Research Journal of Recent Sciences _________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502

Vol. 3(ISC-2013), 33-37 (2014)

Res. J. Recent. Sci.

Ecological and Biogeographical Features of Khed Tahasil, Pune District, MS,

India
Ghadage M.K., Theurkar S.V. and Patil S.B.
Department of Zoology, Hutatma Rajguru Mahavidyalaya, Rajgurunagar, University of Pune, INDIA

Available online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me

Received 27th December 2013, revised 29th January 2014, accepted 1st February 2014

Abstract
Western Ghats with unique habitat from origin of Gondwana land. Now days these Western Ghats are biodiversity hotspot
and world heritage .The Khed Tahsil is also one of part of Northern Western Ghats, in this region the Bhimashankar wild
life sanctuary, famous for Ratufa indica elphistoii, sub species of the Indian Giant squirrel which is endemic in status.
Khed Tahsil is located in the Northern part of Pune District, at altitude 626.015 MSL in Western Ghats. The landscape of
Khed Tahsil is distributed triangularly in Western Maharashtra at foot hills of the Sahyadri Mountains and divide into
three part Ghatmatha, Mawal and Desh. Present study carried out for biogeographic and ecological features of study
area.
Keywords: Biodiversity hotspot, Western Ghats, Indian Giant squirrel, endemic.

Introduction

Material and Methods

The Western Ghats regions are the specimens of breakup of

ancient Gondwana land at the time of Jurassic period. This
Ghats represent favorable weather patterns as a high gradient
with high speciation, it also an evolutionary Ecotone with
respect to out of Africa and out of Asia on species dispersal
and variance. It is also with outstanding universal value
(IUCN, 2012).

Study Area: Study area is selected from Pune district, because

Khed Tahsil has been done mainly due to a study regarding the
reptile diversity has not been attempted since independence and
also faunal surveys have been attempted for many years. The
area under detailed investigation which is a part of Western
Ghats ranges is located in district Pune, Maharashtra. The study
area forms a part of the middle Bhima and Bhama basins
present in north western corner of Sahyadri region in Khed
Tahsil. The study area covers part of Khed Tahsil in which area
is dividing in industrial development, reserve forest, civilization
and cultivation of crop with irrigation with respect to three dams
Chas-Kaman, Bhama-Askhed and Kalmodi dam. The western
Ghats of study area constituting three well marked
physiographic region running parallel to Bhima, Bhama and
Indrayani rivers in west-east direction of Khed Tahsil. This
region has been shown the present of number of narrow plains
and rolling rocky hills.

An ecosystem is a higher level of organization of life that

includes all biotic and abiotic factors, the term ecosystem. In
short, a key as habitat encompasses the physical environment
within biome exist1. The biotic and abiotic components
interact and develop a clearly defined trophic structure with
biotic diversity reported2. Ecosystem to be as geographic
distribution of species and their diversity; interaction of the
species in terms of population dynamics and energy flow in
various ecological communities from primary producer to
consumer with higher tropic levels this ecosystem mostly
affected and that determine by factors like geographic
location, climatic condition and it control the faunal
distribution3. The forest has been a storehouse of natural
resources accounting for almost 30% of earths total land area;
the biosphere which help in stabilization of natural system4.
About 160 million years ago Indo- Madagascar region
separated from Africa and distributed the ancient Gondwana
land5. Formation of the Indian subcontinent in an about 96
million in these period of isolation results in evolution of high
level of endemisity with unique fauna in Madagascar, but
researchers find some endemic in Indian subcontinent6.

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Geographically study area is part of Western Ghats,

lithologicaly it belongs to Deccan trap region and
geomorphologicaly it is polycyclic land scape. The western part
of study area is rugged comprising of Sahyadri ranges with
many peaks rising above 1000 meters. The tributaries of rivers
forms a valleys and flat-topped interfluve topography dissect
slopes. Geological formation consisting of basalt.it consists of
basic igneous rocks of lava. Lava flows horizontally there for
step like topography is formed. The rocks are varied with
specific gravity and colours like gray, dark gray and grayish
pink.

