Population Structure and Regeneration Status of Tree Species: An Assessment in the Ranikhet Forest of Almora District, Kumaon Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55863/ijees.2025.0636Keywords:
Population structure, Regeneration status, Kumaon Himalayas, ConservationAbstract
The phytosociological data were collected and analyzed to understand tree species composition, diversity, and regeneration patterns across three distinct forest habitats (Oak, Pine, and Oak-Pine mixed) in the Ranikhet forest of Almora District, Kumaon Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India. The study was conducted from 2021 to 2022. A total of 120 plots with a radius of 10 m were established using a stratified random technique to sample tree data. Regeneration (seedlings and saplings) was quantified in 3 m radius concentric circular plots within the existing 10 m tree plots. Results reveal considerable differences in species composition and regeneration patterns across habitats. The Oak-Pine mixed habitat exhibited the highest species richness (15 species) and diversity (Shannon index: 1.625). In contrast, the Pine habitat showed the lowest diversity (Shannon index: 0.1526) with high dominance of Pinus roxburghii (IVI: 280.89). Tree density varied noticeably across habitats, with the highest in Oak-Pine forest (467.09 individuals/ha), followed by Pine (357.99 individuals/ha) and Oak (291.17 individuals/ha) habitats. Regeneration analysis indicated that invasive species like Acacia dealbata are successfully established across all habitats, while native species showed variable regeneration patterns. The Oak habitat demonstrated good overall regeneration (seedling density: 3740.77 individuals/ha), whereas Pine and Oak-Pine habitats showed fair regeneration. The high seedling-to-tree ratios for invasive species and the absence of regeneration for several native species raise significant conservation concerns. Quercus leucotrichophora showed fair regeneration in Oak and Oak-Pine habitats but good regeneration in Pine habitat, suggesting potential for oak expansion under favourable conditions. Similarity analysis revealed moderate habitat overlap (Simpson’s similarity index: 45.45-61.53%), suggesting distinct ecological niches with the highest similarity between Oak and Pine habitats (61.53%). The findings highlight concerns about the expansion of invasive species and regeneration challenges for some native species, providing valuable insights for sustainable forest management and conservation strategies in the Western Himalayan region. The habitat-specific differences in diversity indices and regeneration patterns underscore the importance of maintaining habitat heterogeneity at the landscape scale for preserving the region’s forest biodiversity.
References
Ahmed, A. 2012. Analysis of vegetation in Ranikhet, Kumaon Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India. Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Sciences, 2(4), 16-23.
Austin, M.P. 1977. Use of ordination and other multivariate descriptive methods to study succession. Vegetatio, 35(3), 165–175. doi: 10.1007/BF02097067.
Ballabha, R., Tiwari, J.K., Tiwari, P. 2013. Regeneration of tree species in the sub-tropical forest of Alaknanda valley, Garhwal Himalaya. India. Forest Science and Practice, 15(2), 89–97.
Das, D.S., Rawat, D.S., Maity, D., Dash, S.S., Sinha, B.K. 2020. Species richness patterns of different life-forms along altitudinal gradients in the great Himalayan National Park, Western Himalaya, India. Taiwania, 65(2), 154–162. https://doi.org/10.6165/tai.2020.65.154
Dash, S.S., Panday., S., Rawat., D.S., Kumar, V., Lahiri, S., Sinha, B.K., Singh, P. 2021. Quantitative assessment of vegetation layers in tropical evergreen forests of Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya, India. Current Science, 120(5), 850–858. https://doi.org/10.18520/cs/v120/i5/850-858
Gairola, S., Sharma, C.M., Suyal, S., Ghildiyal, S.K. 2011. Species composition and diversity in mid-altitudinal moist temperate forests of the western Himalaya. Journal of Forest Science, 27(1), 1–15.
Good, N.F. and Good, R.E. 1972. Population dynamics of tree seedlings and saplings in a mature eastern hardwood forest. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, 99, 172–178.
Grubb, P.J., 1977. The maintenance of species-richness in plant communities: the importance of the regeneration niche. Biological Reviews, 52(1), 107–145.
Hamid, M., Khuroo, A.A., Malik, A.H., Ahmad, R., Singh, C.P., Dolezal, J. and Haq, S.M. 2020. Early evidence of shifts in alpine summit vegetation: a case study from Kashmir Himalaya. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 421. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00421
Henle, K., Lindenmayer, D.B., Margules, C.R., Saunders, D.A., Wissel, C., 2004. Species survival in fragmented landscapes: where are we now? Biodiversity and Conservation, 13(1), 1–8.
