Regeneration dynamics and sylvigenesis in the moist deciduous forests of southwest India

Sustained management of natural forest depends on their ability to regenerate. The pace at which older trees are replaced by younger ones is important in this respect. This study was conducted to assess the demographic details of natural regeneration dynamics of south Indian moist deciduous forests. The status of natural regeneration has been assessed in eight localities of varying levels of disturbance in Thrissur Forest Division of Kerala State of southwest India. Enumeration of trees and their regeneration were analyzed at three levels of organization; whole-stand, stratum, and species.The trees of the forest were grouped into upper, middle and lower vertical strata. Species richness was highest in the middle stratum. Upper stratum species were commercially important. The mean basal area for the Forest Division was 12.83 m²/ha. and average number of trees per hectare (>=20 cm dbh) was 150. Regeneration of the upper stratum species was higher at about 10% gap in the canopy.The growing stock of established seedlings and saplings (height > 100 cm and dbh <=10cm) was very low compared to unestablished seedlings (height <=100 cm). Owing to very low survival probability in the sapling stage (dbh >=1 cm to <=10 cm), a low numbers of poles (dbh >=10 cm to <=20 cm) in the upper stratum was observed. Presence of fire, grazing, browsing and over expoitation by humans are the major constraints of natural regeneration recognized in these forests.