Physiochemical attributes of soil under Schima-Castanopsis forest managed by the local community as Community Forest user’s group in Lesser Himalayan meta-sedimentary zone in Hemja VDC of Kaski district, western Nepal was estimated to evaluate the soil fertility status and soil quality Index. Soil organic carbon was varied from 0.62 to 3.73 per cent and soil organic matter 1.06 to 6.41 per cent in different layers in the soils at different altitudes. The mean soil pH of all soil layers was moderately acidic. The soil acidity showed decreasing trend with increasing depths. The bulk density was increases with increasing soil depths and varied from 0.78 to 1.22 g/cm³ in different soil layers. Total nitrogen varied from 0.11 percent in lowest layer (90-120 cm) to 0.40 in top layer (0-15 cm) at different elevation. The available phosphorus in different soil layers varied from 1.48 to14.90 mg kg^-1. The layer wise mean value of available phosphorus was observed maximum in lowest soil depth 90-120 cm (11.76 mg kg^-1) followed by 0-15 cm layer (10.13 mg kg^-1). Exchangeable potassium content under in all soil depths varied from 29.40 mg kg^-1 to 72.85 mg kg^-1. The layer wise exchangeable potassium content was observed maximum in 90-120 cm depth (64.17 mg kg^-1) and 60-90 cm (64.05 mg kg^-1) followed by 0-15 cm soil depth (58.23 mg kg^-1). Differences were tested through one way ANOVA of the studied soil parameters in different altitudes and observed that they were statistically significant at 0.05 level (p = <0.05). Pearson correlation analysis among the different soil parameters in TCF were showed statistically significant at the 0.01 level (2 – tailed) and 0.05 levels (2 - tailed). The Soil Quality Index of surface layer at all altitudes was higher and varied from 0.62 to 0.76 (fair to good) as compared to subsurface layer that was ranged from 0.54 to 0.56 (fair). The SQI was decreased with increasing soil depths. An average SQI in TCF was 0.60 (fair) up to 120 cm depths.

The incidence of wildlife mortalities on the road is widespread phenomenon reported numbers of countries in the world, despites this not much attention gain in our country. To address this issue, investigation on wildlife mortalities species, crushed due to heavy vehicle traffic movements were started to road passing through near Dumna Nature Reserve (DNR), Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Central India during 2011-2013. The 58 species of wild animals were recorded road kill mortality during the investigation. Among these 8 (13.79%) species of amphibians, 14 (24.13%) species of reptiles, 16 (27.58%) species of birds and 20 (34.48%) species of mammals were found dead on the road by speedy vehicle near (DNR). Several wild animals come under Wildlife Protection Act. (1972) with different scheduled and IUCN status also included. The 14 (24.13%) species LR-lc, 24 (41.37%) species LC and 18 (31.03%) species LR-nt, come under different IUCN status. It is needed to save our precious wildlife biodiversity from road kill mortality by taking all possible protection measures to heavy traffic movement.

A reliable and modified protocol based on the CTAB method was developed for DNA extraction from old needles of Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) G.Don. The presence of high concentrations of polysaccharides, polyphenols and other secondary metabolites in C. deodara needles poses problem in getting good quality DNA fit for PCR applications. used 2.5% PVP for removal of phenolics compound and apply high concentration of sodium chloride to removes polysaccharides. Oils was removed by centrifugation. The yield of extracted DNA was ranged from 35 to 130 µg/100mg fresh weight of the needles with absorbance ratio (A₂₆₀/A₂₈₀) ranged from 1.82 to 2.0. DNA extracted by modified protocol gives positive amplification with PCR using Nuclear Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers. This modified protocol can be used in genomic DNA extraction from closely related species of C. deodara.

A recent survey in the temperate forest of district Poonch has resulted in the collection of Coltricia permollis, which is a new record for India. Macro and microscopic details of the present collection are  provided.

The mining and quarrying in hill ranges of Mussoorie and Dehradun was the glaring example of deforestation and damages of forest resources at 70s and 80s. Mussoorie, the queen of hill station and Doon valley had been stripped off its green cover during this period. This reckless and unscientific exploitation of limestone deposits occurred without any thought for consequential environmental effects. The ecological restoration of these mined areas started almost more than two decades (around 80s) earlier by different agencies through applying mechanical, physical and biological measures. The microbial biomass consists mostly of bacteria and fungi which decompose plant, animal residues and soil organic matter to release carbon dioxide and plant available nutrients such as nitrogen (N), into the soil that are available for plant uptake. It is also an early indicator of changes in total Soil Organic Carbon (SOC). Unlike Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Microbial Biomass Carbon (MBC) responds quickly to soil changes. About half of the microbial biomass is located in the surface 10 cm of a soil profile. It is commonly affected by factors such as water, carbon content of soil, soil types, climate and management practices. The study was under taken to assess the role of rehabilitation/restoration of limestone mined area of Mussoorie hill on improving the health of soil using Microbial Biomass Carbon (MBC) as biological indicator. The study demonstrated the soil health status of reclaimed lime stone mine site which was dominated by Cupressus torulosa. Besides that Microbial Biomass Carbon (MBC) was also estimated under the natural forest of Quercus leucotrichophora as a control. It was estimated by Chloroform Fumigation method. It has been observed that the MBC of soil under reclaimed mined soil dominated by Cupressus torulosa ranges from 200 µg/gm to 600 µg/gm and in natural forest of Quercus leucotrichophora (Banj Oak) it ranges from 600 – 800 µg/gm which is higher than the reclaimed site. Though the MBC in reclaimed site is lower than the natural forest, however it indicating the improvement of soil quality of reclaimed mined spoil due to rehabilitation efforts carried out in these mined areas. The substratum of soil and nutrient limitation for microbial communities can affect the central role in the soil nutrient cycling which facilitate the microbial biomass. It can be concluded that reclaimed limestone mine site improving with time and it may take some more time to improve the spoil to reach the nutrient level up to natural forest.

