Research
Contribution of Three Sedges of Cyperus in the Rural Economy of Sundarbans, India
Three sedges of Cyperus (C. malaccensis, C. compressus and C. iria) are used for making mats by the forest fringe people of Sunderban mangrove swamp and sale in local markets. The focus of the work is to calculate species wise net economic contribution of these sedges. Fifteen families from each four villages of two islands have been selected for qualitative and quantitative assessment of these resource use pattern through participatory observation and questionnaire method. The annual production, economic valuation of individual species were assessed through quadrat sampling (272 habitat patch) and market survey with cost benefit analysis respectively. Economic contribution of the sedges to the local people in terms of annual income is highest in case of C. malaccensis (6.638%) followed by C. compressus (1.599%) and C. iria (0.690%). The production ofthe three species is 5-8 times higher than paddy, thus have potentiality as alternative livelihood options.
Helminthostachys Zeylanica in Barringtonia Swamp Forest: A Phytoassociation Analysis
For a long period, populations of Helminthostachys zeylanica (L.) Hook. have mostly been restricted in few geographic ranges due to alternation of their actual / potential habitat conditions. To find out the potential habitat of Helminthostachys zeylanica it is significant to identify their phytoassociates as well as the nature of association. Apart from the habitat and community analysis, present study also highlighted a strong positive correlation in association of Helminthostachys zeylanica with other co-existed plants of the forest. Present study depict some strong possibilities of true positive association between Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash, Barringtonia acutangula (L.) Gaertn. and Antidesma acidum Retz., and also a strong negative correlation in association with Eucalyptus globulus Labill. Pearson correlation coefficient for interspecific covariance support there was a strong positive correlation in the density value for Helminthostachys zeylanica and Barringtonia acutangula. These findings depict the importance of presence of Vetiveria zizanioides, Barringtonia acutangula in the present habitat for establishment and increase of population size of Helminthostachys zeylanica
