abundance distribution as log normal distribution revealed a normal distribution curve.