Composition, structure and diversity of tree species along an elevational gradient in Dudu forest range, Jammu and Kashmir, India
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Abstract
The present study has been undertaken along an altitudinal gradient (950-3500m a.s.l.) in Dudu Forest Range of Udhampur Forest Division, Jammu & Kashmir, India to understand the composition, structure and diversity of tree species along an elevation gradient in the area. Ten forest types characterised by different dominant tree species with subtropical and temperate elements of vegetation have been recognised in the area.Overall average values of diversity indices such as Margalef’s Index (MI); Menhinik Index (MeI); Shannon-Weiner Index (H’) and Simpson Index (D) have been observed to be 1.70, 0.85, 1.66 and 0.61, respectively. The study suggested that distribution and species richness are largely regulated by physiographic and climatic factors along the gradient.
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Keywords
Altitudinal gradient, Community structure, Diversity indices, Dudu forest range, Tree species
References
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Austin, M.P., Pausas, J.G. and Nicholas, A.O. (1996). Patterns of species richness in relation to environment in south eastern New South Wales, Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology, 21:154–164
Brocque, A.F. and Buckney, R.T. (2003). Species richness–environment relationships within Coastal sclerophyll and mesophyll vegetation in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, New South Wales, Australia. Austral Ecol. 28:404–412.
Brun, M.A., H.H., Moen, J., Virtanen, R., Grytnes, J.A., Oksanen, L. and Angerbjorn, A. (2006).Effects of altitude and topography on species richness of vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens in alpine communities. Journal of Vegetation Science ,17:37- 46.
Chaudhary, R.P.(1999). Vegetation Pattern. In:T. C. Majpuria (ed). Nepalnature’sparadise,105- 111.
Chawla, A. Rajkumar, S., Singh, K.N., Lal, B. and Singh, R.D. (2008). Plant Species Diversity along an Altitudinal Gradient of Bhabha Valley in Western Himalaya. J. Mt. Sci., 5: 157–177.
Curtis, J.T. and McIntosh, R.P. (1950). The interrelations of certain analytic and synthetic phytosociological characters. Ecology, 31(3):434–455.
Gairola ,S., Sharma, C.M. , Ghildiyal, S.K. and Suyal, S. (2011). Tree species composition and diversity along an altitudinal gradient in moist tropical montane valley slopes of the Garhwal Himalaya, India. Forest Science and Technology, 7(3): 91–102.
Geelani, S.N., Bhat, G.N., Mughal, A.,Husain, M.,Qaiser, Q.N. and Khan, P.A. (2018). Phytosociological status of trees and shrubs of Romshi range of Shopian forest division in Kashmir valley. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 7(3): 696-702
Jhangir, M. (2004). Phytodiversity characterisation using remote sensing and GIS of district Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. Ph.D. thesis. University of Jammu, Jammu, India.
Korner, C., (2003). Functional Plant ecology of high mountain ecosystems. Alpine Plant Life, 1-7.
Kumar, R. (2012) EIA of Rattle Hydro electric project, Kishtwar, J&K. Ph. D. Thesis submitted to the University of Jammu.
Majila, B.S. and Kala, C.P. (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.
Margalef, D.R.(1958). Information theory in ecology. Genetics and systematic, 3: 36-71.
Mark, A.F. (2012).The altitudinal gradient in forest composition, structure and regeneration. New Zealand Journal of Botany.1(2):188-202.
Mishra, A., Sharma, C. M., Sharma, S. D. and Baduni N P. (2000). Effect of aspect on the structure of vegetation community of moist Bhabar and Tarai Shorea robusta forest in Central Himalaya. Indian Forest, 126(6): 634–642.
Pala, N.A., Negi, A.K., Gokhale, Y.,Shah, S., and Kumar, M.(2016). Community Structure and Plant Diversity of Community Based Religious Conserved Forests of Garhwal Himalaya, India. Journal of Earth Science & Climatic Change,7(2): 334.
Pande, P.K., Negi, J.D.S.and Sharma,C. (2002). Plant species diversity, composition, gradient analysis and regeneration behaviour of some tree species in a moist temperate Western Himalayan Forest ecosystem. Indian Forester, 8: 869-886.
Prakash, R. (1986). Forest management. Dehradun, India: International Book Distributors. p. 214
Raina, A.K. and 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.
