CONSEQUENCES OF DISTURBANCE IN BANJ OAK (QUERCUS LEUCOTRICHOPHORA A. CAMUS) FORESTS OF GARHWAL HIMALAYA

S. PRASAD¹*, V. SINGH², D.S. CHAUHAN^3
1Ecology and Biodiversity Services (EBS), Ring Road Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
²Department of Forestry and Natural resources, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal, 246174, Uttarakhand, India
³Department of Forestry and Natural resources, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal, 246174, Uttarakhand, India
* Corresponding Author : sunbhatt12@gmail.com

Received : 22-08-2019     Accepted : 13-09-2019     Published : 15-09-2019
Volume : 11     Issue : 17       Pages : 9017 - 9021
Int J Agr Sci 11.17 (2019):9017-9021

Keywords : Disturbance, Banj-oak, Diversity, Altitude range, Garhwal Himalaya
Academic Editor : Dr JMS Tomar
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi, Delhi, 110003, India.
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

Present study measures the impact of forest disturbance on banj-oak (Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus) forests of Garhwal Himalaya. The study was carried out by placing 1250 sample plots in 125 altitude ranges of banj-oak forests between 1500 and 2500m masl. The study revealed that out of 125 altitude ranges, 70 were present under moderately disturbed category, 30 were under highly disturbed and 25 were under undisturbed categories. It was also evident that tree species diversity and species richness were recorded highest in moderately disturbed category but a continuous downfall was recorded in tree basal area from undisturbed to highly disturbed category. Disturbance was found most sensitive to herb species in terms of diversity and species richness as both diversity and richness were decreasing with increasing disturbance. Shrub species richness was found highest in highly disturbed category and lowest in undisturbed category that indicates shrub species colonize well under disturbance regime. The study advocates a minimum canopy opening for improving species richness in banj-oak forests.

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