Anthropogenic Impacts of Van Gujjars on Forest Structure and Regeneration in the Tarai Region of Uttarakhand
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55863/ijees.2025.0877Keywords:
Forest regeneration, Anthropogenic disturbance, Van Gujjars, Tarai regionAbstract
Tropical forests are critical ecosystems that support global biodiversity, regulate the climate, and sustain millions of livelihoods. However, escalating anthropogenic pressure poses significant threats to their structure, composition, and regenerative capacity. This study evaluated the impacts of human-induced disturbances by the Van Gujjar pastoral community on forest composition and regeneration in the Tanda Forest of the Tarai region, Uttarakhand, India. Three sites, each representing a distinct disturbance regime - Highly Disturbed (HD), Moderately Disturbed (MD), and Least Disturbed (LD) - were examined to assess variations in vegetation structure and regeneration patterns. A total of 39 plant species from 19 families and 37 genera were documented, with Fabaceae, Malvaceae, and Euphorbiaceae identified as the most dominant families. Species richness and tree density decreased along the disturbance gradient, with the highest values observed at the LD site (29 species, 920 ind/ha) and the lowest at the HD site (23 species, 420 ind/ha). Tectona grandis was dominant across all regimes, whereas several native species, including Acacia catechu, Dalbergia sissoo, and Butea monosperma, were absent at the HD site. The regeneration potential also varied significantly, with seedling density being highest at the LD site (1060 ind/ha) and lowest at the HD site (320 ind/ha), indicating the adverse effects of fuelwood extraction, grazing, and lopping near settlements. Furthermore, invasive species, such as Lantana camara and Parthenium hysterophorus, proliferated in highly disturbed areas, further inhibiting native regeneration. These findings underscore the urgent need for integrated conservation strategies that encompass habitat restoration, sustainable resource management, and community-based livelihood alternatives to preserve forest biodiversity and ecological resilience in Tarai.
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