Myristica Swamps of the Western Ghats -Sameer Ali

Faunal assemblages in Myristica swamps
of Central Western Ghats, Ghats,
Karnataka, India
SAMEER ALI
Energy and Wetlands Research Group
Centre for Ecological Sciences
Photo Karthick B

What are Swamps?
Swamps are wetlands dominated by
woody plants. They have fairly deep
water and minimal growth of
emergent plants.
Swamps have a high water table and
occur near rivers, streams, and lakes.
The soils are saturated (or soaked)
with water. The soil is thick, black,
and nutrient-rich nutrient rich providing an
environment for water tolerant trees
and other organisms.
Typical swamp dominated by Mastixia
arborea and Hydnocarpus laurifolia

Freshwater swamps occur in many
parts of the world.
Valleys of Mississippi and its
tributaries, in Sweden, Odzala
National Park, Congo, in the
Malaysian region, Papua New
Guinea, etc.
Swamp forests fringe the Amazon
and its tributaries
In India, freshwater swamps are
reported from the Siwalik and Doon
Valley and the Brahmaputra Valley
(Rao Rao, , 1994).
Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) from
the Swamps of Venezuela

What are Myristica Swamps?
These are Freshwater swamps dominated by Myristicaceae members (Nutmeg
family).
Myristicaceae, Myristicaceae,
a primitive family of trees.
Myristica swamps in Western Ghats
Krishnamoorthy (1960) reported for the first time from the Travancore region of
Southen Western Ghats. Ghats
Atlas of Endemics of the Western Ghats (India), by Ramesh and Pascal (1997), provide
the distribution maps of Myristica fatua and Gymnacranthera canarica , trees exclusively
associated with the Myristica swamps.

Recent work in Uttara Kannada district of central Western Ghats (Chandran Chandran
et al ., 1999; Chandran and Mesta, Mesta,
2001) reported the presence of these
swamps.
The northernmost swamp known is associated with a sacred grove in in
the
Satari taluk of Goa (Santhakumaran
Santhakumaran et al. 1995).
The dominant tree species found in the Myristica swamps are, Gymnacranthera
canarica, canarica,
Semecarpus travancorica, travancorica,
Myristica fatua var. magnifica, magnifica,
Mastixia arborea etc.

Characteristic features
Flooded and water logged conditions are
not conducive for most plants and require
special kinds of adaptations. (as in case of
Mangrooves).
Mangrooves).
Simillarly swamp species also undergone
ceratain modifications
Root modification
Aerial adventitious roots called stilt roots
that spring out from the main trunk
provide additional support to the swamp
trees in the soft soil.
Such roots might become woody and
flattened with age, becoming ‘flying
buttresses' as in Myristica spp. spp
Apart from the Myristicas, Myristicas,
the several flood
tolerant species of the Western Ghats, such
as Elaeocarpus, Elaeocarpus,
Holigarna, Holigarna,
Madhuca neerifolia, neerifolia,
Pandanus etc. also produce stilt roots.
Stilt roots of Myristica fatua
var. magnifica

Some of the trees has knee roots which
protrude out of the swampy soil all around
the tree.
At least initially the knees are spongy and
apparently provide the underwater roots
with air.
The knees facilitate gas exchange freely
(Cowles, 1975). Pond cypress in the US and
Semecarpus sp., have such knee roots.
Some species like, Gymnacranthera canarica has
loop like roots protrude into the air from the
flooded substratum in the swamp.
These aerial loops, which thicken with age,
are studded with enlarged air pores called
lenticels.
Knee roots of Semicarpus
kathalekanensis
Knee roots of Gymnacranthera
canarica

Rhizomes
Rhizomes are thick stems buried in the
soils as found in many herbaceous
plants such as ginger, turmeric etc.
Many swamp growing ferns and herbs
such as aroids have spongy rhizomes.
Pinanga dicksonii, dicksonii,
a delicate, shade-loving shade loving
palm endemic to the Western Ghats,
and often found in the vicinity of the
Myristica swamps, propagate mainly
through rhizomes.
Pinanga
Rhizomes, according to Braendle and
Crafford (1987), exhibit a much greater
range of flood tolerance than roots. Pinanga dicksonii
Photo K V Gururaja

o
74.170
Study area
The study has been carried out in the five Myristica
swamps of Honnavar and Siddapur taluk, taluk,
Uttara
Kannada district of central Western Ghats.
Ghats
o
14.569
Arabian Sea
Aghanashini river
Sharavathi river
Venkatapura river
Halsolli
Torme Mundigethaggu
Malemane
Kathalekan
0 10
kilometers
20
13.934 o
74.922
o
%

