A Review of the Ecological Functions of Reed Bamboo, Genus Ochlandra in the Western Ghats of India: Implications for Sustainable Conservation

Reeds are a tall, thin, shrubby, highly productive grass of the Poaceae family, and have a worldwide distribution except for in Antarctica. Temperate reed species include Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud., Arundo donax L., Phalaris arundinacea L. Tropical reeds include bamboo genus Ochlandra and are endemic to the Western Ghats of India as well as to Sri Lanka. Reeds are an important component of the forest ecosystem, providing numerous ecosystem services which help to maintain forest stability. They are a keystone species and serve as an important food source for many animals. Reed biomass is widely used for solid biofuel production and for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. They are an excellent sink for carbon sequestration and the absorption of point-source pollution from the waterbeds. Reed bamboos have been considered as the most important non-timber forest product (NTFPs) for the subsistence and support of the economically weaker strata of the society. Owing to ever increasing demand, c...