Habitat suitability modelling of Buxus wallichiana Bail.: an endemic tree species of Himalaya

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Research Articles | Published:

Print ISSN : 0970-4078.
Online ISSN : 2229-4473.
Website:www.vegetosindia.org
Pub Email: contact@vegetosindia.org
Doi: 10.1007/s42535-022-00428-w
First Page: 583
Last Page: 590
Views: 562


Keywords: Buxus wallichiana , Indian Himalayan region, Anthropogenic threats, Habitat suitability, Conservation


Abstract


Buxus wallichiana, an economically important endemic tree species of Himalaya is facing a serious survival threat from overexploitation and anthropogenic habitat destruction. Habitat suitability was mapped in order to predict the most potential areas for habitat conservation and species reintroduction in Northwestern and western Himalaya using Maximum Entropy Modeling. Habitat suitability modeling predicted Rajouri-Poonch region of Jammu and Kashmir and temperate forests of Uttarakhand as the most suitable habitats for B. wallichiana. Only 0.4% (2765 km2) of the total area of Northwest and Western Himalaya was predicted to be highly suitable for B. wallichiana. The findings of the present study recommend an urgent need to develop a long term conservation and management plan for B. wallichiana, a neglected endemic plant species of Himalaya.



                Buxus wallichiana
              , Indian Himalayan region, Anthropogenic threats, Habitat suitability, Conservation


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Acknowledgements


The authors are grateful to Head, Department of Botany, BGSBU, Rajouri, J&K for providing necessary facilities.


Author Information


Wani Zishan Ahmad
Conservation Ecology Lab, Department of Botany, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University Rajouri, Rajouri, India

Satish K. V.
Remote Sensing Laboratory, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India


Islam Tajamul
Plant Reproductive Biology, Genetic Diversity and Phytochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India


Dhyani Shalini
CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur, India


Pant Shreekar
Centre for Biodiversity Studies, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University Rajouri, Rajouri, India
shreekarpant.2@gmail.com