Authors:Sruthi Subbanna, Syam Viswanath
Abstract:Bambusa balcooa Roxb. is an extremely sturdy bamboo species which finds diverse applications. It also has great potential for carbon sequestration, which along with its other usage potential makes it an ideal candidate for large scale cultivation in farm forestry. In this paper we assess potential areas for good growth of the bamboo species using Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) as a tool. In this study, a distribution map was first prepared using secondary data points of natural bamboo growth from various sources. Subsequently the model was run using Maximum Entropy (Max. Ent) Species Distribution Modelling software to create a map of potential suitable habitats of growth on a spatial scale. The model was next validated by comparing results in select predicted habitats with empirical field work, where, primary growth data like basal culm diameter, culm height and total number of culms in humid, sub humid and semiarid regions of Peninsular and Western India was collected. The modelling results, also supported by primary growth data, indicate that Bambusa balcooa Roxb. grows best in humid tropics in comparison to the semiarid regions. These results can help to prioritize potential areas for growth of this bamboo in farm forestry
Keywords:bamboos, Bambusa balcooa Roxb., ecological niche model, farm forestry, potential growth areas