Purpose This study/paper aims to evaluate the floral richness of the central part of Chattogram city, Bangladesh. Chattogram is recognized as the largest port city and the commercial capital of Bangladesh, which confronts faster urbanization and swift infrastructure development. Green spaces in and around Chattogram city are shrinking sharply, which resulted in rapid loss of floral and faunal resources in this area. The present study was carried out from February 2018 to January 2019 to enumerate the vascular plant species of the Sulakbahar ward located in the central part of Chattogram City, Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach The study area was categorized into 10 habitats to assess the variation of floral composition. The extensive whole area survey method was applied to record the flora from all sorts of plant habitats of the research area. Findings The study enumerated 418 vascular plant species under 315 genera and 120 families including natural, planted and cultivated from the study area. The habit form of the recorded plant composition indicated that herbs (35%) constitute the major plant category followed by trees (34%), shrubs (17%), climbers (12%), ferns (1%) and orchids (1%). The study also indicated that exotic species (50.3%) became dominant than native species (49.7%) in Chattogram city because of their scenic beauty, easy propagation and ornamental value to the city planners and inhabitants. Originality/value It appeared that floral resources of the Chattogram city area are in great threat due to aggressive and unplanned infrastructure development for housing, offices and institutions by replacing the green spaces. The study recommended that urgent protection measures should be taken to conserve and protect the existing floral resources for the well-being of the urban people.

An experiment was set to assess the effect of mixed plantings on initial growth and biomass yield of two common plantation tree species of Bangladesh namely Acacia auriculiformis (A) and Gmelina arborea (G). Study was carried out in the nursery bed of the Seed Research Laboratory and Nursery of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University (IFESCU), Bangladesh during February to November, 2015. The treatments consisted of two pure planting plots (100% A and 100% G) and five mixed planting plots (50%A: 50%G, 35%A: 65%G, 25%A: 75%G, 65%A: 35%G and 75%A: 25%G) of these two species. In nursery, seedlings were raised in a randomized blocks with four replicates of seven treatment plots. Periodic increments on height (cm), collar diameter (cm) and leaf/phyllode number of the seedlings was taken in every month and continued up to 10 months. The growth and biomass yield of seedlings were measured 10 months after the first seed was emerged. The effects of mixed plantation on growth and biomass were compared to that of seedlings grown in pure plantation. At the age of 10 months it was found that G. arborea seedlings were significantly tallest (240.13 cm) when planted with A. auriculiformis in a proportion of 25%A: 75%G, whereas A. auriculiformis were tallest in the pure 100% A plot, with an average mean height of 135.36 cm. Maximum collar diameter (1.38 cm) was recorded for G. arborea in the mixed plots 75%A: 25%G. Fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots of the seedlings were found significantly (p＜0.05) highest in 50%A: 50%G plot for G. arborea. G. arborea also showed highest quality index when mixed with A. auriculiformis in a proportion of 50:50, with an average value of 8.96. The results revealed a positive correlation between seedling growth and various planting patterns.

Abstract. Dutta S, Hossain MK. 2020. Bringing back the Chakaria Sundarbans mangrove forest of South-east Bangladesh through sustainable management approach. Asian J For 4: 65-75. The oldest mangrove forest of Indian sub-continent namely Chakaria Sundarbans (CS) is currently in a critical situation. Destructive anthropogenic and natural impacts coupled with shrimp farming and excessive grazing has caused severe damage to this oldest mangrove ecosystem. A study was carried out based on the extensive literature survey and tried to explore the overall situation and conservation practices for CS of Bangladesh. This paper analyzed, reviewed, and identified the impacts of natural and man-made effects on CS mangroves. Finally, we recommended the sustainable management approach (SMA) including policy and participation of the local people for bringing back this potential natural mangrove forest resource of CS along with rich forest diversity.

Very limited information is available on the drought tolerance of European beech and silver fir in mixed cultivation, both for mature forests and natural regeneration. Particularly, little information is available regarding the significance on memory effects of drought exposure. Therefore, drought memory was analyzed in seedlings of these species grown in mixed cultivation in the present study. The results showed that previous-year drought hardening mediated enhanced biomass accumulation of beech leaves and root in the subsequent year, but did not impact fir growth. Total carbon (C) content was decreased by drought hardening in both the leaves and roots of beech and previous-year needles and roots of fir, in beech probably as a consequence of increased growth. Previous-year drought hardening had no significant effect on relative water contents, total nitrogen (N), or soluble protein contents in leaves and roots of beech and fir, but resulted in decreased total amino acid contents of beech leaves and fir needles. It further reduced structural N in current-year fir needles and decreased C/N ratios in roots of both beech and silver fir seedlings. Generally, the number of interspecific neighbors had no considerable effect on biomass or total C or N contents, as well as N partitioning in leaves and roots of beech and fir seedlings. The present study highlights that drought hardening induces memory effects in European beech and silver fir seedlings in their mixture in the subsequent year of growth, but these memory effects are stronger in beech than in fir.