Species Diversity and Tree Regeneration Patterns in Tropical Forests of the Western Ghats, India

Tree species diversity and regeneration patterns vary significantly across different vegetation types in the Western Ghats, India. The study found that mid-elevation forests exhibit higher species heterogeneity, while higher elevations show greater tree abundance. Rarefaction analysis revealed heterogeneous distribution of species across all vegetation types, with undisturbed areas demonstrating stronger regeneration signals. Disturbed forests showed more frequent shifts in species composition between mature and regenerating phases compared to less disturbed or undisturbed forests. The research used rarefaction curves, one-way ANOVA for density/basal area comparisons, and Sorenson similarity indices to quantify these patterns, highlighting the sensitivity of tropical forest regeneration to human disturbance.

Jayakumar, R., & Nair, K. K. N. (2013). Species Diversity and Tree Regeneration Patterns in Tropical Forests of the Western Ghats, India. ISRN Ecology, 2013, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/890862