Aim of the study: The aim of the present study was to understatnd the forest composition, structure, diversity and regeneration potential along altitudinal gradient.Area of study: The study was carried out in Dhanaulti forest which falls under temperate region of Garhwal Himalaya in Uttarakhand state, India.Material and methods: Vegetation analysis was carried out using 10 quadrats at each altitude using a quadrat size of 10×10 m 2 . In each quadrat, categories of trees >30 cm cbh were considered as trees, 10-30 cm cbh as saplings and <10 cm cbh as seedlings. The data were quantitatively analyzed.Main results: In upper and middle altitudes, Cedrus deodara was reported dominant tree whereas, in lower altitude Quercus leucotrichophora was reported dominant. Tree density was highest in lower altitude which reduced middle and upper altitudes whereas, total basal cover increased with increasing altitude. The increasing total basal cover with altitude could be because of the presence of Cedrus deodara trees having higher girth classes. In tree, sapling and seedling layers, diversity (H) and equitabiltiy (EC) decreased with increasing altitude. However, concentrations of dominace (CD) and beta diversity (BD have shown reverse trend with H and EC which increased with increasing altitudes, in each layer of tree, sapling and seedling.The distribution pattern of most species in all layers of trees, saplings and seedlings was contagious. The regeneration potential of the species has shown that some of the species in the absence of tree layer are still regenerating particularly, Rhododendron arboreum, Benthamidia capitata, Neolitsea pallens etc. It indicates that most of the species are shifting upward as they are getting suitable conditions.Research highlights: Altitude influences species composition, diversity and regeneration potential of species.
The study has been carried out in Dhanaulity region of temperate forest of Garhwal Himalaya to understand litter production, their decomposition and concentration of nutrients release by leaf litter at different altitudes. The results indicate that the litter production with altitude in each season reduced in order of Lower>middle>upper altitudes, while in each altitudes the seasonal litter production reduced in order of summer>rainy>winter. The value of decomposition constant (k) was reduced as 0.511, 0.438 and 0.256 at lower, upper, middle altitude respectively. The concentration of nutrients seasonally (irrespective altitude), potassium reduced from summer (0.92%), rainy (0.90%) and winter (0.84%) however, phosphorus shown reverse trend with potassium as summer (0.104%), rainy (0.108%) and winter (0.203%) whereas nitrogen was highest in rainy (1.13%) followed by winter (1.11%) and summer (1.01%). The nutrient concentration with altitude (irrespective season), potassium increased with increasing altitudes, whereas, phosphorus and nitrogen have not shown any trend with altitude. ÖzetBu çalışma Garhwal Himalaya'nın Dhanaulity bölgesindeki ılıman kuşak ormanlarındaki ölü örtü birikimi, ölü örtü ayrışması ve böylece ölü örtüden besin maddelerinin salımı miktarlarını belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştrıma sonuçları, ölü örtü miktarları en yüksekten en düşüğe doğru alt>orta>üst yükseltilerde olduğu ve herbir yükselti basamağında yaz>yağmurlu mevsim>kış sıralamasına göre oluştuğu tespit edilmiştir. Ayrışma sabiti (k) alt, üst ve orta yükseltilerde sırasıyla 0.511, 0.438 ve 0.256 şeklinde değişmiştir. Yükseltiye bağlı olmaksızın potasyum yaz>yağmurlu mevsim>kış (sırasıyla %0.92, 0.90 ve 0.84), fosfor potasyumun tersine kış>yağmurlu mevsim>yaz (%0.203, 0.108, 0.104) şeklinde bir değişim göstermiş, azot ise mevsimlere göre yağmurlu mevsim>kış>yaz (%1.13, 1.11 ve 1.01) bir seyir izlemiştir. Mevsimlere bağlı kalmaksızın bakıldığında ise potasyum yükselti arttıkça artış göstermiş, fosfor ve azot ise yükseltiye bağlı belirgin bir değişim göstermemiştir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Himalay, Ölü örtü, Besin elementleri, NPK.
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