Article Sidebar

Submitted
January 15, 2012
Published
June 18, 2012
Download
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 84 Download : 60

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Main Article Content

Abstract

Species diversity along altitudinal and latitudinal gradient differs in different tree layers at different scales. Thirteen community groups characterized by different dominants in the tree layer were encountered within an altitudinal range of 580 m asl to 3500 m asl and above in Sewa catchment of Bani region, district Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. The sub-tropical and temperate elements of vegetation reveal predominance of closed canopy forests, wherein the sub-tropical tree species outnumber the temperate tree flora. The pattern of plant diversity as observed by the values of species richness and diversity indices show a decreasing trend from lower to higher altitudes. The study suggests that distribution and species richness are largely regulated by physiography (altitude, latitude, slope, aspect etc.) and climatic factors.


 

Keywords

community diversity richness gradient canopy random sampling Sewa catchment physiography

Article Details

License

Copyright (c) 2012 Environment Conservation Journal

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite
Raina, A. K., & Sharma, N. (2012). Species composition and diversity of tree species along an altitudinal gradient in Sewa catchment of north-western Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Environment Conservation Journal, 13(1&2), 173–179. https://doi.org/10.36953/ECJ.2012.131233
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

  1. Adhikari, B.S., M. Joshi, H.C. Rikhari & Y.S. Rawat 1992: Cluster Analysis (Dendrogram) of high altitude (2150-2500 m) forest vegetation around Pindari glacier in Kumaun Himalaya. Journal of Environmental Biology 13: 101-105.
  2. Austin M.P., J.G. Pausas and A. O Nicholas 1996. Patterns of species richness in relation to environment in south eastern New South Wales, Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 21: 154 – 164. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.1996.tb00596.x
  3. Brown J.H and M.V, Lomolino 1998. Biogeography. 2nd ed. Sinuar Associates, Incl publishers, Sunderlands. MA.
  4. Burns, B.R 1995. Environment correlates of species richness at Waipoua Forest Sanctuary, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 19:153-162.
  5. Champion, HG and SK, Seth 1968. A revised survey of the forest types of India. Manager of publication, Govt. of India, New Delhi, India: 404.
  6. Connel, J.H and E. Oris 1964. The ecological regulation of species diversity. Am. Nat., 48:399-414. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/282335
  7. Dash, P.K, P.P Mohapatra and Y.G. Rao 2009: Diversity and distribution pattern of tree species in Niyamgiri hill Ranges Orissa, India. Ind. For. 135(7): 927-942.
  8. Dutt, H. 2005. Ecological studies and conservation of medicinal plants of Neeru watershed, J & K. Ph.D thesis submitted to University of Jammu, Jammu (J & K), India.
  9. Field, R., B.A. Cornell, H.V., Curie, D.J. Diniz-Filho, J.A.F. Guegan, J.F. Kaufiman, D.M. Kerr, J.T. Mittelbach, G.G. Oberdorff, T. O’Brien, E.M and J.R.G Turner 2009. Spatial richness gradients across scales: a meta analysis. Journal of Biogeography 36: 132-147. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2008.01963.x
  10. Fisher, A.G. 1960: Latitudinal variation in organic diversity. Evol., 14:64-81. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1558-5646.1960.tb03057.x
  11. Holland, P.G and D.G Steyn. 1975. Vegetational responses to latitudinal variations in slope angle and aspect. Journal of Biogeography 2 : 179-183. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3037989
  12. Jhangir M., 2004. Phytodiversity characterisation using remote sensing and GIS of district Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. Ph.D thesis submitted to University of Jammu (J & K), Jammu, India.
  13. Kesar, R.K. 2002. Phytosociological and community studies of Patnitop forests and their management . Ph.D Thesis submitted to University of Jammu, Jammu (J & K), India.
  14. Kharkwal G., P. Mehrotra , Y.S. Rawat and Y.P.S Pangtey 2005. Phytodiversity of growth form in relation to altitudinal gradient in the Central Himalayan (Kumaun) region of India. Current Science 89 (5) : 873-878.
  15. Knight, D.H., 1963. A distance method for constructing forest profile diagrams and obtaining structural data. Tropical Ecology 4:89-94.
  16. Kour, I., 2001. Phytodiversity and impact of tourism on the vegetation of Trikuta Hills ( J & K). Ph.D Thesis submitted to University of Jammu, Jammu (J & K), India.
