A Study of diversity of woody plant species of Bundelkhand University, campus, Jhansi

Introduction

Trees are essential components of forest ecosystems and play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance. They protect the environment, absorb pollutants, and provide a wide range of products beneficial to human life, including timber, fuel, fodder, food, medicines, charcoal, gum, resins, and rubber. However, the biological resources of our planet are increasingly under threat due to both natural and anthropogenic activities.

Pradesh viz., Datia, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Chhatarpur, Panna, Damoh, Sagar, and two sub-divisions i.e., Lahar and Bhander of Bhind and Gwalior district respectively. It is situated in a transitional zone between Upper Gangetic Plain and Central India and has an interesting floral diversity. Jhansi district in Bundelkhand region lies between 25° 27' North latitude and 78° 35' East latitude and about 275 m, above sea level. Jhansi is located in the plateau of central India, an area dominated by rocky reliefs and minerals underneath the soil. The climate of Jhansi district is of typical Central Indian climate, with mild winters and hot summers. The temperature during summer goes up to 47 -48°C. Average rainfall is 700 -1000 mm. Bundelkhand University is a premier public university located in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Established in 1975. It lies between 25° North latitude and 78.5° East longitude and about 285m, above sea level. Campus area is spread over 186 acres of land, surrounded by semi-arid terrain and green spaces. The university is located on the outskirts of Jhansi city, along the Jhansi-Kanpur Road (NH-27), making it easily accessible by road and rail. Methodology consists of frequent visit of sites was done in all seasons of an year and inventory was prepared after identification of plants at their flowering stage with help of following references -:

• Forest Flora for Pilibhit, Oudh, Gorakhpur and • Bundelkhand by Kanjilal (1982) [5] • Flora of British India by Hooker (1875) [3] • Silviculture of Indian trees by Troup (1921) [13] • Indian medicinal plants by Kirtikar and Basu (1999) [6]

Study Sites

In the present study, the approach is vegetation analysis of woody plant species. After a preliminary assessment of the whole region, three sites stand were selected for quantitative analysis and other studies; details of these three sites are presented below.

Results

All the plants whether their economic value is known or not, are important in ecosystem. They may be dominant or rare but their exits a definite relation between different species occurring in a community. Each species has not only its own ecological value but also has a particular relation to environment and to the associated species. These interactions among the species with their environment result in different vegetation types in different areas.

4.1: An Assessment on Diversity of Woody Species -:

The present research was mainly concentrated on Woody species of Bundelkhand University Campus, Jhansi. A brief account on floristic diversity of woody species is presented below. Among the woody vegetation, a total of 73 species belonging to 64 genera and 32 families have been recorded in different study sites (Table 3.1 and 3.2). Out of 32 families, 25 families were belonging to dicotyledons, 4 families were belonging to monocotyledons, and 3 to gymnosperms. Overall floristics analysis showed that out of 73 woody species, 64 species belonged to dicots, 3 to gymnosperms and 6 to monocots. (Table 3.3) Depending upon the number of inclusion of species, Fabaceae (16 genera, 18 species) was the dominant family followed by Apocynaceae (6 genera, 7 species), Rutaceae (3genera, 5 species), Malvaceae and Arecaceae are present with 3 genera and 3 species each, Combretaceae (2 genera, 3 species), Moraceae (2 genera, 4 species), Annonaceae, Bignoneaceae, Lamiaceae and Myrtaceae are present with 2 genera and 2 species, Nyctaginaceae (1 genera, 2 species), Anacardiaceae, Araceae, Boraginaceae, Casuarinaceae, Cupressaceae, Cycadaceae, Magnoliaceae, Meliaceae, Moringaceae, Musaceae, Oleaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Pinaceae, Poaceae, Putranjivaceae, Rhamnaceae, Rubiaceae, Sapotaceae, Ulmaceae, Verbenaceae are present with 1 genera and 1 species each. Fabaceae is conventionally divided into three sub-families i.e., Caesalpiniaceae, Mimosaceae, and Fabaceae (Papilionaceae), each of which was formerly considered a separate plant family. In present study, survey was mainly focused on woody plant species. Among these families, Fabaceae was the dominant family followed by Apocynaceae, Arecaceae and Malvaceae.

Conclusions

The study of Bundelkhand University Campus of Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh consists of phytosociological approaches. The woody vegetation under investigation is divided into two strata: trees and shrubs. The study area had a total of 73 woody species representing the two strata. Some of the trees and shrubs were monospecific, which is common in B.U. Campus, Jhansi.Analysis of the three distinct study sites in the forest region revealed that there are 53 tree species and 20 shrub species. According to a floristic survey of the areas, Azadirachta indica, Ficus virens, Nerium oleander, Saraca asoca and Cassia fistula were the most abundant woody species in the study sites.

On the basis of the quantitative study of the woody species Azadirachta indica was exhibited to be the most dominating tree species in tree study sites. The most dominating family was Fabaceae having 16 genera and 18 species.Among 73 woody species there are 64 dicot species, 06 monocot species and 03 gymnosperm species with the percentage of 87.67%, 8.2% and 4.1% respectively.

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