Table 1 Floristic characteristics and annual litter input in three forest types of Eastern Ghats.

Dominant species in upper canopy

Shorea robusta

Buchanania lanzan

Diospyros melanoxylon

Pterocarpus marsupium

Terminalia alata

Anogeissus latifolia

Bridelia retusa

Species number

17

39

51

Tree density ha⁻¹

545.00 ± 40.93^ns

609.67 ± 81.84^ns

746.75 ± 81.00^ns

Basal area (m⁻² ha⁻¹)

21.82 ± 4.17^ns

17.83 ± 3.11^ns

27.15 ± 4.90^ns

Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H′)

1.11 ± 0.24^a

2.55 ± 0.09^b

3.47 ± 0.16^c

Margalef’s richness index

2.82 ± 1.14^a

4.79 ± 0.49^ab

6.49 ± 0.75^b

Annual litter input (Mg ha⁻¹y⁻¹)*

10.58 ± 0.29^b

12.77 ± 0.44^c

8.93 ± 0.58^a

Litter mass carbon content (%)

41.97 ± 0.49^ns

43.92 ± 0.36^ns

43.16 ± 0.74^ns

Annual Carbon input

(Mg C ha⁻¹y⁻¹)

4.44 ± 0.05^c

5.62 ± 0.07^b

3.89 ± 0.25^a

Share of Sal tree to annual litter input (%)

56.83 ± 2.41^c

29.21 ± 1.18^b

5.85 ± 1.07^a