Khadanga, S.S. and Jayakumar, S. 2020. Tree biomass and carbon stock: understanding the role of species richness, elevation, and disturbance. Tropical Ecology 61(1), 128–141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-020-00070-0
Khan, M.L., Rai, J.P.N., Tripathi, R.S. 1987. Population structure of some tree species in disturbed and protected subtropical forests of north-east India. Acta Oecologica, 8(3), 247–255.
Korner, C. 2000. Why are the global gradients in species richness? Mountains might hold the answer. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 15 (12), 513–514. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-5347(00)02004-8
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. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1067413610010157
Malik, Z.A. and Bhatt, A.B. 2015. Phytosociological analysis of woody species in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and its adjoining areas in western Himalaya, India. Journal for Environmental Sciences, 31(3), 149–163. https://doi.org/10.7747/JFES.2015.31.3.149
Malik, Z.A., and Bhatt, A.B. 2016. Regeneration status of tree species and survival of their seedlings in Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary and its adjoining areas in Western Himalaya. India. Tropical Ecology, 57(4), 677–690.
Myers, N., Mittermeier, R.A., Mittermeier, C.G., da Fonseca, G.A.B. and Kent, J. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 403, 853–858. https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501
Negi, G.C.S., Samal, P.K., Kuniyal, J.C., Kothyari, B.P., Sharma, R.K. and Dhyani, P.P. 2012. Impact of climate change on the western Himalayan mountain ecosystems: An Overview. Tropical Ecology, 53(3), 345–356.
Pandey, K.P., Adhikari, Y.P. and Weber, M. 2016. Structure, composition and diversity of forest along the altitudinal gradient in the Himalayas, Nepal. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 14(2), 235–251. https://doi.org/10.15666/aeer/1402_235251
Parveen, M., Tiwari, P., Rawat, D.S. and Tiwari, J.K. 2017. Tree species richness and regeneration pattern along the anthropogenic disturbance gradients in montane forests of Garhwal Himalaya, India. Plant Archives, 17(2), 1247–1254.
Rawat, D.S., Dash, S.S., Sinha, B.K., Kumar, V., Banerjee, A. and Singh, P. 2018a. Community structure and regeneration status of tree species in Eastern Himalaya: a case study from Neora Valley National Park, West Bengal, India. Taiwania, 63(1), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.6165/tai.2018.63.16
Rawat, D.S., Tiwari, J.K., Tiwari, P., Nautiyal, M., Praveen, M. and Singh, N. 2018b. Tree species richness, dominance and regeneration status in western Ramganga Valley, Uttarakhand Himalaya. India. Indian Forester, 144(7), 595–603.
Saxena, A.K. and Singh, J.S. 1984. Tree population structure of certain himalayan forest associations and implications concerning their future composition. Vegetatio, 58(2), 61–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00044928
Shahabuddin, G., Goswami, R. and Gupta, M. 2017. An annotated checklist of the birds of banj oak–chir pine forests in Kumaon, Uttarakhand. Indian Birds, 13(2), 29-36.
Shankar, U., 2001. A case of high tree diversity in a Sal (Shorea robusta)-dominated low- land forest of Eastern Himalaya: floristic composition, regeneration and conservation. Current Science, 81, 776–786.
Sharma, C.M., Tiwari, O.P., Rana, Y.S., Krishan, R. and Mishra, A.K. 2016. Plant diversity, tree regeneration, biomass production and carbon storage in different oak forests on ridge tops of Garhwal Himalaya. Journal of Environmental Science, 32(4), 329–343. doi: 10.7747/JFES.2016.32.4.329.
Sigdel, S.R., Wang, Y., Camarero, J.J., Zhu, H., Liang, E. and Penuelas, J. 2018. Moisture-mediated responsiveness of treeline shifts to global warming in the Himalayas. Global Change Biology, 24, 5549–5559. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14428
Singh, J.S. 2002. The biodiversity crisis: a multifaceted review. Current Science, 82(6), 638–647.
Singh, J.S., Rawat, Y.S. and Chaturvedi, O.P. 1984. Replacement of oak forest with pine in the Himalaya affects the nitrogen cycle. Nature, 311(5981), 54–56.
Singh, S., Malik, Z.A., Sharma, C.M. 2016. Tree species richness, diversity, and regeneration status in different oak (Quercus spp.) dominated forests of Garhwal Himalaya, India. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity, 9(3), 293–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2016.06.002
Sultana, A. 2002. Ecology and Conservation of avian communities of Middle Altitude Oak Forest of Kumoan Himalaya, Uttar Pradesh, India. Ph.D. Thesis. Department of Wildlife Science, AMU, Aligarh.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Mirza Altaf Baig, Nazneen Zehra, Jamal Ahmad Khan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