Ramsay, P.M. and Oxley, E.R.B. (1997). The growth form composition of plant communities in the Ecuadorian Paramos. Plant Ecology, 131: 173-192.
Rawat, R.S. and Pangtey,Y.P.S.(1994). High altitude forests in part of Kumaon, central Himalaya. In: Proceedings of Indian National Sciences Academy, 60 (B):557-564.
Rawat, R.S. (2001). Phytosociological studies of woody vegetation along an altitudinal gradient in montane forest of Garhwal Himalayas. Indian Journal of Forestry, 24 (4):419-426.
Rezende, V.L., Pedro, L. S., Miranda, D., Meyer, L., Moreira, C.V., Mariana, F., Linhares, M. and Filho, AT.O. (2015). Tree species composition and richness along altitudinal gradients as a tool for conservation decisions: the case of Atlantic semideciduous forest. Biodivers. Conserv., 24:2149–2163.
Saxena, A.K., Pandey, T. and Singh, J.S. (1985). Altitudinal variation in the vegetation of Kumaon Himalayas. In: D.N. Rao. K.J. Ahmed. M. Yunus & S.N. Singh (eds.) Perspectives in Environmental Botany. Print House, Lucknow, 43-66.
Shannon,C.E. and Weaver, W. (1963).The mathematical theory of communication. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, USA.
Sharma, C.M., Suyal, S., Gairola, S. and Ghildiyal, S.K. (2009).Species richness and diversity along an altitudinal gradient in moist temperate forest of Garhwal Himalayas. Journal of American Science ,5 (5):119-128.
Sharma, C.M., Mishra, A.K., Tiwari, O.P., Krishan, R. and Rana, Y.S. (2017). Effect of altitudinal gradients on forest structure and composition on ridge tops in Garhwal Himalaya. Energ. Ecol. Environ ,Springer. DOI: 10.1007/s40974-017-0067-6.
Sharma, N., and Raina, A.K. (2013). Composition, structure and diversity of tree species along elevational gradient in Jammu province of north-western Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir. J. Bio.&Env. Sci.,3(10):12-23.
Sharma, N., Najeeb, A. and Singh, D. (2016). Vegetation diversity and distribution along an elevation gradient on both sides of Chattergalla Ridge, Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Indian
Forester,142(9):820-826
Sharma, P., Rana, J. C., Devi, U., Randhawa, S.S. and Kumar, R. (2014). Floristic diversity and distribution pattern of plant communities along altitudinal gradient in Sangla Valley, Northwest Himalaya. Scientific World Journal,1- 11.
Shivnath, S., Gupta K. and Rajwar, G.S. (1993). Analysis of forest vegetation in a part of Garhwal Himalaya. Recent Research in Ecology and Environmental Pollution, 6:47-58.
Simpson, E.H. (1949). Measurement of diversity. Nature,163:168.
Simpson, G. G.(1964). Species diversity of North American recent mammals. Syst Zool., 13: 52–73
Singh, K.N. and Kaushal, R. (2006).Diversity and quantitative analysis of dominant tree species in district Chamba of Himachal Pradesh. Indian Journal of Forestry, 29 (3): 254-251.
Singh, S.P., Adhikari, B.S.and Zobel, D.B. (1994). Biomass productivity, leaf longevity and forest structure in the Central Himalaya. Ecologic Monogr,64:401-421
Sinha, S. Badola, H.K.,Chhetri, B., Gaira, K.S.,
Lepcha, J. and Dhyani, P. (2018). Effect of altitude and climate in shaping the forest compositions of Singalila National Park in Khangchendzonga Landscape, Eastern Himalaya, India. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity,11: 267-275.
Song, X., Nakamura, A., Sun,Z., Tang, Y. and Cao, M. (2016). Elevational Distribution of Adult Trees and Seedlings in a Tropical Montane Transect, Southwest China. Mountain Research and Development, 36(3):342-354.
Visalakshi, N.(1995). Vegetation analysis of two tropical dry evergreen forests of southern India. Tropical Ecology, 36:117-127.
Whittaker R H. (1965). Dominance and diversity in land plant communities. Science, 147: 250–260.
Whittaker, RH.(1977). Evolution of species diversity in plant communities. Evolutionary Biology, 10: 1-67.
