Research Article | Published: 01 March 2014

Vegetation and Soil Characteristics of Plantations in a Part of Western Himalaya

Mustaqeem Ahmad, Indu  Choudhary, Vikrant  Jaryant and Sanjay Kumar Uniyal

Indian Journal of Forestry | Volume: 37 | Issue: 1 | Page No. 57-66 | 2014
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2014-0S3E31 | Cite this article

Abstract

Recognizing the role of plantations in bioresource conservation, four plantations namely Department of Non-renewable Energy Sources (DNES), Eucalyptus, Rose, and Tea were surveyed and sampled in a part of Western Himalaya. Total of 96 plant species belonging to 52 families were recorded from the plantations. Poaceae, Asteraceae and Rosaceae were the dominant families while seven species namely Bidens pilosa, Clinopodium vulgare, Erigeron annuus, Euphorbia heterophylla, Eupatorium adenophorum, Oxalis corniculata, and Pouzolzia zeylanica were common to all the plantations. Maximum tree density was recorded in DNES plantation (36.63±28.10/100m2), while maximum shrub density was in Tea plantation (20.50±2.10/25 m2). Rose plantation, on the other hand, had the highest herb density (210.83±57.30/m2). Tree (2.547) and shrub diversity (2.382) was highest in DNES, while the herb diversity was highest (2.594) in Tea plantation. The pH of the soil from these plantations 4.37 in Tea plantation to 4.77 in Rose plantation. Amongst the four plantations, maximum similarity was between DNES and Eucalyptus plantations (22%) and added together the four plantations account for 3% of the Flora of Himachal Pradesh.

Keywords

Bioresources, Conservation, Non-renewable, Energy sources, Dominant families, Tree density, Flora of Himachal Pradesh

Access Options

250/-

Buy Full Access in HTML Format

Instant access to the full article.

Get access to the full version of this article. Buy Full Access in HTML Format

References

1. Ahuja, P.S., Gulati A., Singh, R.D., Sud, R.K. and Boruah, R.C. (2013). Science of Tea Technology, Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur

Google Scholar

2. Bajrang, S., Karunakar, P.T., et al. (2011). Community Structure, Diversity, Biomass and Net Production in a Rehabilitated Subtropical Forest in North India’. Open J. of For. 1(2): 11-26.  https://doi.org/10.4236/ojf.2011.12003

Google Scholar

3. Basumatary, A. and Bordoloi, P.K. (1992). Forms of potassium in some soil of Assam in relation to the soil properties. J. Indian Soc Soil Sci. 40(3):443-253

4. Bauhus, J., Van de,r Meer P. and Kanninen, M. (2010). Ecosystem Goods and Services From Plantation Forests. Earthscan, UK.  https://doi.org/10.4324/9781849776417

Google Scholar

5. Bhandari, B.S., Mehta, J.P. and Tiwari, S.C. (1997). Structure of a Chir pine (Pinus roxburghii Sarg.) community along an altitude gradient in Garhwal Himalayas. Inter. Nat. J. Ecol. and Environ. Sci. 23:67-74

Google Scholar

6. Binkley, D. and Giardina, C. (1998). Why Do Tree Species Affect soils? The Warp and woof of tree-soil interaction. Biogeochemistry, 42(1-2):89-106.  https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005948126251

Google Scholar

7. Bouyoucos, G.J. (1962). Hydrometer method improved for making particle size analysis of soil. Agrn. J. 54: 464–465.  https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1962.00021962005400050028x

Google Scholar

8. Chowdhery, H.J. (1999). Himachal Pradesh. In Floristic Diversity and Conservation Strategies in India. Vol. II. (Eds. Mudgal V and Hajra PK). BSI Calcutta

Google Scholar

9. Dhaulakhandi, M., Rajwar, G.S. and Kumar, P. (2000). Primary productivity and system transfer functions in an alpine Grassland of western Garhwal Himalaya. Tropical Ecol. 41(1): 99-101

Google Scholar

10. Evans, J. (1986). Plantation Forestry in the Tropics – Trends and Prospects. The Inter. Tree Crops J. 4:3-15.  https://doi.org/10.1080/01435698.1987.9752805

Google Scholar

11. Hach. (1988). DR/2000 Spectrophotometer Handbook Procedure Manual. Hac Company

Google Scholar

12. Hartemink, A.E. (2003). Soil Fertility Decline in the Tropics–With Case Study on Plantations, ISRIC-CABI Publishing, Wallingford.  https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851996707.0000