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Research Journal of Recent Sciences ______________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502

Vol. 3(ISC-2013), 33-37 (2014)
Res. J. Recent. Sci.
This region belongs to sub-humid in the west to semi-arid in the
east with different seasons like summer, rainy and winter. The
western to eastern regions has annual rainfall decreases from
2200 mm to 700 mm marked with July maximum.in this region
rainfall is due to the south-west monsoon. Soil in this area like
black cotton with varying depth which is developed from basalt
rocks, very shallow (< 8.0 cm);shallow (8.0-30cm); medium
deep(30-60cm) and very deep (>100cm)soils roughly
corresponds to mid slope and valley fills. This soil types are
topographic variants of gray and black soil. Due to changing
slop, soil and rainfall natural vegetation natural vegetation of
Khed Tahsil vary from evergreen, deciduous forest to scrub land
and grass land.
The forest in this region dominant in hills and hilly slopes while
in grass lands wide spread on foot slopes. Agriculture is the
most common land use with well irrigated land. Changes are
from west paddy field to normal agricultural field. In the study
area in present day industrialization cover a land mostly in
eastern and southern region of Tahsil.
Survey of Khed Tahsil: Field survey had carried out through
Tahsil, for study of locality during three different seasons in
year 2012 and 2013. The instruments use for field survey are
Olympus Binocular with camera for photograph, thermometers
for calculation of temperatures, hygrometer for humidity and
GPS for accuracy of positions of area cited. The Photographs
are also taken in the respective regions by field camera Sony
cyber shot.
Collection of Topographic plates and GIS mapping of study
area: The topographic plates are collected from Geography
Department of Hutatma Rajguru Mahavidyalaya, Rajgurunagar.
The maps of Khed Tahsil had made with the help of GIS
mapping softwares; these are Global Map and Arch 2010.

Results and Discussion

Soil features: Soil profiles in Bhima and Bhama basin were
studied and soil samples were analyzed at 40 locations widely
distributed through geomorphic units within the study area.
Clayey soils are medium deep occupying the Bhima and Bhama
basin. They occur on moderate to moderately steep sloping
mesa land units and are subject to moderate to severe erosion
hazards. Organic matter content of clayey soils is observed from
0.3 to 1.8%.
Clay loam soils are medium deep and occur on moderate to
moderately steep sloping mesa are moderately drained and are
subjected to moderate to severe erosion hazard covering study
area. Loam soils are deep to very deep located in pockets (~800
ha) on gently to moderately sloping low piedmont zones and are
characterized by moderate drainage. Sandy loam soils are deep
to very deep associated with gently to moderately sloping low
piedmont geomorphic units and are subjected to gentle to
moderate erosion hazards. These are well-drained soils with

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high permeability. Silt clay loam is observed on moderate to

moderately steep sloping pediments and is subjected to
moderate to severe erosion Bhima and Bhama basin area. These
are moderately high drained soils with moderately rapid
permeability. Silt loam soils covers found on steep hill slopes
and undulating areas and are subjected to very severe erosion
hazard. These soils are very shallow to shallow, coarse loamy
developed from weathered basalt.
Forest soils are very shallow occupying steeply sloping
escarpments, hill slopes and undulating areas and are subjected
to very severe erosion hazards. They are dark brown and
directly underlain with weathered basaltic material. The type of
soil in a particular area is the product of withering of parent
rocks giving it a distinct morphological, physical and chemical
characteristic. The biotic community give food chain along with
basic soil features in the agricultural field insects are present on
the field, so the food chain forms like, Insects-frog-Reptilestertiary consumer like owl, eagle and paradise7.
Habitat Diversity: In the study area various habitats are
observe. The word habitat is most important word to describe
ecology of living environment of given organism by factors
related to geology, vegetation and geographic location of given
area. The habitat compose of physical factors like temperature,
humidity, light intensity and abiotic factors that collective make
up in which organism live8. The conservation of variety of
species and variation in natural forest or environment depends
on maintenance of essential functional component of
ecosystem9.
Floral and faunal diversity is generally maintained and regulated
by the environmental factors like topography and climate that
determine the vegetative cover. The climate and geographical
location are related to the latitudinal differences and other
organic factors which are ranging from seasonal grasses herbs
shrubs are affected by leaf fall during winter. The western
region of study area remain green throughout the year even
though the grasses become dry during summer seoson.in the
rainy season greenery observe with all kinds of green plant from
the group of algae to the angiosperms, die to presence of this
flora a shelter to number of animal communities including
insects and other like reptiles. The forest area is affected by
human activities like tree falling, shifting of cultivation, forest
fires and industrialization.
Vegetation pattern and forest types: The forested area of
Sahyadri ranges of Khed Tahsil show denser vegetation on the
basis of vegetated, relatively less densely vegetated, thinly
vegetated and cultivated areas. Geologically hill tops, valley
flats, shows dense vegetation, relatively less density, thinly
vegetation area at steeply sloping grounds and valley floor.
Surrounding hilly tracts exhibit various categories of forest like
fairly dense forest, low dese forest, shrubs, cultivated area
scattered trees and denuded areas. Being part of the dry
deciduous forest in the moist deciduous forest, the study area

