Vegetation Diversity and Socio-economic Profile Relations in some Selected Villages of Indian Desert

Socio-economic and floral diversity survey in some selected villages of Bikaner area of Indian Desert was done in December 2001 with a view to assess the relationship between vegetation and socio-economic status and suggest management strategy in the area. The area had low floral diversity whereas agriculture and livestock rearing were the main resources of livelihood. Livestock to human population ratio was 1.5 with a total annual requirements of fodder and fuelwood were 0.11 lakhs tonnes and 3905.50 tonnes, respectively, though the people are also using animal dung at the rate of 1163.96 tonnes in these villages. This caused over-exploitation of existing vegetations, which are less both in number and abundance. P. cineraria and T. undulata are trees and Z. mauritiana is shrub of irrigated agricultural land. These species along with C. polygonoides, L. sindicus and C. jwarancusa are decreasing in the area as a result of their removal to cultivate cash crops like A. hypogea and R. communis in agriculture land and over-grazing/over-exploitation in forest lands and CARs. The removal and overexploitation of vegetations are resulting in land degradation and encroachment of more adaptable and less values species like P. juliflora, L. pyrotechnica, A. pseudotomentosa, C. burhia, D. sindicum and A. hyrsticula in the forest and CARs areas. Hence protection and conservation of natural vegetation are needed to enhance plant diversity and productivity in the area. The improvement in land status and productivity of common property resources through afforestation and resource management would influence the economy and the living standard of these desert dwellers without deteriorating land resources.