  17. Kumar, A and J. Ram. 2005. Anthropogenic disturbances and plant biodiversity in forests of Uttaranchal, Central Himalayas. Biodiversity Conservation. 14:309-331. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-5047-4
  18. Kumar, V., 2007. Studies on plant diversity of spermatophytes of Parnai watershed, Poonch. Ph. D thesis submitted to University of Jammu, Jammu (J &K), India
  19. Majila, B.S and C.P. Kala. 2010. Forest Structure and Regeneration along the Altitudinal Gradient in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand Himalaya, India. Russian Journal of Ecology, 41(1): 75–83. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1067413610010157
  20. Margalef, D.R., 1968. Information theory in ecology. Genetics and systematic. 3 : 36-71
  21. Nath, T.K, M.K. Hossain., and A.K. Alam,. 2000. Assessment of tree species diversity of Sitapahar forest reserve, Chittagong hill tracts (South) forest division, Bangladesh. Ind. For., 126 (1): 16-21.
  22. Pande, P.K., J.D.S Negi and S.C Sharma. 2001. Plant species diversity and vegetation analysis in moist temperate Himalayan forest. Ind. J. For., 24(4): 456-470.
  23. Pande, P.K., J.D.S Negi and S.C Sharma. 2002. Plant species diversity, composition, gradient analysis and regeneration behavior of some tree species in a moist temperate Western Himalayan Forest ecosystem. Ind. For., 8: 869-886.
  24. Pauses, J.G and M.P, Austin. 2001. Patterns of plant species richness in relation to different environments: An appraisal. Journal of Vegetation Science. 12:153-166. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3236601
  25. Ramsay, P.M. and E.R.B Oxley 1997. The growth form composition of plant communities in the Ecuadorian Paramos. Plant Ecology 131 ; 173-192. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009796224479
  26. Rawal, R.S and YPS Pangtey 1994. High altitude forests in part of Kumaon, central Himalaya. Proceedings of Indian National Sciences Academy. 60(B):557-564.
  27. Rawat, J. and Chitralekha Pant 1999. Structure of a Chirpine community along two different aspects and altitudinal gradients. Ind. J. For. 22 (2) : 141-144.
  28. Rawat, R.S. 2001. Phytosociological studies of woody vegetation along an altitudinal gradient in montane forest of Garhwal Himalayas. Ind. J. For., 24(4):419-426.
  29. Rikhari H.C, R. Chandra and S.P Singh 1989. Pattern of species distribution and community characters along a moisture gradient within an Oak zone of Kumaon Himalayas. Proceedings of Indian National Science Academy 55 (8) : 431-438.
  30. Saxena, A.K., T. Pandey & J.S. Singh 1985: Altitudinal variation in the vegetation of Kumaon Himalayas. pp. 43-66. In: D.N. Rao, K.J. Ahmed, M. Yunus & S.N. Singh (eds.) Perspectives in Environmental Botany. Print House, Lucknow.
  31. Shameem, S. A, N. Irfana Kangroo and G. A. Bhat 2011.Comparative assessment of edaphic features and herbaceous diversity in lower Dachigam national park, Kashmir, Himalaya. Journal of Ecology and the Natural Environment 3(6); 196-204.
  32. Shanon, C.E and W. Weaver 1963. The mathematical theory of communication. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, USA.
  33. Sharma, C.M, S. Suyal, S. Gairola and S.K. Ghildiyal 2009.Species richness and diversity along an altitudinal gradient in moist temperate forest of Garhwal Himalayas. Journal of American Science 5(5); 119-128.
  34. Sharma, N 2003. Biodiversity characterization at landscape level in Jammu district of J & K (Western Himalayas) using remote sensing and GIS. Ph.D Thesis submitted to University of Jammu, (J & K), India.
  35. Simpson, E.H. 1949. Measurement of diversity. Nature 163:168 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/163168b0
  36. Singh, J 2002. Phytodiversity of Kalakote range (Rajouri, J & K) and impact of mining and nomadism on the vegetation. Ph.D thesis submitted to University of Jammu, Jammu (J&K), India.
  37. Singh, K.N and R. Kaushal 2006. Diversity and quantitative analysis of dominant tree species in district Chamba of Himachal Pradesh. Ind. J. For 29(3): 254-251. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps1000-2006-OW7I5J
  38. Singh, S.K and G.S Rawat 2000. Flora of Great Himalayan National Park. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun, 304 p.
  39. Tynsong H. and B.K. Tiwari 2011. Diversity and population characteristics of woody species in natural forests and Arecanut agroforests of south Meghalaya, Northeast India. Tropical Ecology 52(3): 243-252, 2011.
  40. Whittaker, R.H. 1977. Evolution of species diversity in land plant communities. Evolutionary biology 10 : 1-67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-6953-4_1
  41. Whittaker, R.J., K.J. Willis, and R.Field 2001. Scale and species richness: towards a general hierarchal theory of species diversity. Journal of Biogeography 28 : 453-470. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2699.2001.00563.x