Disturbance intensity plays an important role in influencing the structural and functional dynamics of ecosystems. The present study was undertaken in the tropical dry deciduous forests of Central India under varying disturbance intensities to understand their influence on structure, diversity and compositional attributes. In total, 242 rectangular plots of 0.5 ha each (50 m × 100 m) were laid in each 8 km2 grid for phytosociological analyses and assessment of disturbance factors and levels. The plots were categorized into four types based on the level of disturbance intensity: 0–20 % {undisturbed forest (UDF)}, 21–40 % {least disturbed forest (LDF)}, 41–60 % {moderately disturbed forest (MDF)} and >60 % {highly disturbed forest (HDF)}. Among the 242 plots, 48, 56, 72 and 66 plots come under UDF, LDF, MDF and HDF categories respectively. The predominant disturbance factors in HDF were fire and fuelwood collection, whereas in the case of MDF, grazing and cut stems were dominant. A total of 202 species (120 genera, 45 families) of adult trees (≥10 diameter at breast height (DBH)) were recorded across the disturbance intensity gradient, with highest species richness in UDF (175 species) and the lowest in HDF (145 species). A significant variation in the stand structure, species composition, richness and tree diversity (Shannon (H′) and Simpson (D) index) has been found across the disturbance intensity gradients. The plots with the highest disturbance intensity (HDF) had the significantly lowest tree density (p < 0.001), basal area (p < 0.001), species richness (p < 0.001), and tree diversity: H′ (p < 0.01), D (p < 0.01) than UDF, LDF and MDF intensity gradients. The diameter-class distribution showed high percentage of small-sized (11–30 cm) trees in UDF (68 %) and LDF (60 %), whereas the medium-sized trees (31–60 cm) were high in MDF (48 %) and HDF (53 %) respectively. The current findings highlight the profound impact of varying disturbance intensities on stand structure, composition and diversity, emphasizing an urgent need for restoration, protection, conservation, and sustainable management for long-term ecosystem services. © 2025 The Author(s)

Tropical forests, known for their biodiversity and carbon (C) richness, face significant threats from biological invasions that disrupt structural and functional processes. Lantana camara (Family: Verbenaceae) is an invasive shrub that has spread across several Indian landscapes. The present study aimed to assess the changes in tree species richness and total ecosystem carbon (TEC) storage in Lantana camara-invaded (LI) and uninvaded (UI) sites in the tropical dry deciduous forests of Madhya Pradesh, India. Significantly lower species richness (SR), C storage of juveniles, total trees, and total biomass C were observed in LI sites than in UI sites. However, significantly higher C storage of shrubs + herbs (understorey), litter, and soil organic carbon (SOC) were found in LI sites than in UI sites. The percent allocation of C in tree juveniles, adults, understorey, detritus, and SOC to the TEC pool was 2.6, 39.1, 1.4, 5.5, and 51.3 in LI sites and 3.8, 49.7, 0.2, 4.0 and 42.3 in UI sites, respectively. The C stocks of tree juveniles, adults, and herbs were lower by 23.3, 15.7 and 20.3%, respectively, in LI sites than in UI sites, whereas shrub, detritus, and SOC stocks were higher by 95.1, 9.1 and 7.9%, respectively, in LI sites than in UI sites. A significant negative relationship was observed between L. camara density and SR, tree juvenile C, herb C, understorey C, and total ecosystem C storage, while the same had a significant positive relationship with shrub C, litter C, and SOC. The present findings revealed that the plant diversity and total C pools were altered by shrub invasion and have important implications for their quantification in these tropical forests. Copyright © 2025 Lone, Kothandaraman, Dar, Hakeem and Khan.

Tropical forests, known for their biodiversity and carbon (C) richness, face significant threats from biological invasions that disrupt structural and functional processes. Lantana camara (Family: Verbenaceae) is an invasive shrub that has spread across several Indian landscapes. The present study aimed to assess the changes in tree species richness and total ecosystem carbon (TEC) storage in Lantana camara-invaded (LI) and uninvaded (UI) sites in the tropical dry deciduous forests of Madhya Pradesh, India. Significantly lower species richness (SR), C storage of juveniles, total trees, and total biomass C were observed in LI sites than in UI sites. However, significantly higher C storage of shrubs + herbs (understorey), litter, and soil organic carbon (SOC) were found in LI sites than in UI sites. The percent allocation of C in tree juveniles, adults, understorey, detritus, and SOC to the TEC pool was 2.6, 39.1, 1.4, 5.5, and 51.3 in LI sites and 3.8, 49.7, 0.2, 4.0 and 42.3 in UI sites, respectively. The C stocks of tree juveniles, adults, and herbs were lower by 23.3, 15.7 and 20.3%, respectively, in LI sites than in UI sites, whereas shrub, detritus, and SOC stocks were higher by 95.1, 9.1 and 7.9%, respectively, in LI sites than in UI sites. A significant negative relationship was observed between L. camara density and SR, tree juvenile C, herb C, understorey C, and total ecosystem C storage, while the same had a significant positive relationship with shrub C, litter C, and SOC. The present findings revealed that the plant diversity and total C pools were altered by shrub invasion and have important implications for their quantification in these tropical forests.