The Uttara Kannada district, formerly North Kanara (13°52" to 15°30"N and
74°05" to 75°5"E), is located towards the centre of the Western Ghats. Ghats.
The district with 10,250 km² of area is one of the most forested in South India
with about 70% of the land under forest cover, including forest plantations.
Here the Western Ghats seldom exceeds 700m in altitude. The district is a
maze of steep hills with narrow valleys. Tropical evergreen to semi semi-evergreen
evergreen
forests form the natural climax vegetation in most of parts of the the
district,
which receive 200 to 500cm of rainfall.

Myriatica swaps - floral diversity
The swamp has high level of Western Ghat endemism among plants.
A total of 64 tree species are enumerated from the five Myristica swamps. the
dominant tree species are, Gymnacranthera canarica, canarica,
Semecarpus kathalekanensis,
kathalekanensis,
Myristica fatua var. magnifica, magnifica,
Mastixia arborea etc.
Apart from this 24 species of shrubs and herbs (which include 8 species of
Pteridophytes) Pteridophytes)
also found in the swamps.

The Myristica swamps are also associated with many other species which show
tolerance to various degrees of flooding. However these are not swamp exclusive
species.
Among the trees, evergreens like Calophyllum apetalum, apetalum,
Dipterocarpus indicus, indicus,
Elaeocarpus tuberculatus, tuberculatus,
Lophopetalum wightianum and Mastixia arborea. arborea.
Recently one species also described from the Myristica swamps of Uttara
Kannada Semecarpus kathalekanensis (Swaminath Swaminath, , 2000).
Notable of the ground layer are herbs like Alpinia malaccensis, malaccensis,
Jerdonia indica, indica,
Neurocalyx calycinus and Schumanniatus virgatus. virgatus.
An aroid Lagenandra ovata and Elatostemma lineolatum and Pellionia heyneana, heyneana,
both
members of Urticaceae, Urticaceae,
are abundantly associated with the swamps.
The Pteridophytes are Angiopteris evecta, evecta,
Bolbitis appendiculata, appendiculata,
Cyathea nilgiriensis, nilgiriensis,
Osmunda regalis, regalis,
Pronephrium triphyllum, triphyllum,
Pteris, Pteris,
Staenochlaena palustris and Tectaria
wigthii.
wigthii

Myristica diversity
swamps - faunal
These swamps also harbour many
endemic and endangered fauna of
the Western Ghats. Ghats.
About six species of damselflies
including Phylloneura westermanni, westermanni,
which is a range extension from
Coorg and Wayanad (Fraser, 1933).
Other species are, Clear-winged
Clear winged
Forest glory (Vestalis ( Vestalis gracilis), gracilis),
Malabar torrent dart (Euphea ( Euphea fraseri), fraseri),
Stream ruby (Rhinocypha ( Rhinocypha bisignata), bisignata),
Black-tipped Black tipped forest glory (Vestalis ( Vestalis
apicalis) apicalis)
and Pied reed tail (Protosticta ( Protosticta
gravelyi) gravelyi)
Malabar torrent dart (Euphea ( Euphea fraseri) fraseri

109 species of butterflies
representing five families are
found in the Myristica
swamps
Family Nymphalidae is
dominated by 43 species.
Papilionidae 16 species,
Pieridae 13, Lycaenidae 18
and Hesperiidae 19 species.
About 16 species of fishes.
Garra gotyla stenorhynchus, stenorhynchus,
Rasbora daniconius, daniconius,
Danio
aequipinnatus are prominent
species.
Garra
Malabar tree nymph (Idea ( Idea malabarica) malabarica
Common Pierrot
(Castalius Castalius rosimon) rosimon

