Vegetation Composition, Biomass Production and Regeneration in Shorea robusta Forests in the Royal Bardia National Park, Nepal

Vegetation composition, biomass production and regeneration of tree species were assessed in Terai Shorea forest (TSF) and Shorea -Terminaha forest (STF) in the south-western part of the Royal Bardia National Park, Nepal. Forests were sampled by quadrat method from January - December 1996. For each forest type 25m x 25m plots were laid for sampling trees, 5m x 5m for saplings and shrubs and lm x lm for seedlings. The forests are mainly dominated by Shorea robusta and Terminalia alata as upper canopy. However, the extent of dominance of tree species differed considerably in each forest types. Total density and basal area were higher for TSF. In TSF both density and basal area were greatest for Shorea robusta, whereas in STF, density and basal area were higher for Terminalia alata followed by Shorea robusta. The distribution of trees (>l0cm dbh) among diameter class showed a higher density of stem with 10-20 cm diameter at breast height Dead standing were also higher in lower dbh classer in both forests. The above ground biomass of 348.0: ton ha -1 was found in STF followed by 330.87 to. ha -1 in TSF. The lower basal area, biomass and highe density show that the forest are younger and are in state of regeneration.