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The composition of species, as well as their population and regeneration status of tree species, provide an important ecological foundation for assessing the current state and rate of ecosystem degradation. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the plant species composition with population and regeneration status of the 40 different tree species in peri-urban vegetation of Ranchi, eastern India using 52 belt transects each of 0.10 ha. A total of 58 different plant species of 49 genera and 26 families were recorded with the majority (86%) of native Indian origin species. The 14% of exotic origin species included dominant invasives in herb, shrub, and tree layers viz., Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze. (2949 ind. ha−1), Lantana camara L. (1667 ind. ha−1), and Acacia mangium Willd. (33 ind. ha−1), respectively. On the other hand, 59% of the total plant species were IUCN Red-listed including Endangered (Tectona grandis L.f.), Near Threatened (Aegle maremlos (L.) Corrêa), Data Deficient (Mangifera indica L.), and Least Concern (Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC). Total adult tree density and basal cover were 541 ind. ha−1 and 24.93 m2 ha−1, respectively and Shorea robusta C.F.Gaertn. was the most dominant tree (295 ind. ha−1) recorded in the majority of the studied patches (87%) where adult tree density (ind. ha− 1) ranged from 10 to 1520 with a mean of 363 ± 49 (SE) signifying that the majority of the studied urban vegetation was Sal dominated forest patches. The total density of tree seedlings (22,627 ind. ha−1) was highest in the studied peri-urban vegetation of Ranchi followed by total tree saplings density (2677 ind. ha−1) and adult tree (GBH ≥ 10 cm) density (541 ind. ha−1) signifying good regeneration status (density of seedlings > saplings > adults) of the peri-urban vegetation of Ranchi. was the most common human disturbance observed in 31% of the total studied patches. No regeneration of 56% of the total tree species, the prevalence of human disturbances in the 48% studied patches, and the occurrence of invasives in all three layers of vegetation in the studied peri-urban vegetation signify the ongoing biotic and abiotic pressure on the survival of different plant species at various growth stages. Besides, the predominance of plant species of rare and very rare occurrences (56.9%), IUCN Red-listed (59%) with a total of 84% native Indian origin species demonstrated the importance of the studied peri-urban vegetation and warrants for immediate conservation measures to protect it from further depletion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities in the contemporary world are experiencing shifts in local climatic conditions that are primarily linked to rapid urban growth, carbon emissions, and environmental degradation. In the present study, land surface temperature (LST) in urban and peri-urban regions of the city of Ranchi was estimated and correlated with land use/land cover (LULC) using temporal LANDSAT satellite images from 2000 to 2014 on a bi-annual basis. The study exhibited a gradual increase in built-up land with total growth of 47.65 sq. km (135%) at the cost of vegetation (−6.8%), rock outcrops (−44.16%), and other LULCs (0.81%). Spatiotemporal LST variability exhibited an increase in area under high-temperature (>38 °C) zones as compared to moderate (30 °C to 38 °C) and low-temperature (<30 °C) zones. Although the LST distinctively escalated in all LULC in the month of May from 2000 to 2014, urban areas exhibited cooler conditions than their environs at a regional scale, except for 2006. A higher surface temperature was observed over bare rock (min/max: 28–43 °C), fallow land (25–42 °C), and industrial built-up areas (31–43 °C), followed by vegetation (24–34 °C) and waterbodies (22–30 °C). The rapid land transformation to an impervious surface, degradation of vegetation coverage and its health, deforestation due to urbanization, the dumping of non-treated wastewater into reservoirs, and pollution altogether led to an increase in urban heat islands (UHI). The study demonstrated that the LST increased in urban regions but appeared cooler than those of its peri-urban counterparts because of the presence of barren land and rock outcrops. The existing tenancy act had an indirect impact on maintaining natural landscapes and controlling the LST within the Ranchi region. The study recommends nature-based solutions in terms of plantation and green roofing within the rising LST zones located in the urban core and in peripheral rock outcrops collectively to minimize the rising impact of LST in urban and peri-urban regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was aimed to study the detailed population structure of Shorea robusta and its four dominant associated tree species (Diospyros melanoxylon, Buchanania cochinchinensis, Madhuca longifolia, and Butea monosperma) in Sal forests of Ranchi, Eastern India. In addition, the regeneration status of all recorded tree species and anthropogenic disturbance of Sal forests were also studied. Girth class distribution showed a reverse J-shaped population curve in the present study, and there was a decline in tree density with an increase in girth class, and mature trees with higher girth (> 120 cm) were very few (9.30%), that signifies the ongoing natural regeneration as well as both natural and anthropogenic disturbances within the studied Sal forest stands. Out of the 103 recorded tree species, 50 species (48.54%) had shown the total absence of regeneration (no regeneration), while 23 species each (22.33%) showed poor and good regeneration, and rest 07 species (6.80%) showed fair regeneration in the studied Sal forests stand. On the other hand, the maximum studied Sal forest stands of Ranchi (42.39%) had shown fair regeneration of S. robusta followed by good regenerating forests (36.96%), and 17.39% forests showed no regeneration. Disturbance index had a weak statistically significant negative correlation with density (ind. ha−1) (r = − 0.20; P < 0.05), and tree basal area (m2 ha−1) (r = − 0.19; P < 0.05), while, it had a weak statistically significant positive correlation with Pielou's evenness index (r = 0.19; P < 0.05). The growth, survival, and reproductive potential of all tree species will be at risk in the near future if the present trend of anthropogenic pressure continues. Thus, it is clear that protection from grazing and other anthropogenic disturbances are the foremost requirements for the conservation and management of Sal forests in Ranchi, Eastern India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to predict the current and future potential distribution of a tree species Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. in Ranchi, Eastern India using ecological niche modeling. Nine environmental variables comprising of isothermality, precipitation of wettest and warmest quarter, annual temperature range, soil type, human influence index, elevation, slope and land use cover were used to model the distribution of the species. Climatic variables governed the predicted distribution of the species as they contributed 56.7% as compared to the other nonclimatic variables (43.3%). Northern parts exhibited the most suitable niche of the species as compared to south‐east and central parts that showed low probability of occurrence due to high disturbances caused by rapid urbanization as well as over exploitation of the species for timber, edible and medicinal uses. The average test area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) (0.921) as well as the partial AUC indicated good model performance. The projected change scenarios of RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP6.0 for the year 2050 reveal that the climatically suitable areas will be drastically reduced in Ranchi. The population of the species is declining due to its exploitation from natural habitats for timber and medicinal uses and is listed as near‐threatened by the current IUCN‐Red lists. The findings of this paper will help to identify the potential habitats for further conservation of this near‐threatened species in the changing climatic conditions and increasing anthropogenic pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]