ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL REGENERATION DIVERSITY OF MAJOR FOREST COMMUNITIES OF TEMPERATE FORESTS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
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Date
2019-02
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UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present investigation entitled “Assessment of natural regeneration diversity of major forest communities of temperate
forest in Himachal Pradesh” was carried out in Kullu and Kinnaur districts of Himachal Pradesh during the year 2015-17 with the
aim to assess floristic diversity, regeneration status, carbon stock and soil physico-chemical properties. In the present study various
forest types that profusely existed in temperate region of Kullu and Kinnaur district were classified into different forest communities
type viz., C1- Chir Pine forest community [9/C1b-Upper Himalayan Chir Pine forest], C2- Ban Oak forest community [12/C1a-Ban
Oak forest], C3- Deodar forest community [12/C1c-Moist Deodar forest], C4- Blue Pine forest community [12/C1f-Low level Blue
Pine forest], C5- Fir / Spruce forest community [12/C1d-Western Mixed Coniferous forest] and C6- Chilgoza Pine forest community
[13/C2a-Neoza Pine forest]. In each forest, 9 quadrates of size 31.62 m × 31.62 m for trees, with in it three sub-quadrates of size of 5
× 5 m for shrubs and 1 × 1 m for herbs were laid out. To study the regeneration status, 9 sub-quadrates of 2 m × 2 m within each
quadrat of size 31.62 m × 31.62 m were laid out. To estimate the biomass, quadrat size was same as floristic diversity studied. To
convert biomass into carbon it was multiplied with a factor of 0.5 (IPCC default value). Surface litter was collected in nine
quadrates of 1 m × 1 m. Samples were weighed, sub-sampled and oven dried at 65 + 5 oC to a constant weight, grounded and ashes.
Corrected dry ash was assumed to contain 50 per cent of carbon. In all, the plant vegetation found under different forest
communities comprised of 165 plant species which includes 21 trees, 44 shrubs and 100 herbs belonging to131 genera and 64
families. Maximum floristic diversity (Trees + shrubs + herbs) was found under Fir/Spruce forest (60) and Deodar forest (60)
followed by Blue Pine forest (54), Chir Pine forest (50), Ban Oak forest (45) and Chilgoza Pine forest 32) in descending order. The
tree density varied from 191.11 N ha-1 (C6) to 441.11 N ha-1 (C2) whereas tree basal area varied from 20.01 m2 ha-1 (C6) to 47.59 m2
ha-1 (C5). Shrub and herb density varied from 506.37 N ha-1 (C6) to 4431.26 N ha-1 (C5) and 153365.56 N ha-1 (C6) to 302568.42 N
ha-1 (C5), whereas their basal area varied from 0.78 m2 ha-1 (C6) to 7.06 m2 ha-1 (C5) and 1.88 m2 ha-1 (C2) to 4.49 m2 ha-1 (C5),
respectively. Among different forest communities, Deodar forest observed maximum established stocking per cent (58.94 %) and
regeneration per cent (73.15 %) whereas the lowest established stocking per cent and (24.49 %) regeneration per cent (29.63 %) was
noted in Chilgoza Pine forest. Maximum growing stock (543.55 m3 ha-1) was observed in C5 and lowest (103.14 m3 ha-1) was in C6.
Maximum total vegetation biomass 492.21 t ha-1 was observed in C2 and least 107.29 t ha-1 was observed in C6. Maximum value
246.10 t C ha-1 of total vegetation carbon density was reported in C2 and least 53.65 t C ha-1 total vegetation carbon density was
observed in C6, than other forests. Ban Oak forest showed maximum (133.12 t C ha-1) total soil carbon density whereas Chilgoza
Pine forest reported least (46.26 t C ha-1). Fir/Spruce forest noted maximum total detritus biomass (2.30 t ha-1) and least was
observed in Chilgoza Pine forest (0.90 t ha-1). Highest ecosystem carbon density (vegetation + soil + detritus) was displayed for Ban
Oak forest (381.04 t C ha-1) followed by Fir/Spruce forest (324.25 t C ha-1 ), Blue Pine forest (278.87 t C ha-1), Deodar forest
(260.25 t C ha-1), Chir Pine forest (175.97 t C ha-1) and least total ecosystem carbon density was observed in Chilgoza Pine forest
(100.81 t C ha-1), in descending order, respectively. Soil pH under different forest types followed the trend Fir/Spruce forest >
Deodar forest > Blue Pine forest > Chir Pine forest > Chilgoza Pine forest > Ban Oak forest. Ban Oak forest and Fir/Spruce forest
soils had maximum concentration of soil nutrients (N, P, K, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) whereas, Chilgoza Pine forest soil were poor in
nutrients availability than other forests soil. Our present study provides relevant information on flora, regeneration, live tree
biomass, live tree C stocks and total ecosystem carbon density stocks of a representative temperate forest and this type of ecological
knowledge is fundamental for conservation, sustainable utilization, which also may provide important information to the policy
makers at both national and international level and also to find effective solutions to problems that are threatening the similar
ecologically fragile regions.
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