Observations on the Biology and Structure of Three Dry Tropical Forests in South India

Tropical dry deciduous forests are found in variable climates characterized by low rainfall where woody plants possess several functional traits that permit them to endure severe water stress for several months of the year. We present an assessment of species-rich Dry Tropical Forests of the South Indian Deccan Plateau based on three large, tree-mapped field plots located in close vicinity to each other. The study includes a descriptive section (details of 130 woody plant species) and a modeling section. The modeling section presents specific species-area relations, species abundance distributions and relationships between biological attributes and individual-based structural attributes. The Monod equation is found most suitable for modeling the species-area relations confirming previous studies. The shape of the species abundance distribution follows the Weibull model which represents an alternative to the traditional lognormal model; the Weibull parameters are related linearly to species richness which is a new finding.