Wikum, D.A. and Wali, M.K. (1974). Analysis of North Dakota Gallery forest vegetation in relation to topographic and soil gradients. Ecologic. Monogr., 44:441–464.
Arshad, M.,Choudhary, S.K., Manzoor, K.Fatima,S., Mustafa, G.,Malik, N.Z. and Akrim, F.(2013).Altitudinal variation in plant species diversity and its components at kotli hills, Azad Kashmir. Archives Des Sciences,66(5):614-621.
Austin, M.P., Pausas, J.G. and Nicholas, A.O. (1996). Patterns of species richness in relation to environment in south eastern New South Wales, Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology, 21:154–164
Brocque, A.F. and Buckney, R.T. (2003). Species richness–environment relationships within Coastal sclerophyll and mesophyll vegetation in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, New South Wales, Australia. Austral Ecol. 28:404–412.
Brun, M.A., H.H., Moen, J., Virtanen, R., Grytnes, J.A., Oksanen, L. and Angerbjorn, A. (2006).Effects of altitude and topography on species richness of vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens in alpine communities. Journal of Vegetation Science ,17:37- 46.
Chaudhary, R.P.(1999). Vegetation Pattern. In:T. C. Majpuria (ed). Nepalnature’sparadise,105- 111.
Chawla, A. Rajkumar, S., Singh, K.N., Lal, B. and Singh, R.D. (2008). Plant Species Diversity along an Altitudinal Gradient of Bhabha Valley in Western Himalaya. J. Mt. Sci., 5: 157–177.
Curtis, J.T. and McIntosh, R.P. (1950). The interrelations of certain analytic and synthetic phytosociological characters. Ecology, 31(3):434–455.
Gairola ,S., Sharma, C.M. , Ghildiyal, S.K. and Suyal, S. (2011). Tree species composition and diversity along an altitudinal gradient in moist tropical montane valley slopes of the Garhwal Himalaya, India. Forest Science and Technology, 7(3): 91–102.
Geelani, S.N., Bhat, G.N., Mughal, A.,Husain, M.,Qaiser, Q.N. and Khan, P.A. (2018). Phytosociological status of trees and shrubs of Romshi range of Shopian forest division in Kashmir valley. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 7(3): 696-702
Jhangir, M. (2004). Phytodiversity characterisation using remote sensing and GIS of district Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. Ph.D. thesis. University of Jammu, Jammu, India.
Korner, C., (2003). Functional Plant ecology of high mountain ecosystems. Alpine Plant Life, 1-7.
Kumar, R. (2012) EIA of Rattle Hydro electric project, Kishtwar, J&K. Ph. D. Thesis submitted to the University of Jammu.
Majila, B.S. and Kala, C.P. (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.
Margalef, D.R.(1958). Information theory in ecology. Genetics and systematic, 3: 36-71.
Mark, A.F. (2012).The altitudinal gradient in forest composition, structure and regeneration. New Zealand Journal of Botany.1(2):188-202.
Mishra, A., Sharma, C. M., Sharma, S. D. and Baduni N P. (2000). Effect of aspect on the structure of vegetation community of moist Bhabar and Tarai Shorea robusta forest in Central Himalaya. Indian Forest, 126(6): 634–642.
Pala, N.A., Negi, A.K., Gokhale, Y.,Shah, S., and Kumar, M.(2016). Community Structure and Plant Diversity of Community Based Religious Conserved Forests of Garhwal Himalaya, India. Journal of Earth Science & Climatic Change,7(2): 334.
Pande, P.K., Negi, J.D.S.and Sharma,C. (2002). Plant species diversity, composition, gradient analysis and regeneration behaviour of some tree species in a moist temperate Western Himalayan Forest ecosystem. Indian Forester, 8: 869-886.
Prakash, R. (1986). Forest management. Dehradun, India: International Book Distributors. p. 214
Raina, A.K. and 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.
Ramsay, P.M. and Oxley, E.R.B. (1997). The growth form composition of plant communities in the Ecuadorian Paramos. Plant Ecology, 131: 173-192.
Rawat, R.S. and Pangtey,Y.P.S.(1994). High altitude forests in part of Kumaon, central Himalaya. In: Proceedings of Indian National Sciences Academy, 60 (B):557-564.
