© International Society for Tropical Ecology The impact of resource collection by local communities on the dry forests of the Kalakad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

Abstract: Rural communities often depend on forest resources for their livelihood, but non-sustainable extraction of these resources can result in the loss of biodiversity. To assess the impact of resource extraction on forest vegetation, we conducted a study in the dry deciduous forests adjoining the eastern boundary of the Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in the southern western ghats, India. Using 8, 1–ha plots where all woody species ≥3.18 cm dbh (diameter at breast height) were permanently marked with tags, we estimated the number of fresh cuttings on branches and stems at 3–month intervals over a period of 2 years. We used these data to estimate the extraction pressure: [(total number of cuts*100/total number of plants in the plot)/ 3] to give monthly percentages for each village. We compared vegetation structure, diversity, basal area and regeneration in sites with heavy human pressure to control plots where there was no current extraction. On average, branches and stems from 10 % of plants in a hectare of forest were pruned or cut every month. However, the mean % of branches and stems pruned or cut per month declined from 15 % to 8 % over the 2 year study period. There was lower species richness, species diversity, and mean height of trees in the disturbed site, when compared with the undisturbed sites. The basal area and regeneration of plants were also lower in the disturbed sites. Very few of the species extracted by villagers regenerated in the disturbed sites. This suggests that resource extraction is non-sustainable within the protected area and will eventuall