Phytodiversity and floristic analysis of tropical dry deciduous forest of Karuvatchi Hill of Eastern Ghats, India

Abstract The survey identified 202 species from 51 families and 156 genera. There are also five Endemic species in the study region. As per the IUCN Red List, 65 categorised as Least concern, 2 as Data deficient and three as Vulnerable. A woody–plant dominated community is shown by the phanerophytes overwhelming dominance (118 species, 58.42%) in the analysis of plant functional categories, which shows amazing functional variety. The ecosystem’s seasonality, where annual plants take advantage of fleeting favourable circumstances during the monsoon season, is reflected in the substantial number of therophytes (48 species, 23.76%). The comparison of the present study’s biological spectrum with Raunkiaer’s life form of 1934 shows that the phanerophytes and therophytes were dominant. The high percentage of phanerophytes relies on the tropical humid conditions as well as the therophytes, resulting in the high percentage of life forms present in Karuvatchi hill, which is said to be a therophanerophytic condition. This delicate environment is threatened by human activities, including illegal fuelwood poaching for the production of charcoal, goat herding, dumping and solid waste burning. The study site faces multiple anthropogenic threats that jeopardise this rich biodiversity.