Community composition, Regeneration status and Utilization pattern of Woody species in Dandachali forest of Tehri Forest Division, North-West Himalaya
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Date
2015-07
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College of Forestry, Ranichauri, V.C.S.G. Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry
Abstract
Studies on forest vegetation pertaining to diversity, composition, structural pattern, natural regeneration status and economic importance of plant communities are prerequisite in view of conservation and sustainable utilization of bio-resources. The present investigation was conducted in Dandachali forest of Tehri Forest Division, North-Western part of Himalaya. Surveys and sampling of the vegetation were done using standard ecological assessment methods with an aim to study plant species composition and natural regeneration status at community level. Besides, utilization pattern of the species was assessed through interviews and interactions with local people of nearby villages.
Forty seven woody species (26 trees; 21 shrubs) belonging to 25 families and 33 genera, and 6 forest communities viz., Pinus roxburghii- Quercus leucotrichophora mixed, Pinus roxburghii, Pinus roxburghii- Rhododendron arboreum mixed, Cedrus deodara- Pinus wallichiana mixed, Cedrus deodara- Rhododendron arboreum mixed and Rhododendron arboreum- Quercus leucotrichophora mixed, have been recorded in 16 sites between 1482- 2200 m asl. Among the communities, total tree density ranged from 263.34-1493.33 Ind ha-1, TBA 260.2- 310.7 m2 ha-1 and total shrub density 488.3- 4250 Ind ha-1. All the communities showed optimum regeneration of dominant species. Total seedlings density ranged from 280-2470.0 Ind ha-1 and saplings density 140-446.7 Ind ha-1. R. arboreum – C. deodara showed maximum regeneration in terms of higher seedling and sapling density in this community. Species diversity (H’) for trees ranged from 0.58-1.89, saplings 0.65-2.10, seedlings 0.15-2.24 and shrubs 1.09-2.10. Concentration of dominance (cd) of trees ranged from 0.20-0.76, saplings 0.14-0.54, seedlings 0.13-0.93 and shrubs 0.15-0.43. Soil moisture per cent ranged from 15.14-27.44%, pH 6.3- 6.6, organic carbon from 1.09- 1.39%, nitrogen from 937.43 -1202.49 kg/ha, phosphorus from 16.43- 31.36 kg/ha and potassium from 238.5- 351.00 kg/ha.
Utilization pattern showed that all the recorded species have high economic importance for the local inhabitants. 23 species were used commonly for medicine, 22 as wild edible, 17 for fuel, 23 for fodder etc. Among all the species, leaves (33 spp.) were most usable parts of the species. Maximum medicinal plant and fodder species were found in C. deodara- Rhododendron arboreum mixed and edible species in Pinus roxburghii community. Considerable number (32 species) of Himalayan native and endemic (endemic: 01 & near endemic: 09) species were recorded from the area showing its conservation value. Maximum native (n=23) and near endemic species (n=7) were found in C. deodara- R. arboreum mixed community.
In a nutshell, the study provides information on floristic inventory, compositional and structural diversity at community level, regeneration status, indigenous uses and diversity of native and endemic species for the very first time in the selected area. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the area has high potential in terms of high number of native, endemic and economically important species. Results of the present study can be used for development of conservation management and micro planning of this areas and thus, socio-economic development of the inhabitants in particular and biodiversity of the Himalaya, in general.
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