Survey-gap analysis for botanical research using integrated approach through taxonomical data and geoinformatics

India is one of the 12 mega biodiversity countries in the world. There are still many areas where inadequate information on plant wealth is available. Gap area prioritization is of utmost concern to understand the species richness of different parts of India. In this context survey-gap analysis was carried out to assess exploration status and to prioritise areas using integrated approach through taxonomical data and geoinformatics. In order to highlight the gaps in botanical exploration in the country, the present case study was conducted in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh. A grid size of 5′×5′ has been prepared to analyse the exploration status. The results indicated that most parts of study area have been under-explored and unexplored. Of the 200 grids, only one grid has been well explored with species collections of above 100. The study brought to light that moist deciduous forests were not covered during floristic studies. Comparative analysis with disturbance index and biological richness maps evidently points out that explorations were undertaken only in high disturbed zones and areas of low to medium biological richness. This geospatial analysis clearly points the need for more attention to the exploration of tropical forests in India. There is a need of systematic botanical studies to prioritise the conservation strategies of varied natural ecosystems. It is recommended for national level survey-gap analysis as an important step to determine the floristic wealth, species representativeness and distribution.