About 29 species of amphibians are
listed from the five Myristica swamps.
Order Anura comprises eight families
and Gymnophiona the family
Ichtyophiidae.
Ichtyophiidae.
The family Dicroglossidae and
Rhacophoridae species each.
comprises seven
Whereas the family Nyctibatrachidae
and Ranidae comprises three species
each.
Some of the notable species are,
Micrixalus saxicola Nyctibatrachus major, major,
N. . petraeus Philautus ponmudi, ponmudi,
P. P.
neelanethrus, neelanethrus,
Polypedatus pseudocruciger and
Rhacophorus malabaricus. malabaricus.
Rhacophorus malabaricus
Nyctibatrachus petraeus
Philautus ponmudi
Photo Samer Ali, K V
Gururaja

59 species of birds found in
these swamps.
Wynaad laughing thrush
(Garrulax Garrulax delesserti), delesserti),
Great pied
hornbill (Buceros ( Buceros bicornis), bicornis),
Bluewinged parakeet (Psittacula ( Psittacula
columboides) columboides
22 species of reptiles which
includes 13 species of snakes.
Calotes rouxii
Calotes sp.
Cnemaspis sp.

The notable snakes are King cobra
(Ophiophagus Ophiophagus hannah), hannah),
Humpnosed pit
viper (Hypnale ( Hypnale hypnale), hypnale),
Malabar pit viper
(Trimersurus Trimersurus malabaricus), malabaricus),
Trinket snake
(Elaphe Elaphe helena helena) helena)
etc.,
Humpnosed pit viper (Hypnale ( Hypnale hypnale) hypnale
Malabar pit viper (Trimersurus ( Trimersurus malabaricus) malabaricus
Photo Samer Ali & K V Gururaja

About 15 species of mammals found in
these swamps, which include an endemic
and endangered primate Lion tailed
macaque (Macaca ( Macaca silenus). silenus).
Lion-tailed Lion tailed Macaque, an endangered
primate of the Western Ghats, Ghats,
is associated
with the relics of the primary forests in
Siddapur having the Myristica swamps and
Dipterocapus. Dipterocapus.
Lion tailed macaque (Macaca ( Macaca silenus) silenus

Ecological value
Swamps have Watershed value, Because the bottom of the swamp is at or below
the water table, it serves to channel runoff into the groundwater groundwater
supply, helping
to stabilize the water table.
During periods of very heavy rains, a swamp can act as a natural flood control
device (Columbia ( Columbia Encyclopaedia, Encyclopaedia,
1978)
Standing or slow moving water seeps continuously into the ground, ground,
helping to
replenish underground water reservoirs called acquifers (Cunningham and Saigo, Saigo,
1990).
The presumed widespread loss of perennial freshwater swamps such as the
Myristica swamps, as evidenced by their present day rarity and fragmentation fragmentation
is
perhaps a reminder of the progressive desiccation of the Western Ghats.

The swamp and its immediate surrounding forests have a
number of wild fruit bearing trees.
These include Garcinia, Garcinia,
Myristica, Myristica,
Syzygium, Syzygium,
Holigarna, Holigarna,
members of
Lauraceae, Lauraceae,
Meliaceae, Meliaceae,
Myrtaceae etc. which provide food for
many wild mammals and birds. birds
.

Threats to Myristica swamps in
study area
In the study area most swamps are
presumably extinct due to human
impacts of various kinds.
The swamps are encroached for
agricultural lands and areca plantations.
The two of the studied swamps are at
risk of disapearence due to areca
plantations.
The pressure is mounting on the last
traces of the remaining swamps, due to
mainly ignorance about the value and
evolutionary significance of these
ancient patches of forests.
Palynological studies might be of help
in locating some of the past swamps.
Encroachment in the
Kathalekan Myristica swamps

Conservation
The Myristica swamps in this region are in the verge of extinction due to
rampant illegal conversions to agricultural lands and areca plantations. plantations.
Rich biodiversity of swamps along with the evolutionarily significance significance
demands
the immediate policy measures to conserve these Myristica swamps— swamps fragile
ecosystems in remnant forest patches of Uttara Kannada.
Special efforts should be made to locate more of these swamps lying lying
hidden in
the recesses of the Western Ghats.

Semicarpus kathalekanensis patch in Kathalekan swamp
T
H
A
N
K
S
Photo Samer Ali