Livelihood and Revenue: Role of rattans among Mongoloid tribes and settlers of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Assigning conservation value and identifying hotspots of endemic rattan diversity in the Western Ghats, India

“…The increasing demand for rattan furniture for both national and international markets has resulted in the loss of several populations ( Uma Shaanker et al., 2004 ). In addition to extraction pressures, rattans are also severely threatened by changes in land use patterns such as conversion of forest lands to agriculture and plantations, as well as other anthropogenic activities such as irrigation and power projects ( Ravikanth et al., 2001 , Manohara et al., 2007 , Senthilkumar et al., 2014 ). Furthermore, rattans are dioecious and when they are prematurely harvested they rarely flower and fruit, resulting in poor seed set, which in turn adversely affects the regeneration of the species.…”

“…Rattans form an important resource after timber in terms of economic importance ( Mohan Ram and Tandon, 1997 , Senthilkumar et al., 2014 ). Rattans are a major source of raw material for the furniture and handicraft industry, and are utilized for the manufacture of a wide variety of aesthetic furniture and articles of decoration ( Senthilkumar et al., 2014 ).…”

“…Rattans form an important resource after timber in terms of economic importance ( Mohan Ram and Tandon, 1997 , Senthilkumar et al., 2014 ). Rattans are a major source of raw material for the furniture and handicraft industry, and are utilized for the manufacture of a wide variety of aesthetic furniture and articles of decoration ( Senthilkumar et al., 2014 ). Rattans also provide a livelihood to a considerable proportion of the rural population engaged in making rattan furniture and handicrafts in many countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, India, China, Myanmar, Thailand and Philippines ( Ravikanth et al., 2001 ).…”

“…While there are a number of economically important species endemic to this region, very few studies have looked at the conservation of these taxa ( Ravikanth et al., 2002 , Singh et al., 2004 , Manohara et al., 2007 , Bhat et al., 2009 , Bhat et al., 2010 ). With the increasing demand for rattan products both locally and internationally, rattan has been heavily extracted from natural populations ( Senthilkumar et al., 2014 ). Being an important non-timber forest product, rattans have a long history of extraction in India, especially from the Western Ghats.…”

Predictive Distribution Modelling of Calamus andamanicus Kurz, an Endemic Rattan from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

“…Its durable stem is also used for making huts, handles of house hold items, making bows and fences. This species represents Sixty-one percent of the total rattan trade in the islands and around 200 tonnes of this cane per year is exported to mainland as well as other European countries (Senthilkumar et al 2014). Since C. andamanicus is a solitary rattan the over extraction may results in population trends and regeneration capabilities.…”