Assessment of Plant Species composition and Diversity indices in Banni Grassland of Kachchh, Gujarat, India

Abstract

The spatial pattern of plant species diversity signifies the importance of biodiversity in an ecosystem. The landscape heterogeneity configures the aggregation of functionally and physiologically convergent species, increasing species richness. Banni grassland is such a heterogeneous ecosystem, which has wetland, grassland, and dryland habitats. Concurrently, the invasion of P. juliflora is slowly converting it to shrubland. Banni is situated in an arid region. As arid grasslands are more fragile, it is important to analyze the plant diversity and its spatial distribution to understand the stability of this ecosystem. The goal of the current study was to investigate how the species composition and distribution vary in Banni grassland. The total plant diversity was examined by Stratified random sampling for 27 grids (10 × 10 Km) in which five quadrats were considered amounting to 135 sampling points. During the present study, 66 plant species were identified which included three trees, 16 sub-shrubs and shrubs, 42 grasses and herbs, and five creepers and climbers. The Kriging interpolation maps for species richness, dominance, evenness, Shannon index, and Simpson index recognized three distinct regions describing the spatial distribution of plant diversity in the Banni grassland. The dominance index in Banni grassland is maximum in west Banni and has a declining trend from west to east Banni. Western Banni, where Chari wetland is located, is dominated by Sueda nudiflora, while Central Banni has vernal pools and Eastern Banni has moderate grassland. Central Banni has the highest density and abundance of herbs and grasses, followed by Eastern Banni. The present study concluded that Banni grassland is narrow-niched and ecologically unique. The unique plant composition of Banni grassland requires long-term conservation planning.