The paper enumerates 57 species of important timber yielding plants collected from tarai region, Uttarakhand.

The confused species, Isoetes sahyadriensis Mahab., was apparently based on a mixture of two species in the area.  It is lectotypified here from the only surviving authentic material, which is an immature plant, and epitypified in the sense of the reticulate-spored small species of India with complete velum. Suggested synonymy of the four distinct species known India is given.

Three species of the genus Solenostoma Mitt., viz. Solenostoma baueri (Schiffn.) Steph. earlier known from Indonesia, S. fusiforme (Steph.) R.M.Schust. from China, Korea, Japan, Russia and North America and S. vulcanicola (Schiffn.) Va?a, Hentschel & Heinrichs from Indonesia and Japan, are described for the first time in Indian bryoflora from Sikkim in Eastern Himalaya.

In present communication the least moonwort, Botrychium simplex E. Hitchcock is reported for the first time from western Himalaya.

Lejeunea minutiloba A. Evans has been identified in Eastern Ghats region of Tamil Nadu which is a new record for South India. It was earlier reported from Brazil, Bermuda, Cuba, North America, Puerto Rico (Mona Island), ST. Thomas, West Indies and from Eastern Himalaya in India. The taxon is characterized by highly reduced obsolete lobules, small marginal cells of leaf lobe, non connate bracts and bracteole and occurrence of clavate as well as ovoid - oblong perianth exhibiting an interesting transitional morphoform with an affinity with L. cladogyna A. Evans.

The paper records the occurrence of Mycoblastus affinis (Schaer.) Schauer (Mycoblastaceae), an interesting species of microlichen from Arunachal Pradesh in Eastern Himalaya. It is a new generic and specific record for India that is described in order to facilitate its identification.

Lathraea squamaria L. is reported as new record for Kumaun Himalaya with brief description, ecology and distribution.

The present paper deals with two new records for India of the genus Opegrapha viz., O. subdimidiata from West Bengal and O. xerica from Sikkim. A detailed account and figures of the both species are provided to facilitate their identification.

Saurauia sinohirsuta J. Q. Li & Soejarto is reported as new distributional record for India from Arunachal Pradesh.

Eulophia flava (Lindl.) Hook. f. is collected from the Kumaon Himalaya after a gap of 150 years.

The present manuscript deals with 54 species of Pteridophytes (Ferns only) occurring at Nachiketa Lake and its adjoining areas. Family polypodiaceae was observed as the most dominant family with 7 species growing epiphytically in the area. Some uncommon rather rare species for the district Uttarkashi viz., Loxogramma involuta (D. Don) Presl, Gymnopteris vestita (Wall. ex Moore) Underw., Woodsia elongata Hook. were also collected from the study area. The altitudinal range of 2000-2500m is observed as the most favoured zone in terms of riches of species.

A new species, Vernonia kannikattiensis, is described and illustrated.

Mitracarpus hirtus (L.) DC. var. sessilis Dhruvan, Pandur and Mohanan (Rubiaceae), hitherto known only from Kerala is reported here for the first time from Eastern Ghats, Odisha. Detailed description, photographs and relevant notes are provided for easy identification.

Acmella uliginosa (Sw.) Cass. and Solanum viarum Dunal are recorded as additions to Madhya Pradesh flora.

Five Angiosperm species are being reported as new distributional records for Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Cyanotis and Biophytum form new generic records for the eco-region. Brief description and photographs are provided for all the species.

Pedicularis pushpangadanii T. Husain & Arti Garg and P. zeylanica Benth. subsp. anamallyensis T. Husain & Arti Garg have been critically studied along with their closely allied taxa and evaluated for their taxonomic status and circumscription. It is concluded that P. pushpangadanii is conspecific with P. rhinanthoides and P. zeylanica subsp. anamallyensis with P. zeylanica subsp. zeylanica.

Drimycarpus racemosus (Roxb.) Hook.f. a rare and poorly known species, is recollected from a view locality Paget Island other than previous collection from South Andaman.  A short description and its distribution, ecological status, plate, etc is provided here further collection and identification in field.

Eleven endemic and threatened taxa of angiosperm are reported as new records to the state of Karnataka from Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Udupi district.

Pteris tripartita Sw. is reported for the first time to the fern flora of Maharashtra.