Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ANAIYSIS OF VEGETATION N RANI-OAK AND CHIT' PINE FOREST IN CENTRAL HIMALAYA

Vidit Tyagi and Beena Joshi

Abstract

In Himalaya, an elevation transect includes vegetation front tropical monsoon forest to alpine meadows and scrub, constituting an unusually extensive elevational and vegetation gradient. Extensive oak and conifer forest characterize the Himalaya moist temperate forest extending from 1500-3000 iii in Western and Central Himalaya. The study site was located between 2919 and 29°24' lat. N and 7919' and 79"26' long. E. along an elevational transect of 1200-2000 m in Central Himalaya. This altitudinal range encompasses major forests of Central Himalaya. The present study was taken up to understand the floristic composition, pattern of distribution and diversity in two major forest types (Chir pine and Banj-oak) of Central Himalaya. Both tree and herb diversities were clearly lower in pine forest than Banj-oak forest. Across the forest types, the species richness and the diversity were higher at the mesic aspect than that of xeric aspect. However, even in the pine forest the mesic aspect supported a sizeable diversity. Across the location, the species richness and diversity were generally higher at the hill base followed by mid-slope and hill top. Favourable effect of moisture on species was reflected in its higher value in the mesic aspects and at the hill base. Across the forest types, the species diversity was low and comparable with temperate forests.