BIODIVERSITY EVALUATION

The forest in the project area falls under the category of Northern Tropical Thorn Forest, as classified by Champion and Seth (1968). This forest type is characterised by sparse vegetation and thorny tree species adapted to arid and semi-arid conditions. Prominent species identified in this forest type include Senegalia senegal, Prosopis cineraria, Vachellia leucophloea, Vachellia nilotica, Ziziphus spp., and Salvadora spp. In addition, introduced species such as Acacia tortilis and Prosopis chilensis were found to be widely planted in this region, often contributing to vegetation cover in degraded areas.

Summary of Assessment and Key Findings from Biodiversity Assessment

S. No.	Assessing Points	Key Findings	Remarks
1	Floral Composition of the Aravallis	Shrubs - 37% Herbs - 27% Trees - 20% Subshrubs - 8% Moss - 5% Grasses - 3%	The dominance of shrubs and herbs suggests that the location is in its early successional stages. It also suggests that the location is continuously subjected to degradation. Low grass and moss percentage suggest activities like overgrazing.
2	Botanical Families and their Abundance	Most Abundant Family - Fabaceae Low Abundant Families - Moraceae, Convolvulaceae, Cyperaceae, and Solanaceae	Advantages of Fabaceae: Nitrogen fixation, aiding natural regeneration, helps in restoration. Fragmented Flora: Less common families like Moraceae and Cyperaceae suggest niche-specific diversity, requiring focused habitat protection and restoration.
3	Floral Nativity and Invasiveness	Native Species: 77% of the total species Invasive Species: 20% of the total species Introduced Species: 3% of the total species Native with Invasive Traits: Justicia adhatoda, though native, showed potential to dominate. Gairatpur Bas: Total Number of Floral Species: 42 Shannon’s Diversity Index: 2.36 Simpson’s Diversity Index: 0.89 Most Dominant Species: Justicia adhatoda Least Dominant Species: Dalbergia sissoo and Cassia fistula Naurangpur: Total Number of Floral Species: 31 Shannon’s Diversity Index: 1.38 Simpson’s Diversity Index: 0.75 Most Dominant Species: Justicia adhatoda Least Dominant Species: Senegalia catechu and Acacia nilotica Shikohpur: Total Number of Floral Species: 30 Shannon’s Diversity Index: 2.03 Simpson’s Diversity Index: 0.86 Most Dominant Species: Justicia adhatoda Least Dominant Species: Anogeissus pendula Sakatpur: Total Number of Floral Species: 30 Shannon’s Diversity Index: 2.04 Simpson’s Diversity Index: 0.86 Most Dominant Species: Justicia adhatoda Least Dominant Species: Ocimum tenuiflorum	High Native Presence: The majority of plant species being native indicate strong ecological continuity and good potential for natural regeneration. Invasive Threats: Invasive species like Neltuma juliflora (20% presence) pose serious risks to native biodiversity and ecosystem balance. Gairatpur Bas: Higher biodiversity, with numerous native species. Justicia adhatoda dominates, aiding stability but indicating floral homogenisation. Less abundant natives like Dalbergia sissoo and Capparis decidua need regeneration support, while limited invasives like Parthenium and Neltuma pose threats requiring active management. Naurangpur: Dominance of hardy species like Justicia adhatoda and low biodiversity indicate ecological stress in Naurangpur’s forest due to grazing, extraction, or soil degradation. Shikohpur: Moderate biodiversity and dominance of pioneer species like Eulaliopsis binata reflect ongoing ecological succession after past disturbances. Sakatpur: Moderate floral diversity dominated by Justicia adhatoda and invasive Parthenium, indicating ecological disturbance. Presence of native keystone species like Anogeissus pendula and Capparis decidua highlights strong regenerative potential for restoration.
4	Avifauna	Avifaunal Diversity (secondary): 7 (Sakatpur) - 148 (Bhondsi) Avifaunal Diversity (primary): 36 species, with 4 migratory species Shannon’s Diversity Index: 1.73 Simpson’s Diversity Index: 0.74	Moderate diversity indices show a bird community mainly of common native species, with few rare or specialist birds. Migratory species and water bodies highlight the area’s seasonal importance and the need to protect aquatic habitats.
5	Terrestrial Fauna	Primary evidence of animals like leopards, wild boars, blue bulls, porcupines, found in the project area.	Presence of large mammals and threatened species signals high ecological value.

Source: Haryana Forest Department, Government of Haryana.
*Shannon’s Diversity Index – Measures species diversity; Simpson’s Diversity Index – Measures species dominance

Vegetation Assessment

The methodology for the Vegetation assessment in the project area is largely based on the National Working Plan Code (NWPC), 2023 prescribed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. According to the NWPC 2023, a grid-based sampling approach was used to assess plant diversity and vegetation structure.

A total of 60 species were identified in the project area. Shrubs were the most dominant category, accounting for 37% of the recorded species. Herbs followed with 27%, while trees made up 20% of the floral population. Sub-shrubs constituted 8%, grasses 5%, and mosses were the least represented at 3%. This distribution highlights the predominance of lower and mid-canopy vegetation in the Aravalli ecosystem, with relatively sparse tree cover, a typical feature of tropical thorn forests.

