Population status of Heritiera fomes Buch.-Ham., a threatened species from Mahanadi Mangrove Wetland, India

Heritiera fomes Buch.-Ham. is assessed as an endangered mangrove species by IUCN, and information on population status is lacking. The present study assesses the status of H. fomes in Mahanadi Mangrove Wetland on the east coast of India. Three forest blocks were selected and sampled for this study. Among these, the mean girth at breast height (GBH) of H. fomes was the highest in Hetamundia (HD) forest block. GBH of H. fomes was inversely proportional to the cumulative disturbance index (R2= 0.7244, p value <0.005). The relative density was maximum for H. fomes (56%) at Bhitarkharnasi (BK), and for Excoecaria agallocha at Hetamundia (HD; 35%) & Kansaridia (KD; 54%), respectively. Excoecaria agallocha is a dominant species possibly impacting natural populations of H. fomes. Climate change and rising sea levels may also negatively affect the existence of this species. Therefore, appropriate strategies should be taken for conservation of this globally threatened mangrove species prior to its extinction.