Regeneration dynamics and ecological assessment in Purna Wildlife Sanctuary, Northern Western Ghats, Gujarat, India

Tree species diversity and regeneration dynamics are vital for maintaining ecosystem health, particularly in biodiversity-rich regions such as the Western Ghats. This study investigates the tree species diversity and regeneration patterns across five forest ranges (Ahwa West, Baripada, Bheskatri, Kalibel and Singhana) of the Purna Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat, India. The sanctuary, located in the northern section of the Western Ghats, hosts a mix of moist and dry deciduous forests. Data were collected using transects and quadrats to assess tree density, basal cover, species richness and regeneration success. The study highlights significant spatial variations in tree density, species composition and regeneration patterns across the sanctuary’s diverse habitat types. Among the different forest ranges, the Singhana range showed the highest species density, richness, diversity index and evenness index, while it recorded the lowest Simpson index compared to the other ranges of Purna Wildlife Sanctuary. Tectona grandis was found to be the dominant species, with varying dominance across ranges. The regeneration status showed a mixture of good, fair and poor regeneration across species, with some areas showing higher sapling and seedling densities. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding tree diversity and regeneration dynamics for effective forest management and conservation efforts in Purna Wildlife Sanctuary.