DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Altitudinal Variation in Species Composition and Soil Properties of Banj Oak and Chir Pine Dominated Forests

  • Kumar, Munesh (Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, HNB Garhwal University Srinagar Garhwal) ;
  • Singh, Harpal (Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, HNB Garhwal University Srinagar Garhwal) ;
  • Bhat, Jahangeer A. (Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, HNB Garhwal University Srinagar Garhwal) ;
  • Rajwar, G.S. (Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, HNB Garhwal University Srinagar Garhwal)
  • 투고 : 2012.07.31
  • 심사 : 2012.11.13
  • 발행 : 2013.02.28

초록

The study was carried out in two different forest types viz., Banj oak and Chir pine forests to assess the variation in forest species composition and soil properties along altitudinal gradients in the Garhwal Himalayas. The results of the study showed that between the forests soil moisture was higher in Banj oak forest because of closed canopy and dense forest compared to Chir pine forest. The sand particles were reported higher in Banj oak forest which might be due to the addition of organic matter favouring coarse structure of soil, helping in holding maximum water in soils. However in the Chir pine forest low amount of soil organic matter and presence of clayey soil, develops soil compactness which reduces the penetration of water resulting in high soil bulk density. The higher accumulation of litter and presence of moisture in Banj oak forest favours higher nutrient level of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compared to Chir pine forest. The soil organic carbon also reduced with increasing altitude at both gradients. While bulk density has reverse trend with soil organic carbon in both the forests at different peaks of same region. In Banj oak forest, the highest density and total basal cover was reported 1,100 tree $ha^{-1}$ and 58.86 $m^2\;ha^{-1}$ respectively. However, the highest values of density and total basal cover of Chir pine forest was 560 tree$ha^{-1}$ and 56.94 $m^2\;ha^{-1}$ respectively. The total density and basal cover of both the forests reduced with increasing altitude. The study concludes that Banj oak forest has better nutrient cycling ability, well developed foest floor and has a greater protective and productive features compared to the Chir pine forest which is without lower vegetation cover and having only pine litter accumulation which does not allow any other species to grow.

키워드

참고문헌

  1. Austin MP, Pausas JG, Nicholls AO. 1996. Patterns of species richness in realtion to environment in southeastern New South Wales, Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 21: 154-164. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.1996.tb00596.x
  2. Bargali KS, Usman R, Joshi M. 1998. Effect of forest covers on certain site and soil characteristics in Kumaun Himalaya. Ind J For 21: 224-277.
  3. Bhandari S, Mehta JP, Tiwari SC. 2000. Dominance and diversity relation of woody vegetation structure along an altitudinal gradient in a montane forest of Garhwal Himalaya. J Trop For Sc 12: 49-61.
  4. Champan JL, Reiss MJ. 1992. Ecology principles and application. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
  5. Champion HG, Seth SK. 1968. A Revised Survey of the Forest Types of India. Government of India Publication, New Delhi.
  6. Curtis JT. 1959. The Vegetation of Wisconsin. An Ordination of Plant Communities, University Wisconsin Press, Madison Wisconsin.
  7. Curtis JT, McIntosh RP. 1950. The Interrelation of certain analytic and synthetic phytosociological characters. Ecology 31: 434-455. https://doi.org/10.2307/1931497
  8. Ellu G, Obua J. 2005. Tree condition and natural regeneration in disturbed sites of Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park, southwestern Uganda. Tropical Ecology 46: 99-111.
  9. Gairola S, Rawal RS, Todaria NP. 2008. Forest vegetation patterns along an altitudinal gradient in sub-alpine zone of west Himalaya. India African Journal of Plant Science 2: 42-48.
  10. Garten CT, Post WM, Hanson PJ, Cooper LW. 1999. Forest soil carbon inventories and dynamics along an elevation gradient in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Biogeochemistry 45: 115-145.
  11. Jackson ML. 1958. Soil chemical Analysis Prentice Hall, Inc., Engle Wood Cliffs, New Jersey, and USA.
  12. Kershaw KK. 1973. Quantitative and dynamic plant ecology. 2nd ed, FLBS
  13. Kharkwal G, Mehrotra P, Rawat YS, Pangtey YPS. 2005. Phytodiversity and growth form in relation to altitudinal gradient in the Central Himalayan (Kumaun) region of India. Current Science 89: 873-878.
  14. Kumar M, Sharma CM, Rajwar GS. 2004. Physico-chemical properties of forest soil along altitudinal gradient in Garhwal Himalaya. J Hill Res 17: 60-64.
  15. Kumar S, Sharma JC, Sharma IP. 2002. Water retention characteristics and erodibility indices of some soils under different land uses in North-West Himalayas. Ind J Soi Conser 30: 29-35.
  16. Lemenih M, Itanna F. 2004. Soil carbon stocks and turnovers in various vegetation type and arable lands along an elevation gradient in southern Ethiopia. Geoderma 123: 177-188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2004.02.004
  17. Lull HW. 1964. Ecological and silvicultural aspects. In: Handbook of applied hydrology (Chow VT, ed) McGraw-Hill, New York, pp 6-30.
  18. Luna RK. 2005. Plantation Trees. International Book Distributors, Dehradun.
  19. Markus E, Ladina AM, Salvatore R, Markus N, Rene V. 2007. Effect of climate and vegetation on soil organic carbon, humus fractions, allophones, imogolite, kaolinite and oxyhydroxides in volcanic soils of etna (Sicily). Soi Sci 172: 673-691. https://doi.org/10.1097/ss.0b013e31809eda23
  20. Misra R. 1968. Ecology work book. Oxford and IBH publishing company, New Delhi.
  21. Pavon NP, Hernandez-Trejo H, Rico-Gray V. 2000. Distribution of plant life forms along an altitudinal gradient in the semi arid valley of Zopotitlan, Mexico. J Veg Sci 11: 39-42. https://doi.org/10.2307/3236773
  22. Quideau SA, Chadwick QA, Benesi A, Graham RC, Anderson MA. 2001. A direct link between forest vegetation type and soil organic matter composition. Geoderma 104: 41-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-7061(01)00055-6
  23. Ruess JO, Innis GS. 1977. A Grassland nitrogen flow simulation mode. Ecology 58: 348-429.
  24. Saxena AK. 1979. Ecology of vegetation complex of north- western catchment of river gola. Ph.D. Thesis, Kumaun University, Nanital, India.
  25. Saxena AK, Singh JS. 1980. Analysis of forest grassland vegetation in a part of Kumaun Himalaya. Ind J Rang Man 1: 13-32.
  26. Shank RK, Noories EN. 1950. Microclimate variation in a small valley in Eastern Tannesse. Ecology 11: 531-539.
  27. Sharma CM, Gairola S, Ghildiyal SK, Suyal S. 2010. Physical properties of soils in relation to forest composition in moist temperate valley slopes of the central western himalaya. J For Sci 26: 117-129.
  28. Sharma CM, Suyal S, Gairola S, Ghildiyal SK. 2009. Species richness and diversity along an altitudinal gradient in moist temperate forest of Garhwal Himalaya. J Ameri Sci 5: 119-128.
  29. Sims ZR, Nielsen GA. 1986. Organic carbon in Montana soils as related to clay content and climate. Soi Sci Soc Ameri J 50: 1269-1271. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1986.03615995005000050037x
  30. Tan ZX, Lal R, Smeck NE, Calhoun FG. 2004. Relationships between surface soil organic carbon pool and site variables. Geoderma 21: 185-187.
  31. Walkley AE, Black JA. 1934. An examination of the Degtiga vett. Method for determining soil organic matter and proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soi Sci 37: 29-38. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-193401000-00003