Srivastava, R.K.Rabha, Amit Kumar2019-09-052019-09-052019-02http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810126583The present studywas conducted in four districts of Kumaon region namely Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital, Almora and Bageshwar districts, Uttarakhand considering different altitudinal gradient. The study area is good representation of increasing altitudinal gradient from Udham Singh Nagar (148 m MSL) to Bageshwar district (>4000 m MSL). The study area is classified into five major forest classes along altitudinal gradient based on composition of dominant tree species. The major classified forest classes are mixed deciduous forest, mixed pine forest, pine forest, mixed oak forest, high altitude mixed forest and occupied about 54%, 19%, 17%,4% and 6% of studied total forest area respectively. The distribution of major forest classes also analysed along increasing elevation. In the current study, the estimation of Above Ground Biomass(AGB) of major forest classes was calculated by allometric and remote sensing (RS) based method and developed a multi parameter AGB prediction model using Artificial Neural Network Backpropagation algorithm and the Net Primary Productivity (NPP) was calculated using a modified remote sensing micrometeorological model refers to as MODNPP for monthly, seasonaland annual basis. For seasonal NPP study, include four season namely winter, summer, monsoon and autumn season.The remote sensing based estimated biomass of mixed deciduous forest, mixed pine forest, pine forest, mixed oak forest and high altitude mixed forest was measured within ranges from 184 Mg ha-1 to 436 Mg ha-1, 62 Mg ha-1 to 252 Mg ha-1, 80 Mg ha-1 to 302 Mg ha-1, 71 Mg ha-1 to 265 Mg ha-1, and 43 Mg ha-1 to 195 Mg ha- 1 respectively. The monthly NPP was measured in the ranges from 0.2 to 2.80 ton ha-1month-1. The seasonal NPP was measured for different season between 0.12 to 2.36 ton ha-1season-1(winter), 0.98 to 5.33 ton ha-1season-1 (summer), 1.78 to 8.12 ton ha-1season-1 (monsoon) and 0.26 to 2.47 ton ha-1 season-1 (autumn). However, the annual NPP was recorded between 1.5 to 16.5 ton ha-1year-1 for different location. The calculated annual NPP for different major forest types namely mixed deciduous forest, mixed pine forest, pine forest, mixed oak forest and high altitude mixed forest ranges from 7 to 13.93 ton ha-1year-1, 3 to 14 ton ha-1year-1, 3 to 15. ton ha-1year-1, 4 to 15.48 ton ha-1 year-1 and 5 to 15.17 ton ha-1year-1 respectively. Therefore, this study envisaged that models used for calculation of AGB and NPP are best suited for its calculation and cost effective.ennullThesis