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Influence of Aspect and Elevational Gradient on Vegetation Pattern, Tree Characteristics and Ecosystem Carbon Density in Northwestern Himalayas

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Title Influence of Aspect and Elevational Gradient on Vegetation Pattern, Tree Characteristics and Ecosystem Carbon Density in Northwestern Himalayas
Not Available
 
Creator D. R. Bhardwaj
Habibullah Tahiry
Prashant Sharma
Nazir A. Pala
Dhirender Kumar
Amit Kumar
Bharti
 
Subject tree parameters
biomass density
altitude
ecosystem
vegetation community
 
Description Not Available
Himalayan forest has been threatened by rapi d anthropogenic activities, resulting in the
loss of forest diversity and climate change. Th e present study was carried out on four aspects
(northern, southern, western and eastern), at three different altitudinal ranges, namely, 1000–1300
m above sea level (m a.s.l.), 1300–1600 m a.s.l. and 1600–1900 m a.s.l., and at three diverse mountain
ranges (Kalaghat, Barog and Nangali) of sub-temperate forest ecosystems of the mid Himalayan
ranges, to elucidate their influence on vegetation, tree characteristics and ecosystem carbon den-
sity. The results revealed that Pinus roxburghii is the most dominant forest community of the mid
Himalaya’s forest, irrespective of altitudinal gradient and slope. The south-facing slopes are occu-
pied by the xerophytic tree species fr equently found in the lower Shiwalik P. roxburghii forest,
whereas the north-facing ones are dominated by mesophyllic species, such as Cedrus deodara and
Quercus leucotrichophora, which commonly grows in the northw estern Himalayan temperate forest
ecosystem. The maximum stem density (211.00 Nha−1 ) was found at 1000–1300 m a.s.l., and on the
northern aspect (211.00 Nha −1). The maximum stem volume (236.50 m 3 ha−1 ) was observed on the
northern aspect at 1000–1300 m a.s.l., whereas the minimum (32.167 m 3 ha−1 ) in the southern aspect
at 1300–1600 m a.s.l. The maximum carbon density (149.90 Mg ha −1 ) was found on the northern
aspect and declined with increasing elevation from 123.20 to 74.78 Mg ha−1 . Overall, the study
establishes that the southern and western aspects are very low in carbon density, whereas the
northern aspect represents higher biodiversity as well as carbon and nutrient stocks. Therefore,
aspect and altitude should be given due importance for efficient managing of biodiversity and
mitigating climate change.
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Date 2022-04-05T06:47:30Z
2022-04-05T06:47:30Z
2021-10-20
 
Type Research Paper
 
Identifier Bhardwaj, D.R.; Tahiry, H.; Sharma, P.; Pala, N.A.; Kumar, D.; Kumar, A.; Bharti. Influence of Aspect and Elevational Gradient on Vegetation Pattern, Tree Characteristics and Ecosystem Carbon Density in Northwestern Himalayas. Land 2021, 10, 1109. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10111109
https://doi.org/10.3390/land10111109
http://krishi.icar.gov.in/jspui/handle/123456789/71188
 
Language English
 
Relation Not Available;
 
Publisher Not Available