Present study deals with certain ecological attributes of crofton weed (Eupatorium adenophorum Spreng), an abnoxius invasive weed invading the roadside forests mixed with oaks and conifer. The average density of E. adenophorum shared 22.4-65.8% of total herb density which was almost higher in forest below the roadside. The biomass of E. adenophorum accounted for 84.0-99.8% of total herbaceous biomass in different forest sites. Study reveals the dominated impact of this species, which altered the composition, diversity and growth of herbs in forests, and also can change the habitat and disturb the ecology of native plants in the region. Therefore, needs of was felt to sustain the habitat of native species.

The study was conducted in two natural oak forest of Nainital (Uttarakhand) India, during 2012-2013 to determine the weight loss pattern in leaf litter of two Central Himalayan Oaks (i.e., Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus. and Quercus floribunda Lindl.) with the help of litter bag technique. The present study concluded that weight loss proceeded throughout the study period and relatively higher within 60 days after the placement of litter bags into the soil. Among these two species, higher weight loss observed in Q. floribunda as compared to Q. leucotrichophora across both the sites. Within 365 days, average weight loss observed about 60% in Q. leucotrichophora and 62% in Q. floribunda. Decay rate coefficient rate ranged from 0.0596- 0.0014 for Q. leucotrichophora while it varies from 0.0558 to 0.0013 for Q. floribunda. The monthly relative decomposition rate (RDR) ranged between 0.0598-0.0014 g/g/day and 0.0208-0.0050 g/g/day for Q. leucotrichophora and Q. floribunda, respectively. Climatic factors (rainfall, temperature and relative humidity) also influenced the rate of decomposition.

The present study deals with species diversity, and regeneration of Quercus floribunda Lindl forest lies in moist temperate sites in Nainital of Kumaun Himalaya. Tree, sapling and seedling density was 490-1190, 260-1280 and 100-670 ind.ha-1 , respectively. The species diversity of trees and shrubs density ranged from 0.421 to 1.177 and 310 to 1540 ind.ha-1. The regeneration of Q. floribunda was J-shaped in forest site-1 and 2 while I-shaped (no regeneration) was reported for the forest site-3. The regeneration status of species in the studied forest sites indicates the impact of disturbances caused by anthropogenic activities. Thus, the presence of either seedlings or saplings and or also occurrence of new plant species in forest site-1 and site-2 predict the possible change in forest species composition in coming years while there was a very alarming condition in forest site-3 as new recruitments of tree species is evidenced by their absence. Thus, the above findings of Q. floribunda have shown that there is an urgent need to provide judicious inputs of management and conservation for sustaining the oak species in such forest sites of the region.