Abstract

Four permanent plots, each of one 1-ha in size, were established in shola forest, wet evergreen forest, moist deciduous forest and dry deciduous forest in Kerala. Each 1-ha plots was in turn subdivided into 100 quadrats 10m X 10 M in size, with quadrats permanently marked. All mature trees (gbh 30.1 cm) in the permanent plots were tagged and identified. Saplings (gbh 10.1 cm to 30.0 cm) in moist deciduous and dry deciduous forest plots were tagged and identified in all the 100 quadrats. However, in shola and evergreen forest plots, saplings were studied only in selected 50 quadrats. Tree seedlings (girth 10 cm, height 1.0m) were enumerated in 14 quadrats each in shola and evergreen forest plots and in 50 quadrats each in moist deciduous and dry deciduous forest plots.Trees species density was greater in the shola forest (76 species ha-1), followed by evergreen forest (41 species ha-1), dry deciduous forest (41 species ha-1) and moist decisuous forest (37 species ha-1). Species diversity index values obtained for shola and evergreen forest plots are comparable to those recorded for many tropical evergreen forest. Stand quality index of shola (RISQ