Google Scholar

13. Heywood, V.H. (1989). Patterns, Extents, and mode of invasion by terrestrial plant. In: Biological Invasion: A Global Perspective. Eds. Drake, J. A., Mooney, H. A., diCastri, F., Grove, R. H., Kruger, F. J., Rejmanek, M., and Williamson, M., John Wily and Sons, New Yark

Google Scholar

14. Jamwal, P. and Uniyal, S.K. (2008). Vegetation characteristics and under canopy assemblages of subtropical chir pine forest at two sites at western Himalaya. Indian J. For. 31: 29-36

15. Karthikeyan, S. (2000). A statistical analysis of flowering plants of India. In: Flora of India Introductory Volume Part II, (Eds Singh et al.) BSI Calcutta

Google Scholar

16. Kent, M. and Coker, P. (1992). Vegetation description and Analysis. A Practical Approach. Chichester. Wilays Londan.  

17. Kharkwal, G., Mehrotra, P., Rawat Y.S. and Pangtey Y.P.S. (2004). Comparative study of herbs layer diversity in Pine forest stand at different altitude of Central Himalayas. Applied Ecol. and Environ. Res. 2(2): 15-24.  https://doi.org/10.15666/aeer/03011024

Google Scholar

18. Komar, O. (2006). Ecology and conservation of birds in coffee plantations: a critical review. Bird Conserv. International, 16:1-23.  https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270906000074

Google Scholar

19. Leskiw, L.A. (1998). Land Capability Classification of Forest Ecosystem in the Soil Stands Region. Alberia Environmental Protection, Edmonton

20. Ludwig, J.A. and Reynolds, J.F. (1988). Statistical Ecology: A Primer on Method and Computing. John Wily and Sons, New York

Google Scholar

21. Magurran, A. (1988). Ecological Diversity and Its Measurement. London. Croom Helm.  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-7358-0

Google Scholar

22. Mehlich, A. (1984). Mehlich no 3 soil test extractant: a modification of Mehlich no 2. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 15:1409–1416.  https://doi.org/10.1080/00103628409367568

Google Scholar

23. Misra, R.  (1968). Ecology Workbook. Oxford and IBH Pul. Co. New Delhi

Google Scholar

24. Pandey, H.N., Tripathi, R.S. and Shankar, U. (1993). Nutrient cycling in an excessively rainfed subtropical grassland at Cherrapunji. J. of Bioscie. 18: 395-406.  https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02702997

Google Scholar

25. Parrotta, J.A. (1992). The Role of Plantation Forest in rehabilitating degraded tropical ecosystem. Agricul., Ecosyst., Environ. 41: 115-133.  https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-8809(92)90105-K

Google Scholar

26. Rao, R.R. (1994). Biodiversity in India: Floristic Aspects, Rep. 2003. Bishan Singh Mahawar Pal singh, Dehra Dun

Google Scholar

27. Singh, J.S. and Singh, S.P. (1992). Forests of Himalaya, Gyanodaya Prakashan, Nainital

Google Scholar

28. Singh, R.D., Sinha, B.K., Sud, R.K., Tamang, M.B. and Chakrabarty, D.N. (1994). Weed Flora in Tea Plantations of Himachal Pradesh. JETB, 18(2): 399-418

Google Scholar

29. Singh, S.P., Sah, P.,  Tyagi, V. and  Jina, B.S. (2005). Species diversity contributes to productivity - Evidence from natural grassland communities of the Himalaya.  Curr. Sci. 89: 548–552

Google Scholar

30. Subbiah, B.V. and Asija, G.L. (1956) A rapid procedure for assessment of available nitrogen in soils. Curr. Sci. 25:256–259

Google Scholar

31. UN-REDD (2012). UN-REDD Programme Partner Countries. http://www.un-redd.org/

32. Uyoh, E.A., Nkang, A.E. and Eneobong, E.E. (2003). Biotechnology, genetic conservation and sustainable use of Bioresources. African J. of biotech. 2: 704-709.  https://doi.org/10.5897/AJB2003.000-1129

Google Scholar

About this article

How to cite

Ahmad, M., Choudhary, I., Jaryant, V. and Uniyal, S.K., 2014. Vegetation and Soil Characteristics of Plantations in a Part of Western Himalaya. Indian Journal of Forestry, 37(1), pp.57-66. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2014-0S3E31

Publication History

Manuscript Published on 01 March 2014

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: