scholarly journals Variation in Tree Layer Composition Across Mid and Higher Elevation Forest Sites in Kumaun Himalayan Region, Uttarakhand

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 733-739
Author(s):  
Bhawna Tewari ◽  
Ashish Tewari
Keyword(s):  
Basal Area ◽  
Pinus Roxburghii ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Forest Sites ◽  
Tree Layer ◽  
Quercus Semecarpifolia ◽  
Quercus Leucotrichophora ◽  
Important Value Index ◽  
Layer Composition ◽  
Rhododendron Campanulatum

The Himalayan forests are rich in biodiversity and distributed over a large extent from lower to higher elevations. The dependence of the locals for their daily requirements of fuel, fodder and medicinal plants is high on these forests. The study was conducted at altitude varied between 1725 and 3250 masl (above sea level) in Kumaun region. The study deals with the comparison of tree layer vegetation in higher elevation sites (HES) and mid elevation sites (MES) with reference to Diversity, Richness, Basal area (BA), Dominance and Important Value Index. The MES were dominated by mixed Quercus leucotrichophora and Pinus roxburghii forests where as HES sites were dominated by Quercus semecarpifolia and Aesculus indica forests and Rhododendron campanulatum in the understory. Across all the sites the tree species richness ranged between 9 and 15. Tree density was maximum (1400 trees/ha) at MES. Tree diversity and total basal area were maximum at HES. The study will be useful in developing baseline data for carrying out future studies. The data generated will be helpful for the conservation of biodiversity of the region.

scholarly journals Stand Structure, Productivity and Carbon Sequestration Potential of Oak Dominated Forests in Kumaun Himalaya

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 466-476
Author(s):  
Bijendra Lal ◽  
L.S. Lodhiyal
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Forest Sites ◽  
Sequestration Potential ◽  
Oak Tree ◽  
Quercus Leucotrichophora

Present study deals with stand structure, biomass, productivity and carbon sequestration in oak dominated forests mixed with other broad leaved tree species. The sites of studied forests were located in Nainital region between 29058’ N lat. and 79028’ E long at 1500-2150 m elevation. Tree density of forests ranged from 980-1100 ind.ha-1. Of this, oak trees shared 69-97%. The basal area of trees was 31.81 to 63.93 m2 ha-1. R. arboreum and Q. floribunda shared maximum basal area 16.45 and 16.32 m2 ha-1, respectively in forest site-1 and 2 while Quercus leucotrichophora shared maximum (35.69 m2 ha-1) in site-3. The biomass and primary productivity of tree species ranged from 481-569 t ha-1 and 16.9-20.9 t ha-1yr-1, respectively. Of this, biomass and primary productivity of oak tree species accounted for 81 to 95 and 78 to 98%, respectively. Carbon stock and carbon sequestration ranged from 228 to 270 t ha-1 and 8.0 to 9.9 t ha-1yr-1, respectively. The share of oak tree species ranged from 81 to 94.7 and 79 to 97%, respectively. The diversity of tree species ranged from 0.03 to 0.16 in forest sites-1, 2 and 3. The diversity of oak species was 0.08-0.16 in all the forest sites. Thus it is concluded that among the oak tree species, Quercus floribunda and Quercus leucotrichophora were highly dominated in the studied forests. The climax form of oak dominated trees in the studied forest sites depicted slightly lower richness and diversity of tree species compared to the forests in the region and elsewhere. As far as dry matter and carbon of forests is concerned, these estimates are close to the earlier reports of forests in the region. Therefore, studied forests have the potential to increase the diversity, productivity and carbon sequestration of forest tree species by providing the adequate scientific conservation and management inputs.

scholarly journals Biological activity, nitrogen dynamics, and chemical characteristics of forest soils in the Šumava national park

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (No. 7) ◽  
pp. 302-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Svoboda
Keyword(s):  
Forest Soils ◽  
National Park ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Ground Vegetation ◽  
Mountain Forest ◽  
Respiration Activity ◽  
Forest Sites ◽  
Tree Layer ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
Microclimatic Conditions

This paper deals with large-scale mountain forest decline in the Šumava National Park. The changes in biotic and abiotic properties of forest sites follow the tree layer disintegration. Changed microclimatic conditions such as intensity of irradiance, moisture and temperature of the top holorganic layers together with altered development of ground vegetation could strongly affect the values of microbiological respiration activity and the rates of nitrogen mineralization and nitrification. Soil substrates, built of organic mater, located on stony locations, are endangered by introskeletal erosion. This paper compares these features in pairs of research plots, consisting of dead or cut forest and of living stand. According to the results of this study, higher rates of organic matter decomposition, transformed dynamics of nitrogen and other nutrients and possible nutrient leaching from soil solutions were demonstrated in the forest floor under declined spruce stands. The extent and seriousness of these adverse processes for forest soils are strongly site dependent.

The effects of fire and stand age on seedling establishment of Pulsatilla patens in a pine-dominated boreal forest

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (6) ◽  
pp. 688-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rein Kalamees ◽  
Kersti Püssa ◽  
Ilkka Vanha-Majamaa ◽  
Kristjan Zobel
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Light Conditions ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Forest Sites ◽  
Tree Layer ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Scots Pine Forest ◽  
Pulsatilla Patens ◽  
Successional Age

Successful management of disturbance-related endangered plant species requires thorough knowledge concerning their recruitment ecology. Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill. is found in northern European forests that in the past have been subjected to a periodic wildfire regime and, thus, is supposedly adapted to corresponding changes in forest light conditions and thickness of the moss and litter layers. We tested whether this is true in a field experiment where seeds of P. patens were sown in experimentally burned and control boreal Scots pine forest sites of different successional age (clear-cut, 30 years old, 45 years old). The germination and early establishment of P. patens was enhanced in the experimentally burned conditions and was more successful in younger successional stages. On the other hand, in sites with a tree layer, the germination of P. patens was better in relatively darker areas, suggesting that the negative effect of successional age is probably not a result of changing light conditions, but rather a result of thicker moss and litter layers in the later successional stages.Key words: boreal forest, germination, forest fire, litter layer, Pulsatilla patens, seed sowing.

Competition affects shoot morphology, growth duration, and relative growth rates of Douglas-fir saplings

1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 474-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy B. Harrington ◽  
John C. Tappeiner II
Keyword(s):  
Basal Area ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Morphological Parameters ◽  
Growth Duration ◽  
Relative Growth ◽  
Relative Growth Rates ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Forest Sites ◽  
Bud Size ◽  
Rates Of Growth

Saplings of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii) were grown with and without competition from tanoak (Lithocarpusdensiflorus (Hook. & Arn.) Rehd.) at two forest sites in southwestern Oregon. Competition reduced the following morphological parameters on Douglas-fir shoots: number and size of buds; lengths of shoots, internodes, and needles; number of internodes; and biomass of foliage and wood. Differences in the length and biomass of Douglas-fir shoots were attributed to combined reductions in internode number and internode length (distance between needles), with internode number accounting for most (72–87%) of the variation. The effects of competition from previous years on Douglas-fir growth, as manifested in 1986 bud size or stem circumference, explained 65 and 92% of the variation in 1987 growth of shoots and stem basal area, respectively. The current-year (1987) effects of competition explained an additional 6 and 3%. During the 1986 and 1987 growing seasons, competition limited both the rates and duration of growth of Douglas-fir basal area; for height, only the rates of growth were reduced.

scholarly journals How Van Panchayat Rule Systems and Resource Use Influence People’s Participation in Forest Commons in the Indian Himalayas

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Kazuyo Nagahama ◽  
Kaoru Saito ◽  
Hirokazu Yamamoto ◽  
Yasukazu Hama ◽  
Hem Gairola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
North India ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The People ◽  
Successful Case ◽  
State Forest Department ◽  
Quercus Leucotrichophora

