KASHYAP, S.D.NAGAR, DURGESH KUMAR2016-12-282016-12-28201247707http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/93444ABSTRACT The present investigations entitled “Biomass and carbon density in relation to altitude and aspect in moist temperate western Himalayan ecosystem” were carried out through experiments at different aspect and altitudinal range in Churdhar area of Sirmour district (30050’526” to 30050’208” N latitude and 30051’529” to 30050’903” E longitude) of Himachal Pradesh during 2010-2011. The area falls under Champion and Seth’s forest type Group 9: Subtropical Forests (C1b:Chir pine forest (Pinus roxburghii), Group 12: Himalayan Moist Temperate Forests (C1a:Ban oak forest, C1b:Mohru Oak forest, C1c:Moist Deodar forest, C1d:Western mix conifer forest, C2a:Kharsu oak forest, C2b:West Himalaya upper oak/fir forest, DS3:Himalayan Temperate pastures), Group 14: Sub-alpine forests (C1a:Mixed forest of fir and birch) and Group 15: Moist alpine (C1, C2 and C2/E3:Moist alpine scrub). The present investigations were conducted to assess the biological yield and carbon density under moist temperate western Himalayan ecosystem. For conducting the experiment under moist temperate western Himalayan ecosystem different aspect:- northern, western, eastern and southern and altitudinal ranges:-1500-1800,1800-2100,2100-2400,2400-2700 and above 2700 m a.s.l. were considered as treatment. The results of the experiment in moist-temperate western Himalayan ecosystem have revealed that maximum biomass (1025.58 t ha-1) was accumulated in the northern aspect, whereas, the maximum biomass in altitudinal range (946.35 t ha-1) was recorded in 2400-2700 m a.s.l. Vegetation carbon density of moist-temperate western Himalayan ecosystem followed the order; northern > western > eastern > southern aspect, whereas, in altitudinal ranges the trend was:- 2400-2700 m > 1500-1800 m > 2100-2400 m > 1800-2100 m > above 2700 m. Similar trends were also seen in respect of biomass carbon stock at different aspect and altitudinal range. Maximum soil carbon (humus + soil 0-100 cm layer) density under moist-temperate western Himalayan ecosystem was accumulated in northern aspect (182.84 t ha-1), whereas in altitudinal range maximum (192.1 t ha-1) was at A1 1500-1800 m a.s.l. Total soil carbon density under different aspect followed the trend:- northern > western > eastern > southern aspect, respectively in the descending order. In altitudinal range the trend was:- 1500-1800 m > 1800-2100 m > 2100-2400 m > 2400-2700 m > above 2700 m, respectively in the descending order. In moisttemperate western Himalayan ecosystem maximum quantity (4.30 t ha-1) of total detritus carbon density was recorded in northern aspect, whereas in altitudinal range maximum total detritus carbon density was recorded (4.08 t ha-1) at 2100-2400 m a.s.l. Maximum carbon storage in moist-temperate Himalayan ecosystem (699.98 t ha-1), which is sum of vegetation + soil + detritus carbon pool was recorded in northern aspect, which was followed by western, eastern and southern aspect, respectively. In case of altitudinal range maximum carbon storage (643.0 t ha-1) was recorded at A1 (1500-1800 m), which followed the trends:- 1500-1800 m > 2400-2700 m > 2100-2400 m > 1800-2100 m > above 2700 m, respectively in the descending order. Soil physico-chemical analysis revealed that there is significant variation due to species for bulk density, organic carbon, available nitrogen and pH in different soil and humus layer. In humus and soil layers (0-20, 20-40, 40-100 cm) under moist-temperate western Himalayan ecosystem, higher value of organic carbon and available nitrogen was recorded in northern and western aspect. Whereas, higher value of bulk density and pH was observed under southern aspect, more or less similar trend was followed at 20-40 cm and 40-100 cm depths. Bulk density and pH increases with depth, whereas, organic carbon and available nitrogen decrease with depth in various aspect and altitudinal range.enThesis