ALONG ELEVATION PHYTOSOCIOLOGY OF GROUND VEGETATION IN NATURAL LAND USE SYSTEMS OF CENTRAL HIMALAYAS

R.P. YADAV¹*, B. GUPTA², P.L. BHUTIA³, J.K. BISHT⁴, V.S. MEENA⁵, M. CHOUDHARY^6
1Scientist, Crop Production Division, ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, 263601, India
²Professor and Head, Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Forestry, Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173230, India
³Scientist ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad, 500030, India
⁴Principal Scientist and Head, Crop Production Division, ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, 263601, India
⁵Scientist, Crop Production Division, ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, 263601, India
⁶Scientist, Crop Production Division, ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, 263601, India
* Corresponding Author : rams34052@gmail.com

Received : 08-08-2018     Accepted : 26-08-2018     Published : 30-08-2018
Volume : 10     Issue : 16       Pages : 6930 - 6937
Int J Agr Sci 10.16 (2018):6930-6937

Keywords : Elevation, Grasslands, Himalayas, Land use systems, Silvipasture
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Author thankful to Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173230, Himachal Pradesh and Director, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora, 263601, Uttarakhand for providing necessary support
Author Contribution : All author equally contributed

In Himalayas people’s livelihood and economy are highly depended on natural land uses such as silvipastures and grasslands. In this study silvipastures viz., chir pine silvipasture (SPCP), mixed-forest silvipasture (SPM) and banjoak silvipasture (SPBO) and grasslands (Gr) in the 2B4D6-watershed of central Himalayas were investigated for phytosociology of ground vegetation i.e. herbage and shrubs along the elevation gradient. The whole 2B4D6-watershed was delineated into five elevations i.e., <1100 m, 1101-1400 m, 1401-1700 m, 1701-2000 m and >2000 m and six sites were selected at each elevation making a total of 30 sites. In the watershed six parcels of size 10 m x 10 m and six quadrats of size 50 × 50 cm were randomly laid out at each site to study shrubs and herbage vegetation in silvipastures and grasslands. Mean density and basal area of herbage was significantly higher in grasslands (989.6 tillers/m2 and 57.1 cm2/m2) as compared to silvipasture systems (889.3 tillers/m2 and 48.2 cm2/m2). Likewise, mean density and basal area of shrubs was significantly higher in grasslands (2452.2 plants/ha and 0.52 m2/ha) as compared to silvipasture systems (1646.5 plants/ha and 0.38 m2/ha). These parameters of ground vegetation decreased in both grasslands and silvipasture systems along the elevation. In silvipasture systems and grasslands the dominance of herbage species changed with elevation. This decreased density and basal area of ground vegetation in silvipastures as compared to grasslands and along elevation gradient can be related to altered climatic parameters. The present study could be useful for understanding the changes in the phytosociology of ground vegetation in different natural land use systems and along elevation dominated by chir pine, banjoak, mixed forest and grasses.

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