Rawat, R.S. (2001). Phytosociological studies of woody vegetation along an altitudinal gradient in montane forest of Garhwal Himalayas. Indian Journal of Forestry, 24 (4):419-426.
Rezende, V.L., Pedro, L. S., Miranda, D., Meyer, L., Moreira, C.V., Mariana, F., Linhares, M. and Filho, AT.O. (2015). Tree species composition and richness along altitudinal gradients as a tool for conservation decisions: the case of Atlantic semideciduous forest. Biodivers. Conserv., 24:2149–2163.
Saxena, A.K., Pandey, T. and Singh, J.S. (1985). Altitudinal variation in the vegetation of Kumaon Himalayas. In: D.N. Rao. K.J. Ahmed. M. Yunus & S.N. Singh (eds.) Perspectives in Environmental Botany. Print House, Lucknow, 43-66.
Shannon,C.E. and Weaver, W. (1963).The mathematical theory of communication. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, USA.
Sharma, C.M., Suyal, S., Gairola, S. and Ghildiyal, S.K. (2009).Species richness and diversity along an altitudinal gradient in moist temperate forest of Garhwal Himalayas. Journal of American Science ,5 (5):119-128.
Sharma, C.M., Mishra, A.K., Tiwari, O.P., Krishan, R. and Rana, Y.S. (2017). Effect of altitudinal gradients on forest structure and composition on ridge tops in Garhwal Himalaya. Energ. Ecol. Environ ,Springer. DOI: 10.1007/s40974-017-0067-6.
Sharma, N., and Raina, A.K. (2013). Composition, structure and diversity of tree species along elevational gradient in Jammu province of north-western Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir. J. Bio.&Env. Sci.,3(10):12-23.
Sharma, N., Najeeb, A. and Singh, D. (2016). Vegetation diversity and distribution along an elevation gradient on both sides of Chattergalla Ridge, Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Indian
Forester,142(9):820-826
Sharma, P., Rana, J. C., Devi, U., Randhawa, S.S. and Kumar, R. (2014). Floristic diversity and distribution pattern of plant communities along altitudinal gradient in Sangla Valley, Northwest Himalaya. Scientific World Journal,1- 11.
Shivnath, S., Gupta K. and Rajwar, G.S. (1993). Analysis of forest vegetation in a part of Garhwal Himalaya. Recent Research in Ecology and Environmental Pollution, 6:47-58.
Simpson, E.H. (1949). Measurement of diversity. Nature,163:168.
Simpson, G. G.(1964). Species diversity of North American recent mammals. Syst Zool., 13: 52–73
Singh, K.N. and Kaushal, R. (2006).Diversity and quantitative analysis of dominant tree species in district Chamba of Himachal Pradesh. Indian Journal of Forestry, 29 (3): 254-251.
Singh, S.P., Adhikari, B.S.and Zobel, D.B. (1994). Biomass productivity, leaf longevity and forest structure in the Central Himalaya. Ecologic Monogr,64:401-421
Sinha, S. Badola, H.K.,Chhetri, B., Gaira, K.S.,
Lepcha, J. and Dhyani, P. (2018). Effect of altitude and climate in shaping the forest compositions of Singalila National Park in Khangchendzonga Landscape, Eastern Himalaya, India. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity,11: 267-275.
Song, X., Nakamura, A., Sun,Z., Tang, Y. and Cao, M. (2016). Elevational Distribution of Adult Trees and Seedlings in a Tropical Montane Transect, Southwest China. Mountain Research and Development, 36(3):342-354.
Visalakshi, N.(1995). Vegetation analysis of two tropical dry evergreen forests of southern India. Tropical Ecology, 36:117-127.
Whittaker R H. (1965). Dominance and diversity in land plant communities. Science, 147: 250–260.
Whittaker, RH.(1977). Evolution of species diversity in plant communities. Evolutionary Biology, 10: 1-67.
Wikum, D.A. and Wali, M.K. (1974). Analysis of North Dakota Gallery forest vegetation in relation to topographic and soil gradients. Ecologic. Monogr., 44:441–464.
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Composition, structure and diversity of tree species along an elevational gradient in Dudu forest range, Jammu and Kashmir, India. (2018). Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 10(3), 981-985. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v10i3.1847