Van Panchayats (VPs) are self-initiated forest management groups institutionalized since 1931 in the Himalayan Uttarakhand state of North India. VPs are considered to be successful case of Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) despite an observed decline in VP practice around the 1990s. This study clarifies CBFM in the context of local rules, forest resource use and people’s participation. It reveals the possible factors behind better resource management of forest commons use from four VPs in Uttarakhand. A multi-dimensional research approach was followed comprising a literature review of the state forest department data, forest inventory, interviews with village leaders as snowball samplings in several villages, and semi-structured interviews with villagers/house-holders. Results showed that local rules are different depending on the villages expect for prohibited timber logging. The most useful tree species for local people was Banji oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) and every village had an oak forest which was utilized for fuelwood and fodder for daily livelihoods. VP forest size and the basal area of trees also influenced people’s participation in forest management. Much larger size of the VP forest land is declining due to the people’s de-motivation for forest management. Furthermore, a higher education of the householder increased the level of participation. Transparency of Management Committee (MC) for the VP members is an important aspect. To summarize, availability and utilization of the valuable forest resources and its management by villagers following local rules and the VP system was considered to influence people’s participation in the forest commons.

scholarly journals Growth Versus Storage in Quercus leucotrichophora and Pinus roxburghii Seedlings in Response to Changes in Nutrient and Water Availability

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 494-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran Bargali ◽  
S. S Bargali
Keyword(s):  
Water Availability ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
Nutrient Level ◽  
Pinus Roxburghii ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Nutrient Environment ◽  
Chir Pine ◽  
Banj Oak ◽  
Quercus Leucotrichophora ◽  
And Storage

In this paper, growth and storage of carbon and nitrogen in seedlings of banj oak (Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus) and chir pine (Pinus roxburghii Sarg.) have been compared across different levels of nutrient and water availabilities. Four nutrient (144, 264, 384 and 504 mg of NPK fertilizer per kg soil) and three watering (21 days,14 days and 7 days interval) treatments were applied to seedlings. At low watering levels, seedling dry mass of both the species decreased towards higher nutrient level. However, at high watering level, dry mass increased with increasing water availability. When water availability was increased in a constant nutrient environment, dry mass of seedling increased with increase in water availability. Both the species showed a similar pattern of storing nitrogen instead of increasing biomass particularly at low watering levels. However, at each nutrient level, growth and storage increased with increasing moisture availability. As compared to Q. leucotrichophora, seedlings of P. roxburghii favoured growth over storage (according to its more competitive strategy), although this species accumulated more carbon and nitrogen towards the higher nutrient level.

scholarly journals Altitudinal variation in plant community, population structure and carbon stock of Quercus semecarpifolia Sm. forest in Kumaun Himalaya

2022 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-146
Author(s):  
A. Fartyal ◽  
◽  
K. Khatri ◽  
K. Bargali ◽  
S.S. Bargali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Forest Stand ◽  
Altitudinal Variation ◽  
Regeneration Status ◽  
Tree Layer ◽  
Quercus Semecarpifolia

Aim: To study the impact of altitudinal variation on plant community composition, structure, dispersion and regeneration status of Quercus semecarpifolia forest in Kumaun Himalaya. Methodology: Along the altitudinal gradient, the forest stands between 2400 and 2610 m asl were selected at low, mid and high altitude. The phyto-sociological analysis was carried by laying ten quadrats of 10m × 10m at each site. Soil samples were collected with the help of soil corer from two depths. Various ecological indices and population structure were investigated for each forest stand and regeneration status of forest was predicted by the population size of seedlings, saplings and trees. Tree biomass was estimated using allomatric equations and carbon stock was determined by multiplying biomass of species to factor 0.475. Results: With increasing altitude the number of tree species decreased and the shrub species richness increased, while herb species showed a unimodel pattern. Q. semecarpifolia was the dominant tree species at all the three sites with the IVI values of 220.14, 255.22 and 286.23 at LA, MA and HA, respectively. A complete absence of Q. semecarpifolia seedlings indicated no regeneration in low and high altitude stands while low proportion of seedlings in mid altitude forest stand indicated poor regeneration. Soil was acidic (pH 5.66-5.86), with higher silt content and showed decreasing pattern in physico-chemical properties with increasing altitude. The biomass of tree layer ranged from 871.49 to 1050.17 t ha-1. The tree layer carbon stock was maximum in high altitude forest (498.84 t ha-1) which was largely contributed by bole, stump roots and branches. Interpretation: Variation in species richness, distribution pattern and regeneration potential is related to site characteristics governed by altitude and require various efforts to conserve and protect these forests to check ecosystem imbalance.

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