Biodiversity Characterisation of Selected Forest Regions of Dakshin Dinajpur, West Bengal

Forests, the most valuable ecological resources, are greatly being impoverished economically, aesthetically and environmentally in India. It is observed that the forests are affected by anthropogenic encroachment, over exploitation, grazing, irrational felling of trees which, in turn, depletes the green cover rapidly and threatens forest ecosystem and conservation. Biodiversity of forests is being depleted due to overexploitation of forests. Many medicinal and endemic species are on the verge of extinction. To evaluate the present status of forests in the light of species richness vegetation cover and ethnobotanical importance this study was conducted in Dakshin Dinajpur district of West Bengal. Banshihari and Kusumandi blocks were selected as study areas which comprises of 13 forest patches with different physiographic textures. Bagduma, Kakoir, Maheshpur, Purba Mollapur, Chandail, Ahera, Mandahar, Manipukur, Narayanpur, Pharaspur, Chandipur, Purbabasail and Kathalhat Hossenpur are the forests that have been explored to understand various characteristics of forest ecology including vegetation types, vegetation species and community distribution pattern, climatic and edaphic factors during extensive field surveys over last three years. The study area exhibits moderate, that is, 168-177 cm rainfall, 14°C-35°C temperature and 60-80% humidity annually. Different canopy types were observed from open, irregular, columnar, mixed, uneven to close whereas soil characteristics showed changes in terms of their colour and texture. Silty, sandy, loamy, clay soil types were mainly prevalent in the forests of interest. Natural vegetation cover of these forests is influenced by physiography and climate. The studied forest cover was mainly dominated by tree species like Terminalia arjuna, Acacia auriculiformis, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Dalbergia sissoo, Shorea robusta, Tectona grandis, Alstonia scholaris, Bombax ceiba, Bischofia javanica, Corylus avellana, shrubs like Vernonia sp., Chromolaena odorata, Ageratum conyzoides, A. houstonianum, Flacourtia indica, Clerodendrum sp., Dentella serpyllifolia, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Digitaria ciliaris, Suregada multiflora, Xanthium indicum, Parthenium sp., Croton bonplandianum, Amaranthus viridis. Chrozophora rottleri and herbs like Acalypha indica, Saccharum spontaneum, Imperata cylindrica, Cymbopogon martinii, Scoparia dulcis, Commelina benghalensis, Eleusine indica, Tridax procumbens, Rumex dentatus, Alternanthera sessilis, Evolvulus nummularius, Cynodon dactylon, R. dentatus, Achyranthes aspera, Cyperus halpan, Mimosa pudica, Polygonum orientale.