Taxonomy, molecular phylogeny and ecological functions in forest dynamics of ficus l. (moraceae) in the western ghats

Abstract

The present study focuses on the taxonomy, phenetic analysis, molecular phylogeny, and ecological role in forest dynamics of the genus Ficus L. in the Western Ghats. A total of 37 taxa of Ficus (34 species, 2 subspecies, and 3 varieties) were recorded in the present study. F. virens var. dispersa was reported as a new distributional record to India and F. virens var. matthewii was recorded as a new distributional record in Kerala state. 24 taxa belonged to the subgenus Urostigma and no member was recorded from the subgenus Ficus. The IUCN status of F. beddomei is evaluated as Endangered category, two under Vulnerable category (F. costata and F. dalhousiae) and one under Data Deficient category (F. travancorica). The IUCN status of 14 taxa were Least Concern and 19 were Not Evaluated. As per the phenetic analysis, the clustering based on syconium characters was different from the clustering based on overall morphological characters. The clustering pattern based on overall morphological characters was almost similar to the infrageneric and natural classification systems. The present molecular study using markers ITS and trnH-psbA provided adequate delimitation even between the morphologically similar and cryptic taxa. ITS and trnH-psbA were found to be the efficient markers for molecular studies in the genus Ficus. The results of molecular analysis using trnH-psbA did not match the infrageneric and natural classifications. 66.6% of the Ficus species studied were dominant species in representing vegetation, providing canopy cover, and maintaining the ecological integrity of the vegetation. The general assumption of figs killing the host species and hence destroying the vegetation was found to be ecologically wrong, as figs provide more canopy cover in the vegetation and eventually replace only a single tree, especially in canopy gap filling in disturbed tropical evergreen forests.