Research Article | Published: 01 December 2013

Plant Succession in Abandoned Limestone mines of Himachal Pradesh (India)

B. Gupta

Indian Journal of Forestry | Volume: 36 | Issue: 4 | Page No. 445-454 | 2013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2013-F52TLP | Cite this article

Abstract

Vegetation recovery in limestone abandoned mine sites of 5, 10 and 18 years age was studied and compared with vegetation in natural dry mixed deciduous forest on Western and Northern aspects in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Tree species were studied from two sample plots of 0.1ha in each site, two sub-plots of 10m2 in each sample plot were explored to study shrubs and five quadrates of 0.25m2 from each sample plot were harvested to study herbaceous growth. No tree species was observed in 5 and 10 years old abandoned mines and only two tree species invaded 18 years old abandoned mine compared to natural forests having eight tree species. Hamiltonia suaveolens was the dominant shrub and grasses outnumbered forbs in undisturbed sites. In abandoned mine sites Eupatorium odoratum was the dominant shrub and forbs outnumbered grasses. Soil bulk density, pH and E.C. showed decreasing trend while organic carbon and macro-nutrients (N, P, K) increased with the increase in the abandoned period from 5 to 18 years.

Keywords

Krol, Propagules, Limestone, Relative dominance, Phoenix acaulis, Importance value index

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How to cite

Gupta, B., 2013. Plant Succession in Abandoned Limestone mines of Himachal Pradesh (India). Indian Journal of Forestry, 36(4), pp.445-454. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2013-F52TLP

Publication History

Manuscript Published on 01 December 2013

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