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Research Journal of Recent Sciences ______________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277-2502

Vol. 3(ISC-2013), 33-37 (2014)
Res. J. Recent. Sci.
shows variety of natural forest, dry forest is observed in hilly
tract, moist deciduous forest in Bhima River basin. The
categories of forest types observed from satellite images and
aired Photographs. The occurrence of high density of vegetation
on higher altitude areas die to the fact, these areas have rugged
features and steep slopes , making accessible and so these areas
not suitable for agriculture. The forest density in Khed, Chakan
and Pimpalgoan is low, so most of the land is under agriculture
in these areas.
Residual mulches and stems from close-growing vegetation are
more effective than equivalent percentage of canopy cover. In
the double cropped area the proportion of crop residue in soils is
relatively large. Long-term residue incorporation through
continuous cropping over the years changes the soil structure,
detachability, density, organic matter content, and biological
activity. The residual effects are most apparent during seedbed
and establishment period. Plugging residues down in the soils is
less effective than leaving them on the surface. Plant residues
would intercept falling raindrops so near the surface that the
drop regains on fall velocity, and they would also obstruct
runoff flow and thereby reduce its velocity and transport
capacity. The mountain chains of Western Ghats host of most
bio divers, threatened and unique species distribution in tropical,
subtropical, forest as well as hilly Indian regions10.
Agricultural and farming practices: Human uses the land to
satisfaction of his all needs that leads to clearing of the land off
its vegetation for such activities like mining, irrigation projects,
road construction etc.so there is fragmentation of forest
ecosystem causes great harmfulness to habitat of various plants
and animals, the major part of country is under agriculture, so
major business of people is agriculture. The land utilization of
country statistic shows mountain terrain, desert, aquatic systems
and River planes. More than fifty percent area of country
underutilization of agriculture to satisfy, the first and for most
needs of country. As the result forest areas have been reduced to
greater extent due to human activities that change of damage of
environmental factor balance. The crop cultivation practices in
the Bhima basin and Bhama basin are that during rainy season
paddy seedlings are first nurtured in a nursery; after their growth
of 3 weeks, during July the seedlings are transplanted in the
puddled field. Field planted with sorghum crop is left exposed
to the erosive rains of the monsoon season.
Tribal community life: The tropical forest plays an important
role in the life and economy of the tribal. The largest
concentration of tribes found in India. These tribal communities
use a forest resource for various purposes like food medicines11.
Khed Tahsil is located in northern part of Pune District. Khed
Tahsil having 11.94 % house hold of tribes and total population
is 38634 (2001) so it is important for understand the causing
change in social, cultural and empowerment of tribes need to be
monitored. A data base for an area, major tribe is Hindu
Mahadev Koli, Thakar and Katkari. The languages of
communication of these tribes are thakari and katkari.

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Mahadev Koli, cultivate cereals like maize (Zea mays), rice

(Oryza sativa), jowar (Andropogone sorghum), pulses like
moong (Phaeolus radiatus), karal (Carvia colasa)12. Thakar
community is totally depending on forest resources because the
tradition of them is hunting, so fauna of reptiles mostly affected
threated species of reptile is common Indian monitor. This is
showing medicinal features i.e. cure arthritis. Bird fauna is also
affected by hunting in these study area.
Katkari tribes also consume liquor extracted from fruits of
Mahua plant (Madhuka indica) on the occasion of festivals and
fairs. The collection of fire wood, medicinal plants some tribes
have even develops small scale business like making a house
hold material like baskets, winnowing paly and variety of other
grasses instruments. The houses of them are also made up of
plant Karvi.
Shifting of cultivation and deforestation: Deforestation is a
global phenomenon, which results in continues deterioration of
the natural ecosystem and resources like forests. The main cause
of deforestation in India is timber extraction. South Asia seems
to have the largest percentage of reduction in forest area in last
few decades13. Large areas of the forest have been affected by
reservoir and dams constructions for multipurpose water
projects, leading to loss of flora and fauna14. Bhima and Bhama
tributaries are sub tributaries of Krishna River basin and so
many dams are constructed within it. Due to this major of forest
land threatened the natural resources of Sahyadri mountain
ranges of Western Ghats. These conditions are definitely led to
an irreversible loss of flora and fauna with displacement of over
million people, mostly tribal. The major causes of deforestation
in India has been shifting agriculture, which is widely practiced
in the study area and has had led to drastic changes in the forest
ecosystem. The local population in the western region of study
area completely depends on the forest for live hood and thus,
firewood collection, shifting agriculture and settlement, are
common practices in the Sahyadri ranges.
Agriculture is generally practiced near a river, streams and on
the hill slopes. The practice shifting agriculture on steep slopes,
the local people traditionally clear small patches of forest
cutting, burning the vegetation. Afterword plant crops using
digging instruments. After two to three years weeds proliferate
in the patches and soil become exhausted of the store hummus
and yield of crops and fertility of patches decreases. The soil
erosion will take place the soil became infertile, so cultivation
shifted to new location and clearing more forest. These are
resulting in the more destruction of natural vegetative cover and
are depend upon flora and fauna. The study area has escaped
from these activities. Earlier shifting agriculture in the tropic is
use to a cycle of 30 years, harmony with the forest environment.
But this cycle now reduced to 3 to 5 years due to high pressure
on resources causes population increase, resulted in to
deforestation of land15.

