FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK

Director

During the past three decades, KFRI has made significant contributions totropical forestry research that has made the Institute well known globally. The vision of KFRI is to achieve excellence in forestry research and to use that competence to study and provide information for better management of our forests and for updating our policies to suit the changing local needs and global challenges. The mission of the Institute is to provide research support for the sustainable management of forests and environment, with particular emphasis on conservation of biodiversity, water and soil resources of the State. The research and extension projects undertaken by the Institute have not only been of local relevance but also of national and global Significance.
The integration of KFRI with other R&D Institutions of the State under the common umbrella of Kerala State Council of Science, Technology and Environment headed by the Chief Minister in 1993 was a turning point in terms of opportunities for inter-institutional research collaboration as well as access to adequate funds for specific research programmes. The Institute has identified certain priorities of research themes that it wishes to undertake during the next couple of decades. Essentially, these priority areas are identified after examining their relevance to society, our State and also the global environment.

One such important area identified is Biodiversity documentation, conservation and utilisation. The concept has been based on the recognition of the value of different biotic components to sustain human life on earth and that all natural systems are to be viewed in their more complete perspective for their effective conservation. The Institute has already initiated a few projects on documentation of biodiversity in different Panchayaths. Conservation of rare, endangered and threatened plant and animal species is another aspect of research at KFRI. The Institute has also initiated programmes to establish arboreta and live collections of rare and endemic plants including medicinal plants, palms, orchids, bamboos and canes. Research into vegetative propagation and micropropagation of forestry species has yet been another major activity of KFRI in the past decade.

 
DR. C. CHANDRASEKHARAN MEMORIAL AWARD

Ms Joyce Jose has been awarded the award for 2010. Details of the work follow.

Joyce Jose  

ANIMAL DIVERSITY OF MYRISTICA SWAMPS IN SOUTHERN KERALA WITH EMPHASIS ON HERPETOFAUNA
Ms. Joyce Jose

The Myristica swamp is a unique, naturally fragmented ecosystem needing special abiotic conditions for development. This ecosystem has been restricted into small patches along selected waterways of the Western Ghats. Anthropogenic causes have further fragmented this ecosystem. The total area of Myristica swamps in India is less than 200 hectares. Studies on the faunal diversity or on threats to this ecosystem were almost non-existent. In this context, a study on the general animal diversity, herpetofaunal assemblages and anthropogenic perturbations in the Myristica swamp patches of Kulathupuzha Forest Range, Anchal Forest Range and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary is relevant.
Objectives: 1) To prepare an inventory of the fauna of Myristica swamps in southern Kerala with emphasis on herpetofauna. 2) To identify the composition and assemblage structure of selected herpetofauna of Myristica swamps from an ecological perspective.3.   To identify the anthropogenic disturbances to the Myristica swamps and to formulate strategies for the conservation of Myristica swamps.
Results in a nutshell:
Fragmented swamp patches adding to a total area of only 149.75 ha provide habitat for 362 invertebrate species (Platyhelminthes-3 sp., Nemathelminthes-1, Annelida-4, Mollusca-10, Insecta-281, Myriapoda-6 and Arachnida-54) and 281 vertebrate species (Picses-14, Amphibia-56 species, Reptilia-55, Aves-129, Mammalia-27(inventory)). Myristica swamps contain 23% butterflies, 11% spiders, 8.4% fishes, more than 50% amphibians, more than 20% reptiles, 26.6% birds and 6.6% mammals of Kerala State. Of the animals recorded from the Myristica swamp 16.3% are endemic to Western Ghats and 24.2% of the vertebrates recorded from the swamps are red listed.
The study may be used as a point of reference for further research and for formulating management and conservation strategies for the Myristica swamps of Southern Kerala.