Main Article Content

Abstract

Complete enumeration of floristic composition revealed the presence of 208 plant species belonging to 121 genera and 49 families which have been classified into various life forms classes after Raunkiaer (1934) to prepare a biological spectrum to represent climatic condition of the area. Hemicryptophytes (45.19%) and Therophytes (23.07%) dominated the landscape of this area followed by Chamaephyte (14.90%), Phanerophytes (8.17%) and Geophytes (8.17%). Higher percentage of Hemicryptophytes and Therophytes indicate the arid nature of the region with scanty precipitation and sparse vegetation. Compared to the normal biological spectrum of Raunkiaer, Phanerophytes showed maximum deviation (-37.83) followed by Hemicryptophytes (+19.19) and Therophyte (+10.07).

Keywords

biological spectrum Indus valley Ladakh region life forms

Article Details

How to Cite
Hamid, . A., & Raina, A. (2019). Life form and biological spectrum of Indus Valley in Lower Ladakh region, J&K. Environment Conservation Journal, 20(1&2), 57–61. https://doi.org/10.36953/ECJ.2019.1008.1210

References

  1. Bharucha, F. R. and Dave, R. N. 1944. The biological spectrum of Grassland association. Journal of University of Bombay, 13: 15–25.
  2. Danin, A. and Orshan, G. 1990. The distribution of Raunkiaer life forms in Israel in relation to the environment. Journal of Vegetation Science,1: 41–48.
  3. Dvorsky, M. Altman, J. Kopecky, M. Chlumska, Z. Rehákova, K. Janatkova, K. and All, S. 2015. Vascular plants at extreme elevations in eastern Ladakh, northwest Himalayas. Plant Ecology and Diversity, 8(4): 571-584.
  4. Dvorsky, M. Dolezal, J. de Bello, F. Klimes, J. and Klimes, L. 2011. Vegetation types of East Ladakh: species and growth form composition along main environmental gradients. Applied Vegetation Science,14: 132–147.
  5. Gaur, U. N. Raturi, G. P. and Bhatt, A. B. 2005. Current vegetation pattern along glacial landscape in central (Garhwal) Himalaya. Journal of Mountain Sciences, 2: 255-264.
  6. Khan, M. Hussain, F. and Musharaf, S. 2012. Degree of Homogeneity of Plant Life in Tehsil Takht-eNasrati, Pakistan. Global Journal of Science Frontier Research, 12(4): 65-72.
  7. Khan, M. Hussain, F. Musharaf, S. and Imdadullah. 2011. Floristic composition, life form and leaf size spectra of the coal mine area vegetation of Darra Adam Khel, Khyber Pakhtonkhwa, Pakistan. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences, 1(3): 1-6.
  8. Kharkwal, G. Mehrotra, P. Rawat, Y. S and Pangtey, Y. P. S. 2005. Phytodiversity and growth form in relation to altitudinal gradient in the Central Himalayan (Kumaun) region of India. Current Science, 89: 873–878.
  9. Klimes. L. 2003. Life-forms and colonality of vascular plants along an altitudinal gradient in E Ladakh (NW Himalayas). Basic and Applied Ecology , 4(4): 317-328.
  10. Kullman, L. 2010. Alpine flora dynamics – a critical review of responses to climate change in the Swedish Scandes since the early 1950s. Nordic Journal of Botany, 28: 398–408.
  11. Nautiyal, M. C. Nautiyal, B. P and Prakash, V. 2001. Phenology and Growth Form Distribution in an Alpine Pasture at Tungnath, Garhwal, Himalaya. Mountain Research and Development, 21(2): 168-174.
  12. Pharswan, K. Mehta, J. P and Subodh. 2010. Floristic composition and biological spectrum of vegetation in Alpine Medows of Kedavnath, Garhwal Himalaya. Nature and Science, 8(7): 109–115.
  13. Radcliffe, J. E. 1982. Effects of aspect and topographyon pasture production in hill country. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 25: 485–496.
  14. Raina, A. K and Hamid, A. 2014. Life form classification and biological spectrum of Chiktan valley, North West Himalaya. Environment Conservation Journal, 15(3): 183-187.
  15. Rana, T. S. Datt, B and Rao, R. R. 2002. Life forms and biological spectrum ofthe Flora of Tons Valley, Garhwal Himalaya (Uttaranchal), India. Taiwania 47(2): 164-169.
  16. Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant geography. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 632p.
  17. Rawat, G. S. and Adhikari, B. S. 2005. Floristics and Distribution of Plant Communities across Moisture and Topographic Gradients in TsoKar Basin, Changthang Plateau, Eastern Ladakh. Arctic Antarctic and Alpine Research, 37(4): 539-544.
  18. Sharma, M and Rajpal, K. 1991. Life-forms and biological spectrum of the flora of the Punjab state, India. Bulletin of Botanical Survey of India, 33: 276–280.
  19. Sharma, R. 2009. Environmental Impact Assesment of Chutuk Hydroelectric Project on phytodiversity. Ph.D thesis submitted to Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Jammu, Jammu.
  20. Yadav, J. S. P and Singh, J. S. 1977. Grassland Vegetation, its structure, function utilization and management. Today and Tomorrows Printers and Publishers, New Delhi, 132 p.