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Vol. 3(ISC-2013), 33-37 (2014)
Res. J. Recent. Sci.
The other activities like cattle grazing, which is usual practiced
in peripheral hilly tract and Tasubai depressions. These
activities also cause soil erosion, degradation of soil fertility and
water holding capacity; further depletion of productivity of the
land16. The Southern-Eastern region of Khed Tahsil is now days
became auto-mobile hub means that industrial zone of India. For
the development of various factories and companies are also
causes damage to natural habitat. The Chakan, Wasuli and
Rajgurunagar are major growing industrial areas of study area.
The Western region of Khed Tahasil indicates that, there are
rare and endemic species were occurred and also agricultural
species are found17,18.
Plant Resources The Flora: The floral study area is being a
powerful unit of ecology. Which play vital role in natural
environment with significant faunal component in the western
regions of study area observe dense forest, where fairly good
humidity is maintained especially along River basins as well as
on hill and plateau tops. The study area showed a presence of
dominant plant species like Ain (Terminelia tomentosa), amba
(Mangifera indica), apta (Bauhinia racemosa), avala (Emblica
Officinalis), babul (Acacia arabica), behada (Terminala
bellerica), bhoker (Codia myza), biba (Smecarous anacadium),
bor (Zizypus mauritiana), chinch (Tamarindus indca), hirda
(Terminalia chebula), Khair (Acacia leucophloea), moha
(Madhuka indica), neem (Azaderictica indica) and vad (Ficus
bengalensis).
The plant species used by local people for making their house
include Butea, Phoenix, Denrocalamus, Bamboos, Carvia and
Tectona. The seasonal vegetation include variety of grasses like
Atylosia, clitorea, Tephrosia, Cassia, Indigofera etc. the flora
show a mixture of dry and moist deciduous species of which
Boswelia and Butea were dominant in dry hilly tracts specially
the Bhima and Bhama River basins. Many of the plant above
mentioned medically and economically important and form a
very strong base for Ayurvedic medicine practiced In India. The
important medicinal plants were used in Koraput district,
Odisha were recorded with several ethno-medical information19.
The Rocky sandy coast of Saurashtra makes a uniform species
distribution20.
Animal Resources The Fauna: The animals reported from
study area, the Indian leopard, hyaena, jackal, hare and civet
belonging to mammalian group. Avian fauna is widely observed
as the area provide shelter and food in respective forest areas the
most common birds observed in the area like kite, swallows,
black drongo, tailer bird, wagtail, myna, pon heron, doves, cattle
egret, wood pecker, robin, shikra and kingfisher etc. the
diversity and abundance of birds were occurred in the canopy of
forest habitats which are mostly endemic in nature21.
The varieties of animals are present in study area like variety of
bat (Pteropus giganteus), Langur (Presbytis entellus), Jacal
(Cannis aureus), civet (Paradoxurus sp.), magoose (Herpestes
edwardsi), hyaena (Hyaena hyaena), jungle cat (Felis chause),

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leopard (Panthera paradus), giant squirrel (Ratufa indica

elphistoii). The rich occurrence of fauna of variety of species
including mammals, reptiles and birds in the study area show
rich vegetation or forest cover that provides the wild life shelter
to live and food to survive.

Conclusion
The biodiversity and ecology in Khed Tahasil is with unique
habitat, but due to human interfere and change in cultivation
pattern this uniqueness disturb in early Years. Clearing forests
for agriculture, ruthless exploitation of forest for timber,
construction of major dams and development of holyday resort.
They are playing a role in deterioration of the ecosystem of
forest. Impact of such practices has increased the rate of
fragmentation of forest ecosystems, which decreases richness of
various species and biodiversity, ultimately making, maintain
and forest extinction prone areas for every floral and faunal
species. The present study suggested that, the biogeographical
and ecological management resources are change the human
needs.

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