Plant invasion has great potential to impact ecosystem structure and function. Here, we present a case study wherein we analyzed the influence of Lantana camara on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in tropical forests of Madhya Pradesh. SOC stocks were measured at three depths in Lantana-invaded (LI) and uninvaded (UI) sites. Significantly, SOC was found to be altered by the invasion of Lantana, particularly at 0–10 cm depth, and varied between 54.2 and 83.4 Mg C ha?1. The value of SOC stocks (mean) was 21.3, 26.5, and 23.3 Mg C ha?1 in LI sites and 17.8, 25.2, and 22.1 Mg C ha?1 in UI sites, respectively. On average, the percentage of SOC at three different depths was 30%, 37.3%, and 32.7% in LI and 27.3%, 38.7%, and 40% in UI sites, respectively. Soil pH and moisture were also higher in LI sites compared to UI at all the depths, whereas the bulk density was lower in LI compared to UI, sites and it increased significantly with the depth. This study reveals that the SOC stocks are influenced by invasion and would help to understand the impact of invasive plants on SOC pools in tropical forests and predict changes in ecosystem functioning.

Managing forests requires an understanding of spatial patterns in the distribution of different species. However, species distributions are strongly influenced by variations in current and future climatic conditions. Species distribution models (SDMs) are usually used to determine current and potential distribution ranges, about multiple environmental factors that help to compare the changes/shifts in patterns of distribution under different climate change scenarios. SDMs often involve integrating field-sampled data with remotely sensed observations to generate prediction maps. Several models aid in predicting species distribution like generalized linear models (GLM), generalized additive models, random forests, maximum entropy (MaxEnt), artificial neural networks, etc. SDMs are a useful tool in forest management as they help in predicting tree occurrences, disease outbreaks, invasion zones, etc. This review focuses on the different applications of SDMs in forest management, constraints, and potential directions to avoid possible pitfalls.

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Aim: We used an eco-phylogenetic approach to investigate the diversity and assembly patterns of tropical dry forests (TDFs) in Central India. We aimed at informing conservation and restoration practices in these anthropogenically disturbed forests by identifying potential habitats of conservation significance and elements of regional biodiversity most vulnerable to human impact and climate change. Location: Tropical dry forests of Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Methods: We analysed the species richness, stem density, basal area and phylogenetic structure (standardized effect size of MNTD, MPD, PD and community evolutionary distinctiveness cED) of 117 tree species assemblages distributed across a ~230 to ~940 m elevational gradient. We examined how these community measures and taxonomic (Sørensen) and phylogenetic (UniFrac) beta diversity varied with elevation, precipitation, temperature and climatic stress. Results: Species richness, phylogenetic diversity, stem density and basal area were positively correlated with elevation, with high-elevation plots exhibiting cooler temperatures, higher precipitation and lower stress. High-elevation assemblages also trended towards greater phylogenetic dispersion, which diminished at lower elevations and in drier, more stressful plots. Phylogenetic turnover was observed across the elevation gradient, and species evolutionary distinctiveness increased at lower elevations and under harsher abiotic conditions. Main Conclusions: Harsher abiotic conditions at low elevations may act as a selective filter on plant lineages, leading to phylogenetically clustered low-diversity assemblages. These assemblages contained more evolutionarily distinct species that may contribute disproportionately to biodiversity. Conversely, milder abiotic conditions at high elevations may serve as refuges for drought-sensitive species, resulting in more diverse assemblages. Conservation practices that prioritize both high- and low-elevation habitats could promote the persistence of evolutionarily distinct species and areas of high biodiversity within the Central Indian landscape. Establishing connectivity between these habitats may provide a range of climatic conditions for species to retreat to or persist within as climates change.