Species Identified in the Project Area

S. No.	Name of the Species	Plant Category	Native/Invasive
1	Abutilon indicum	Shrub	Native
2	Acacia leucophloea (Vachellia leucophloea)	Tree	Native
3	Acacia nilotica (Vachellia nilotica)	Tree	Native
4	Acacia senegal (Senegalia senegal)	Shrub	Native
5	Acacia sp.	Tree	Invasive
6	Acacia tortilis (Vachellia tortilis)	Shrub	Invasive
7	Achyranthes aspera	Subshrub	Native
8	Actiniopteris radiata	Herb	Native
9	Aerva javanica	Shrub	Native
10	Anogeissus pendula (Terminalia pendula)	Shrub	Native
11	Arundinella pumila	Herb	Native
12	Azadirachta indica	Tree	Native
13	Balanites aegyptiaca	Tree	Native
14	Calotropis procera	Shrub	Native
15	Capparis decidua	Shrub	Native
16	Capparis spinosa	Shrub	Native
17	Carissa spinarum	Shrub	Native
18	Cassia fistula	Tree	Native
19	Cassia occidentalis (Senna occidentalis)	Subshrub	Invasive
20	Croton bonplandianus	Shrub	Invasive
21	Cyanthillium cinereum	Herb	Native
22	Cynodon dactylon	Herb	Native
23	Cyperus nutans	Shrub	Native
24	Dalbergia sissoo	Shrub	Native
25	Dicliptera paniculata	Herb	Native
26	Elytrophorus spicatus	Grass	Native
27	Eragrostis sp.	Grass	Native
28	Eulaliopsis binata	Herb	Native
29	Euphorbia hirta	Herb	Invasive
30	Fallopia convolvulus	Herb	Native
31	Flueggea leucopyrus	Shrub	Native
32	Gymnosporia senegalensis	Shrub	Native
33	Holoptelea integrifolia	Tree	Native
34	Indigofera linnaei (Indigofera tsiangiana)	Subshrub	Native
35	Justicia adhatoda	Shrub	Native
36	Lantana camara	Shrub	Invasive
37	Neltuma juliflora	Tree	Invasive
38	Ocimum gratissimum	Herb	Native
39	Ocimum tenuiflorum	Subshrub	Native
40	Parthenium hysterophorus	Herb	Invasive
41	Physalis sp.	Shrub	Native
42	Plumbago zeylanica	Shrub	Native
43	Pongamia pinnata	Tree	Native
44	Portulaca oleracea	Herb	Invasive
45	Prosopis cineraria	Tree	Native
46	Prosopis glandulosa (Neltuma glandulosa)	Tree	Invasive
47	Rumex pulcher	Herb	Invasive
48	Saccharum bengalense	Grass	Native
49	Saccharum spontaneum	Herb	Native
50	Selaginella sp.	Moss	Native
51	Senegalia catechu	Tree	Native
52	Sesamum indicum	Herb	Native
53	Sida cordifolia	Shrub	Native
54	Sonchus asper	Herb	Invasive
55	Sphagnum	Moss	Native
56	Tephrosia purpurea	Subshrub	Native
57	Tephrosia vogelii	Shrub	Invasive
58	Tridax procumbens	Shrub	Invasive
59	Xanthium strumarium	Herb	Native
60	Ziziphus nummularia	Shrub	Native

Source: Haryana Forest Department, Government of Haryana.

Biodiversity (vegetation) Indices

Biodiversity was quantified using the Shannon and Simpson Diversity Indices, which measure species richness and dominance, respectively. These indices provide insight into the health and stability of the ecosystem.

Graph depicting values of biodiversity indices for flora in the study area

Village-wise values of biodiversity indices for flora in the study area

S. No.	Village	Shannon Index	Simpson Index	Interpretation
1	Gairatpur Bas	2.36	0.90	Moderate Diversity
2	Naurangpur	1.38	0.75	Low to Moderate Diversity
3	Sakatpur	2.04	0.86	Moderate Diversity
4	Shikohpur	2.03	0.86	Moderate Diversity

Gairatpur Bas showed the highest diversity, while Naurangpur had relatively lower diversity values. This variation may be influenced by land use patterns, vegetation degradation, and the extent of invasive species present in each village.

Wildlife assessment

Avifauna

The avifaunal survey was conducted using the Point-Count Method, a standard technique for bird population assessment. Survey locations were carefully selected along the Leopard Trail to capture representative habitat conditions. A total of 36 bird species were documented during the survey period from December 2024 to February 2025.

Terrestrial fauna

Data for the terrestrial fauna was gathered through direct sightings and indirect evidence such as scat, pug marks, and signs of habitat usage.

Key observations include:

Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) – Movement confirmed via scat and pug marks, indicating presence across the landscape.
Wild boar (Sus scrofa cristatus) – Identified through foraging pits.
Blue bull/Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) – Frequently sighted in open and scrub areas.
Indian porcupine (Hystrix indica) – Recognised by quills and scat.
Indian palm squirrel (Funambulus palmarum), domestic cattle (Bos taurus/indicus), and goats (Capra hircus) were commonly observed, suggesting human-wildlife interface.

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