Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

BIOLOGICAL SPECTRA OF KALLAMALI HILLS OF SOUTHERN EASTERN GHATS, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

R. Prabakaran and T. Madheswari

Abstract

The biological spectral study was carried out at Kallamalai hills, Rasipuram taluk, Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, India and located at South Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu. The vegetation analysis was enlisted 464 species and 251 genera of angiosperms belong to 75 families. During field survey, the plants have been listed based on position and protection of perennating buds and are classified based on Raunkiaer classification from the natural habitats. Life forms were enumerated from the study area which comprises of trees, shrubs, herbs. lianas, climber, twiner, parasite etc. Hence, the life forms analysis of vegetation recorded Phanerophytes (176 species) were followed by Therophytes (123 species), Hemicryptophytes (75 species), Chamaephytes (51 species) and Cryptophytes (38 species). The biological spectrum of the study area reveals the dominance of Phanerophtes (38.01%), so the study area can be called as Phanerophytic. The dominance of Phanerophytes and next dominance Therophytes, indicate the area might be changing from tropical to tropical desert condition.