BANGLADESH JOURNAL OF FOREST SCIENCE
A Half-yearly Peer Reviewed Journal of Bangladesh Forest Research Institute
A Half-yearly Peer Reviewed Journal of Bangladesh Forest Research Institute
The paper reviews information on climate changes, status of forests, biodiversity
and vulnerability of biological resources in Bangladesh particularly in mangrove areas.
The atmospheric concentration of green house gases modifies the global and regional climates
and consequently affects adversely the environment of Bangladesh. There may be an increase in
temperature, rainfall and frequency of cyclones, and sea level rise in the coast ofBangladesh.
The country is likely to experience repeated flooding, cyclones, tidal surges, soil erosion,
heavy sedimentation,salinity increase and prolonged drought.
The forest covers 17% of the total area of Bangladesh but only 7.7% are under
closed tree cover. With regard to biodiversity, the plant kingdom supports about 5,000
angiospermic species including 10% trees, 35% shrubs and woody climbers and 50% herbs.
The mangrovesinclude 70 species of plant. About animals, the mammals comprise 50 species,
birds 275, reptiles 50 and amphibians 8 species compared to 110 species of mammals, 628
birds, 109 reptiles and 22 amphibians in the entire Bangladesh. Considerable number of
plant and animal species is threatened with disappearance due to human pressure, and the
situation will aggravate with changing climate. Extinction or migration ofspecialized plants
and animals will take place with regular flooding, increasing soilsalinity and other ecological
changes. Probable impact of sea level rise in the coastal areas on forests and biodiversity is
unknown. For living organisms, it may be possible to overcome small and gradualsea level
rise but will disappear in case of abrupt change.
The paper reviews information on climate changes, status of forests, biodiversity
and vulnerability of biological resources in Bangladesh particularly in mangrove areas.
Atmospheric concentration of green house gases modifies the global and regional climates
and consequently affects adversely the environment ofBangladesh. There may be increase in
temperature, rainfall and frequency of cyclones, and sea level rise in the coast ofBangladesh.
The country is likely to experience repeated flooding, cyclones, tidal surges, soil erosion,
heavy sedimentation,salinity increase and prolonged drought
The responses offour provenances ofAcacia nilotica to salinity (0,75,150, and 225
mMNaCl) at the germination stagewere examined experimentally and compared with their
known salt tolerance at the seedling stage. There were significant differences in final
germination percentage and germination rate between salinity treatments and between
provenances. The provenance (Tunzini, Swaziland) which appeared more salt tolerant
during germinationwas notmost tolerant at the seedling stage.
A study was conducted on the socio-economic upliftment ofthe rural poor women
in Pomra Community Forestry Project (CFP) ofRangunia, Chittagong compared to those in
the adjacent Non-CFP areas. Thirty sample families from each group reveal that the women
populations are same (45%) in both the areas. Women who can read and write in the CFP
and Non-CFP areas have been found to be 66% and 37% respectively. About 29% and 35%
female workforce have been found in these two areas with 1.7 and 2.1 women per family. It
has been found that 53% and 20% women are conscious about health while 70% and 53%
women found to be liberal to talk or meet visitors orstrangersin the CFP and Non-CFP areas
respectively. The average annual income per family have been found to be Tk. 20,640/- in
CFP and Tk. 3,608/-in Non-CFP areas where the contribution of female workforce are
Tk. 8,997/- and Tk. 1,647/- respectively.
The Sundarban, the largestsingle tract ofmangrove forest in the world, is famousfor
its economically and ecologically important flora and fauna. The Sundarban ofBangladesh
is the main natural home of the giant honeybee, Apis dorsata Fabr. (Apidae : Hymenoptera).
Thebee gives honey and wax contributing to fetch handsome revenue to the national economy
and supports the livelihood of a group of resource-poor honey hunters, locally known as
‘mowalis or mowals’, living in the vicinity of the Sundarban. This paper presents author’s
observations and reviews on scientific and practical aspects of the bee, its nectarsource and
age-old honey hunting in the Sundarban. It also analyzes the constraints and prospects
with suggestions for better management of the resource based on ecological consequences
and socio-economic conditions of the people living in the adjoining areas. The paper,
highlighting the value of the bee to environment and society as a whole, is expected to be
useful to the scientists, extension workers, policy makers, planners, forest managers and aid
agencies.
