Changes in the Ecological Parameters of Mixed Forests of Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.) Are a Function of Distance from the Human Settlements
Table 2
Geographical location of sampled sites in the studied forests.
Forests
Site I
Site II
Site III
Site IV
Site V
Site VI
Janajagaran BZCF
Coordinates
27°09.822′N 084°57.253′E
27°10.018′N 084°57.215′E
27°10.172′N 084°57.216′E
27°10.326′N 084°57.205′E
27°10.500′N 084°57.357′E
27°10.675′N 084°57.396′E
Elevation (m)
121
125
125
130
126
136
Musharni Mai BZCF
Coordinates
27°09.848′N 084°57.821′E
27°10.010′N 084°57.743′E
27°10.165′N 084°57.700′E
27°10.324′N 084°57.612′E
27°10.496′N 084°57.665′E
27°10.741′N 084°57.625′E
Elevation (m)
109
113
108
118
120
135
Radha Krishna BZCF
Coordinates
27°10.334′N 084°58.101′E
27°10.525′N 084°58.103′E
27°10.678′N 084°58.121′E
27°10.821′N 084°58.132′E
27°11.022′N 084°58.126′E
27°11.203′N 084°58.105′E
Elevation (m)
126
126
129
128
132
138
Parsa Wildlife Reserve
Coordinates
27°13.814′N 084°59.113′E
27°13.828′N 084°58.952′E
27°13.835′N 084°58.816′E
27°13.850′N 084°58.629′E
27°13.861′N 084°58.424′E
27°13.874′N 084°58.254′E
Elevation (m)
200
199
203
200
210
202
Sites I, II, III, IV, V, and VI in the forests were 150 m, 450 m, 750 m, 1050 m, 1350 m, and 1650 m, respectively, far from boundary lines of villages. The gradient of increasing disturbance is from Site I to Site VI. Site I is nearer to settlements and prone to more resources (fuelwood, fodder, litter, etc.) collection as compared to Site VI. For the control forest (Parsa Wildlife Reserve), there was no such gradient of disturbances.
