Plant Science Research, Vol. 44, 2022

Natural and converted ecosystems in Simlipal Biosphere Reserve: Linkages and impact

The present study was conducted in the Simlipal Biosphere Reserve, Odisha, India, which presents a typical example of Mahanadian bio-geographic zone. Four villages from core zone, three villages in buffer zone and five villages in peripheral zone of the biosphere reserve were selected for the agro-ecosystem linkage study. These tribal villages are located at different altitudes where agriculture is the main source of livelihood. The extent of agriculture area and forests across these villages vary significantly; both total land area and uncultivable land being highest in peripheral villages. The core villages are highly dependent on agriculture and carrying capacity at present seems to be enough to support existing human population. All the tribes in core villages practice sustainable methods of collection of forest produce as per their need. The Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP), food, firewood and medicinal plants are the main requirements of the forest dependent tribal communities of Simlipal. Data on NTFP, food, fuel wood, kerosene consumption and medicinal plants were collected to understand their significance to the livelihood of tribal communities. The Santal, Kolha and Munda tribals are the resident of core zone villages and are primarily agrarian tribes whose dependency on NTFP is high compared to other tribes. The main wild leafy vegetables are Mata saga (Antidesma acidum), Gadri saga (Alternanthera sessilis), Pita or Khatta Saga (Mallotus nudiflorus), Koilari saga (Bahunia purpurea), Saijana saga (Moringa oleifera), Mati or Sankha saga (Rungia pectinata) etc. The NTFP collected by tribals in core zone are more compared to buffer and peripheral villages and these are used mainly for household consumption besides small scale sale in local markets. However, the peripheral villages are mainly market driven societies as they have easy access to market places. Agriculture in core village is much more energy efficient than buffer and peripheral zones. Because of higher human and livestock population and availability of marketing channel, the total annual consumption of NTFPs was much higher in comparison to peripheral and buffer areas. We collected first-hand field data on medicinal plants collected from the forest by all village communities as per requirement to cure various ailments. We recommend strengthening the protection mechanism in forest blocks surrounding the buffer and peripheral villages and also implementation of policies on eco-development and modern agriculture to reduce dependency on forests.