EXTRACTION OF NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS IN THE FORESTS OF BILIGIRI RANGAN HILLS, INDIA - 4 - IMPACT ON FLORISTIC DIVERSITY AND POPULATION-STRUCTURE IN A THORN SCRUB FOREST

Impact of extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) was analyze d irt a thorn scrub forest in Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) wildlif e sanctuary India. Six species are most commonly extracted from BRT sc rub for subsistence and income generation by an aboriginal tribe, the Soliga. Although the forest has been provided protection from indiscri minate felling since 1978 under a wildlife sanctuary cover, changes bl vegetation structure are still occuring as a consequence of anthropog enic pressure in the form of extraction of fuelwood and other NTFPs. T he results indicate that large woody species are being replaced by sma ll woody species. The population structure also is becoming increasing ly skewed to the smaller size classes due to extraction-bound mortalit y of the individuals, particularly those >7 cm dbh and above. The data suggest that the scrub community, itself may. be a manifestation of l ong persisting anthropogenic pressure in the form of extraction of a v ariety of forest products, and it currently represents a downward tran sition from a deciduous forest to a shrub thicket.