V. K. Srivastava , A. M. Rai , R. K. Dixit , M. P. Oza , A. Narayana , E. S. Murty

Abstract

Mean crown diameter showed significant correlation with mean tree volume in man-made (Teak and Sal) and natural (dry and moist deciduous) forests. The value of correlation coefficient ("r") between mean crown diameter and mean tree volume was close to the value of "r" between DBH and mean tree volume. Regression equations were also developed and the predictive performance of the equations evaluated. It was concluded that mean crown diameter may be used to estimate mean tree vol ume in the above type of forests, as the growth of the tree is also reflected in the growth of the crown spread. Hence, it may be a good measure to estimate tree volume. It is therefore suggested that mean crown diameter may also be considered an important parameter in forest mensuration.

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Ramjee Srivastava , Ashwani Kumar , A. M. Rai , Lal Singh

Abstract

Rehabilitation offlyash dump yards through biological means has been tried at Panki Thermal Power Station, Kanpur. Ten tree species (Six nitrogen fixing and four non-nitrogen fixing) were tried under treated (50% soil of the pits replaced with normal soil and 2.0 kg of Farm Yard Manure + 150 gms of DAP) and untreated (control) conditions. Survival per cent, height and diameter were recorded every year. The results obtained in the third year show that the top performing species Udder treated conditions are Leucaena leucocephala, Acacia nilotica, Albizia lebbek and Pithecolobium dulce. The overall best performer under treatment was Leucaena leucocephala and without any treatment (Control) was Acacia nilotica. The top four performers under these two conditions happen to be nitrogen fixing. Therefore, it is suggested to rehabilitate the flyash dump yards with such type of nitrogen fixing tree species. It is further suggested to try more nitrogen fixing tree species so as to broaden the generalisation made in the present study.

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A. M. Rai

Abstract

The problem of conservation of biodiversity needs to be viewed in the total perspective of sociology, history, economics, state of the art technologies, etc to name a few disciplines. Once erring segments of human society get convinced about mending their ways, technological solutions will be there to find an acceptable alternate lifestyles which will be sustainable for a significantly longer span of time. Frontier areas of technology, viz, IT, GIS, Remote Sensing, Biotechnology, Energy etc. are some of the disciplines that have important roles to play for conservation of biodiversity. Biotechnology even has the potential to reverse the trend of erosion of biodiversity. In this paper the role of these disciplines in conservation of biodiversity has been discussed. Simultaneously, attempt has been made to correlate these with other traditional disciplines so far as conservation of biodiversity is concerned.

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