Floristic composition of an alpine grassland in Bandipora, Kashmir

Abstract

Floristic composition of a high‐altitude alpine grassland, located in Bandipora district of Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir, was investigated. The grassland comprises three broad zones (a) flat valley with only few habitat types, (b) lower slope, and (c) upper slope with diverse habitat types (numerous rock boulders, rock crevices and high passes). Two study sites per zone (2 ha each) were established for vegetation survey. The degree of disturbance is most severe on the flat valley, while the upper slope experiences a light to moderate grazing due to steep slopes and high elevations. A total of 88 plant species belonging to 35 families and 70 genera were recorded in the grassland. Five dominant families are Asteraceae (15 spp.), Lamiaceae (8 spp.), Polygonaceae (5 spp.), Boraginaceae (4 spp.) and Rosaceae (3 spp.). The number of species is highest (40) in a site protected by nomads in the upper slope, while it is lowest (18) in an abandoned site in the flat valley. In terms of life form spectrum, the vegetation is characterized by a high proportion of hemicryptophytes followed by therophytes, indicating a heavy biotic interference in the form of overgrazing. Although the species richness is highest in the upper slope, the low occurrence of some rare and useful species in this zone demands a long term conservation plan, if their survival is to be continued in this grassland.

Reconsidering Archaeological and Environmental Proxies for Long Term Human-Environment Interactions in the Valley of Kashmir

“…Substantial to total declines in IVI of Rumex nepalensis and Rumex dentata after grazing at two of the sites may indicate the palatability of these taxa as forage plants. Similar taxa were associated with grazing at several high altitude sites studied by Dad and Khan (2010). Dad and Khan also note the colonisation of abandoned grazing campsites by nitrophilious Rumex nepalensis.…”

“…Though there has been no major research into past pastoral environmental impacts in Kashmir, modern ethnographic (Casimir and Rao 1985) and ecological (Mir et al 2015;Ahmad et al 2013;Dad and Khan 2010) studies have documented the impact of grazing of various intensities on vegetation communities distributed spatially and altitudinally across Kashmir. Through participant observation of seasonally migrating Bakharwal nomads, Casimir and Rao (1985) observe the cutting of corridors through mature Pinus forests on the northern slopes on the Pir Panjal at the southern pass into Kashmir (2500 m ASL) and exploitation of Poa and Chrysopogon grasses, as well as of white clover (Trifolium repens) and intensive gathering of various Poly-gonum, Chenopodium and Cerastium for both human and animal consumption.…”

Life-form composition of alpine plant communities at the Eastern Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

“…In alpine communities of Teberda Reserve in the northwestern Caucasus, hemicryptophytes reach 72 -80% of the total species composition (Pokarzhevskaya 1995). However, in an alpine grassland of Jammu and Kashmir (India), the proportion of hemicryptophytes was estimated as 48.9% due to a larger number of therophytes and chamaephytes present there (Dad & Khan 2010).…”

High Altitude Pasturelands of Kashmir Himalaya: Current Status, Issues and Future Strategies in a Changing Climatic Scenario

“…The total fodder production of Jammu and Kashmir is 86. 5 hay meets the bulk fodder requirements for stall-feeding. This is often supplemented with tree leaves.…”

“…Besides being essential and integral to the animal husbandry sector of the state, the grasslands play a vital role as a storehouse of various important medicinal plants. The use of the Himalayan grasslands for summer grazing by migratory and local herders and the role of pastoralism have been discussed and argued previously [4,5,6,7].…”