Anthropogenic disturbances and regeneration status of Pinus roxburghii Sarg. in Ponda Watershed, Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir

Land-use history interacts with natural forces to influence the severity of disturbance events and the rate and nature of recovery processes in tropical forests. Although we are far from an integrated view of forest recovery processes, some generalizations can be made. Recovery of forest structure and composition is relatively rapid following disturbances that primarily impact forest canopies, such as hurricanes. Recovery is considerably slower following disturbances that heavily impact soils as...

Impact of human action is being felt in all ecosystems. Traditionally, urban landscapes and agricultural fields have been considered to be dominated by humans, but human alteration has also been substantial in tropical forests. The common forms of acute forest disturbance are ones that involve logging selectively or clear-cutting, allowing forest to regenerate by natural means. In contrast to the acute forms of disturbance, the chronic form of disturbance, which is subtle and slowly creeping, bu...

Eight forest types varying in disturbance frequencies were identified along an elevational gradient in Uttaranchal, central Himalaya. Low elevation forests were close to human habitation and had high disturbance frequency, while high elevation forests were situated far from the human habitation and had low disturbance. The dominant tree species at low elevation were Pinus roxburghii and Quercus leucotrichophora, while Q. floribunda and Q. semecarpifolia dominated the high elevation forests. Pyra...

We analysed phytosociological characteristics and diversity patterns of tropical forest tree species in Garo Hills, western Meghalaya, Northeast India. The main vegetation of the region included primary forests (PFs), secondary forests (SFs), and sal (Shorea robusta) plantations, with 162, 132, and 87 tree species respectively. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index of trees in PF was 4.27 (n=21 one-ha belt-transects), which is comparable to the world's richest tropical forests. Statistical results ...

Population structure based on diameter measurements of individuals of five common and economically important tree species, Manglietia insignis (Wall.) Bl., Myrica esculenta Buch. Ham., Quercus dealbata L., Q. griffithii Hk. and Schima khasiana Dyer., was studied in the disturbed and protected (undisturbed sacred grove) stands of the subtropical wet-hill forests of Meghalaya, north-east India. The diameter structure of the populations putting small diameter individuals at the base of the diameter...

Understanding the problems of grazing land in vertisol areas and seeking long-lasting solutions is the central point where mixed crop livestock is the second stay for the majority of the population. In order to understand this, the current study was conducted at two sites, one with 0-4% slope and the other with 4--8% slope at Ginchi watershed, 80 km west of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The specific objectives of the study were to quantify changes in plant species richness, biomass, plant cover, and so...

Eighteen forest stands dominated by oak (Quercus) species at elevations from 1,200 to 2,400 m in the Kumaun Himalaya were analysed for community organization, size class distribution, and regeneration status. The total basal area of trees in some of the forests was comparable with the highest values recorded from elsewhere in the temperate zone. Quercusfloribunda showed preference for more mesic aspects than Q. leucotrichophora. Of the two high-altitude oak species, Q. semecarpifolia preferred t...

Recognising the ecological importance of Himalayan forests in terms of their intrinsic values as life support system for the local people and as repository of regional biodiversity, the present study was conducted. It aimed at assessing the status of available forest resources, current levels of pressure on them and sustainability of current land use practices in a part of district Uttarkashi in Garhwal Himalaya. We quantified available standing biomass, regeneration and population of highly pre...