The study was undertaken to ascertain the growth performance of akashmoni
{Acacia auriculiformis) in the strip and block plantations ofBangladesh. Growth statisticslike
mean diameter at breast height (DBH), totalheight (Ht), volume over bark (Vob), basal area per
hectare per year (ba/ha/yr) and mean annual increment (MAI) were estimated using the
data collected from 6 to 10 years old plantations. The results showed that the growth
performance of the species was better in strip plantations compared to block plantations.
A financial analysis also favoured strip plantations over block plantations.
Essential oil constituents of Eucalyptus camaldulensis and E. tereticomis were studied
for their comparison. Essential oil of E. tereticomis, contains 46 compounds of which
1,8-cineole (39.7%) is the major constituents followed by terpinyl citronellol (7.9%),
cyclohexanol (7.8%) and thujene (6.1%). The essential oil of E. camaldulensis contains 27
compounds containing p-cymene (34.0%) and a-phellandrene (23.0%) as major constituents
followed by 1,8-cineole (7.3%) and a-pinene (6.5%).
A study was conducted from 1997 to 2000 to determine the effect offelling top dying
affected sundari (Heritiera fames’) trees on the regeneration status in those areas of the
Sundarban. The newly recruited seedlings ofsundari (H.fames), gewa (Excoecaria agallocha)
and kankra (Bruguiera sexangula) were significantly higher in the felled areas compared to
unfelled areas almost all the years. But seedlings of passur (Xylocarpus mekongensis) and
goran (Ceriops decandra) were found significantly higher only in 1997 and 2000 respectively
and amur (Amoora cucullata) in 1997 and 1998 in the felled areas. Moreover, seedlings
recruitment of all species together was significantly higher in the felled areas. Among the
recruited seedlings, H. fames and E. agallocha constituted the highest numbers both in the
felled and unfelled areas. Therefore, salvage felling of the top dying affected sundari trees is
recommended to avoid wastage of wood and to improve regeneration status
Nine types ofMentha belonging to the six species were studied for their growth,
yield, oil content and composition of the oils. The highest plant height (34.6 cm.), herbage
yield (1.0 Kg/m2) were obtained in M. citrata and oil content (1.3%) was obtained in M.
arvensis (Sivalika). The varieties M. arvensis (Sivalika), M. arvensis (CIMAP) and local ofM.
arvensis contain menthol and isomenthone (77.0% and 11.0%), menthol and menthone (72.2%
and 12.1%) and carvone and limonene (59.6% and 31.1%) respectively as major constituents.
M. piperita contain menthyl acetate (29.8%), menthol (22.6%), menthofuranone (16.4%) and
isomenthone (8.4%) as major constituents. Major constituents of M. citrata were linalool
(41.8%) and linalyl acetate (31.3%). Local varieties of M. spicata contain carvone (55.0%),
dihydrocarveol (17.9%), dihydrocarveol acetate (7.7%) and limonene (6.9%) and the exotic
type contain carvone (73.3%) and D-limonene (7.6%) asmajor constituents. M. cardiaca contain
as major constituents carvone (61.0%) and limonene (21.6%). M. aquatica contains a complex
mixture of ledol (13.5%), menthofuranone (9.4%), neryl acetate (7.6%), caryophyllene (6.8%),
caryophyllene oxide (5.8%) and mintfuranone (5.0%) as major constituents.
A study was conducted from 1998 to 2001 in the Sundarban mangrove forests of
Bangladesh covering three salinity zones to determine the effect of deer (Axis axis) on the
newly recruited seedlings of sundari (Heritiera fames), gewa (Excoecaria agallocha), kankra
(Bruguiera sexangula), passur (Xylocarpus mekongensis), baen (Avicennia officinalis), goran
(Ceriops decandra) and amur(Amoora cucullata) in the fenced and unfenced plots. Tire browsing
effect of deer wasfound to vary from species to species because of differences in palatability.
A significant damage of deer was found in the regenerated seedlings of B. sexangula,
X. mekongensis, A. officinalis and H.fames. No significant effect was found for E. agallocha,
C. decandra and A. cucullata
Welcome to the Bangladesh Journal of Forest Science (BJFS) – a leading platform for advancing the knowledge and understanding of forest science in Bangladesh and beyond. Established with a commitment to excellence, BJFS serves as a cornerstone for researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts dedicated to the sustainable management and conservation of forest ecosystems.
