Threatened plants in Kaptai National Park in Rangamati, Bangladesh

Abstract

A survey was conducted during the periods of 2015-2017 with an objective to study present status of some threatened species in Kaptai National Park, a protected area of Rangamati district, Bangladesh. A total of 38 plants were listed under various threat categories recorded from different areas of Kaptai National Park based on Red Data Book of Vascular Plants of Bangladesh (Vol- I& II) and Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh. A combination of transect with centered quadrats methods were used for sampling. Out of 38 targets plants 25 plant species were recorded from the study area occupying six major plant communities. The communities are Garjan bagan (dominant sp. Dipterocarpus), Jarul bagan (dominant sp. Lagerstroemia), Jam bagan (dominant sp. Sygyzium), Segun bagan (dominant sp. Tectona), Mehogony bagan (dominant sp. Swietenia) and Mixed plant community. Mixed plant community is the harbor of highest number of threatened plant species (16 species), followed by Jam bagan (15 species) and Jarul bagan (13 species), whereas 11 species recorded each from Garjan bagan and Mehogony bagan. The lowest number of species was reported from Segun bagan (9 species). It was also found that Scaphium scaphigerum and Symplocos macrophylla have only single individual having very small population distribution which mentioned immediate conservation attention. Special care should take to maintain habitat of these small scale population for further studies on population demography and ecological requirements of these threatened species.