Phytosociological Structure of Shrub Vegetation in Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, Telangana, India

Abstract

Shrubs constitute an ecologically significant vegetation layer in tropical dry deciduous forests, contributing to biodiversity maintenance, regeneration processes, and ecosystem functioning. The present study evaluated the phytosociological structure and diversity of shrub vegetation in Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Telangana state of India. Vegetation sampling was carried out using a stratified random sampling design across four forest ranges: North Eturnagaram, South Eturnagaram, Tadvai, and Pasra. Phytosociological attributes, including relative density (RD), relative frequency (RF), relative abundance (RA), and Importance Value Index (IVI) were computed for shrub species. A total of 19 shrub species comprising 560 individuals were recorded from the study area. The shrub community exhibited a Simpson’s diversity index (1–D) of 0.925, Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′) of 2.750, and evenness index (E) of 0.934. The highest IVI values were recorded for Barleria prionitis (43.89), followed by Lantana camara (21.46), Dodonaea viscosa (20.34), Randia dumetorum (18.58), and Abutilon indicum (18.49). The presence of ecologically important species such as Woodfordia fruticosa, Helicteres isora, and Vitex negundo further contributes to habitat complexity and ecosystem stability. Overall, the shrub layer in the Eturnagaram wildlife sanctuary represents a moderately to highly diverse and structurally stable plant community reflecting secondary successional processes and ecological resilience. The study provides important baseline information for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem monitoring, and sustainable forest management.