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Vegetational diversity
along an altitudinal range in Garhwal Himalaya
Jagdish Chandra1, Vardan Singh Rawat1*,
Y. S. Rawat1 and Jeet Ram2
1Department
of Botany D.S.B. Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital,
Uttarakhand, India.
2Department
of Forestry D.S.B. Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital,
Uttarakhand, India.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
singhvardan@rediffmail.com.
Accepted 22 September, 2009 |
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Four
forest habitats varying in different vegetation were studied
along an altitudinal range of 1900-2200 m called low
elevation forests. These forests were close to human
habitation with high disturbance. A total of 209 plant
species were recorded out of which 29 were trees, 50 shrubs,
102 herbs, 11 climbers, 7 epiphytes, 4 pteridophytes, 3
bryophytes and 3 parasites. Maximum tree species were
recorded on moist site (22) and minimum on ridge site (12).
Maximum shrub species were present both on stream bank and
dry site (31 at each site). Maximum herb and climber species
were present on dry and moist site (62 and 8) respectively.
Species relationship between the sites indicates that 11
trees, 20 shrubs, 41 herbs, 4 climbers, 2 pteridophytes, 1
bryophyte and 2 parasites were common in stream bank and dry
site.
The mean tree, shrub and herb species richness was maximum
on stream bank (6.3 ± 0.2), moist (6.1 ± 0.3) and dry (10.3
± 0.4) and minimum on ridge site (4.6 ± 0.3), (5.5 ± 0.4),
(7.6 ± 0.5) respectively. Comparison similarity between the
sites revealed maximum similarity among stream bank and
moist sites (70%) for trees and minimum between ridge and
moist site (32.43%) for herbs. The high similarity index
between moist and stream bank site may be due to similar
environmental conditions on both the sites.
Key
words: Species richness, study sites, vegetation, Garhwal Himalaya. |
