Landscape analysis in Fambong Lho wildlife sanctuary, East district, Sikkim, India using remote sensing and GIS techniques

Sudhakar, S.; Prasad, P. Rama Chandra; Arrawatia, M. L.; Sudha, K.; Babar, Shilpa; Rao, Sankara

doi:10.1007/s12524-008-0021-3

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…At the site, the low latitudinal position (27deg-28deg) and proximity to south-west Indian monsoon favor tropical climatology with the bulk of the precipitation occurring in the late-night to early morning period, a phenomenon unique to Himalaya (Barros and Lang, 2003). The studied broad-leaved montane forests in Eastern Himalaya are the most species-rich in the world and have experienced considerable human pressures (Sudhakar et al , 2008;Kanade and John, 2018). The combination of high moisture availability, tropical climatology, and regenerating secondary forests provides unique conditions for observing plant-water relations and hydrological services, hitherto unstudied in the Himalaya.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The site showed much lower soil hydraulic conductivity than similar elevation forests in Central Himalaya, a known characteristic of secondary forests (Wright et al , 2018). The forest stand represents early successional secondary East Himalayan broad-leaved wet montane forests (Sudhakar et al , 2008;Kanade and John, 2018) and as a mid-altitude forests dominated byCastanopsis hystrix (Bhutia et al , 2019). The stand is characterized by (a) the dominance of broadleaved evergreen species and (b) sub-tropical montane climate with high precipitation and strong diurnal and seasonal temperature gradients.…”

Section: Study Site and Forest Stand Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Transpiration drives diurnal and seasonal streamflow in secondary tropical montane forests of Eastern Himalaya

Kumar

Bhutia

Joseph

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Vegetation studies establishing direct mechanistic linkages between stand transpiration and streamflow are rare from sub-tropical and tropical montane forests (TMFs) like Himalaya. We quantified the impact of diurnal and seasonal transpiration on lean season streamflow in a broad-leaved evergreen secondary TMF in Eastern Himalaya. Whole-tree and stand transpiration were measured using Granier’s thermal dissipiation sap flow probes at one of the wettest (4500 mm yr-1) and highest elevation (2100 m) sites in the world to date. The observed daily and annual transpiration rates were double of the reported values from TMFs in relatively drier Central Himalaya, but at the lower bound of TMFs globally. Solar radiation was the key driver of transpiration in energy-limited winter under hydrated conditions. Vapour pressure deficit (D) controlled transpiration in energy-abundant summer. We also found that moderate precipitation events (10-30 mm) followed by clear skies can induce significant increase (93±110 %) in stand transpiration. In turn, transpiration was the main driver of lean season streamflow in dry winter and to a lesser extent in wet summer. Thus, in winter, the transpiration-driven abstraction induced corresponding diurnal cycles in soil moisture and streamflow with an average lag of 1.3±1.8 hours and 2.9±2.5 hours, respectively, and strong negative correlations (-0.8±0.1). Thus, changes in vegetation cover and precipitation patterns are likely to impact local and regional moisture recycling by vegetation and lean season flow, thereby affecting regional water security in the Eastern Himalaya.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Site and Forest Stand Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Transpiration drives diurnal and seasonal streamflow in secondary tropical montane forests of Eastern Himalaya

Kumar

Bhutia

Joseph

et al. 2022

Preprint

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“…The forest stand used as the experimental site represents the East Himalayan broadleaved evergreen wet montane forest classification ( Sudhakar et al , 2008 ; Kanade and John, 2018 ; Bhutia et al , 2019 ). The site was 2150 m above sea level (masl) with a mean annual precipitation (MAP) of 4650 (±120) mm, making it one of the highest elevation and wettest tropical montane forest (TMF) site to date where direct sap flow-based plant water flow measurements have been carried out ( Bruijnzeel et al , 2011 ; Poyatos et al , 2021 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The composition marked the stand as an early-successional secondary forest with a short-statured canopy dominated by pioneer species such as Symplocos and Eurya species. Relatively older, taller, and larger-girthed individuals of the Fagaceae family, such as Castanopsis and Quercus species, stood out as emergent trees ( Sudhakar et al , 2008 ; Bhutia et al , 2019 ; Gurung and Chettri, 2019 ). Tree density provided a better estimate than basal area for understanding the population structure of pioneer species because of the higher number of small-sized individuals, whereas the late-successional species were larger-sized and fewer in number.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting sap flow characteristics between pioneer and late-successional tree species in secondary tropical montane forests of Eastern Himalaya, India

Kumar

Joseph

Bhutia

et al. 2023

Journal of Experimental Botany

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The interactive role of life-history traits and environmental forcing on plant-water relations is crucial for understanding species response to climate change but remains poorly understood in secondary tropical montane forests (TMFs). Comparing contrasting life-history traits (pioneer vs late-successional species) in a biodiverse Eastern Himalayan secondary TMF, we investigated sap flow responses in co-occurring pioneer species, Symplocos racemosa (n=5) and Eurya acuminata (n=5), and late-successional species, Castanopsis hystrix (n=3), using modified Granier’s Thermal Dissipation probes. The fast-growing pioneers S. racemosa and E. acuminata) had 2.1- and 1.6-times higher sap flux density than the late-successional C. hystrix, respectively, and exhibited characteristics of long-lived pioneer species. Significant radial and azimuthal variability in sap flow (V) between species was observed and attributed to life history traits and the canopy’s access to sunlight. Nocturnal V (1800-0500 hr) was 13.8 % of daily V and is attributed to stem recharge for evening V (1800-2300 hr) and to endogenous stomatal controls for pre-dawn V (0000-0500 hr). Both the shallow-rooted pioneer species exhibited midday depression in V attributed to photosensitivity and diel moisture stress response. In contrast, deep-rooted C. hystrix transpired unaffected across the dry season likely accessing groundwater. Thus, the secondary broadleaved TMFs, with the dominance of shallow-rooted pioneers, are more prone to the negative impacts of drier and warmer winters than primary forests, which are dominated by deep-rooted species. The study provides an empirical understanding of life-history traits and microclimate modulating plant-water use in widely distributed secondary TMFs in Eastern Himalaya and highlights their vulnerability against warmer winters and reduced snowfall due to climate change.

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Peopled Parks: Forest Change in India’s Protected Landscapes

Nagendra

Mondal

Adhikari

et al. 2012

Human-Environment Interactions

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Landscape analysis in Fambong Lho wildlife sanctuary, East district, Sikkim, India using remote sensing and GIS techniques

Abstract: The high biological diversity and rich

Cited by 5 publications

References 3 publications

Transpiration drives diurnal and seasonal streamflow in secondary tropical montane forests of Eastern Himalaya

Transpiration drives diurnal and seasonal streamflow in secondary tropical montane forests of Eastern Himalaya

Contrasting sap flow characteristics between pioneer and late-successional tree species in secondary tropical montane forests of Eastern Himalaya, India

Peopled Parks: Forest Change in India’s Protected Landscapes

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