Positive relationship between species richness and aboveground biomass in Kumaun Himalayan forest

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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/s42535-019-00015-6
First Page: 116
Last Page: 123
Views: 958


Keywords: Soil fertility, Pinus roxburghii , Quercus leucotrichophora , Cupressus torulosa , Forest diversity


Abstract


Understory vegetation is an important part of forest ecosystem which affect the physical and chemical properties of soil, quality and quantity of forest litter and water storage capacity of litter soil layer. Thus, the influence of soil nutrients on the understory species composition of forest ecosystem cannot be ignored. The authors set 15 typical plots with area of 1 × 1 m in chir pine (Pinus roxburghii Sarg.), oak (Quercus leucotrichophora A. Camus)—chir pine mixed and oak–cypress (Cupressus torulosa D. Don) mixed forest. Chemical properties of the soil were analyzed at 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm in all the selected forest types. Phytosociological and diversity parameters were also calculated for each forest type. The present study reveals that carbon, nitrogen, pH and phosphorus are the most important environmental drivers which influence understory species composition. Plant species richness significantly correlated with species composition. To maintain the diversity and structure of ecosystems we should consider the co-evolution of both vegetation and soil. Further studies on climate and microorganism are needed to further explore the interactive relationships among vegetation and soil properties.


Soil fertility, 
                Pinus roxburghii
              , 
                Quercus leucotrichophora
              , 
                Cupressus torulosa
              , Forest diversity


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Acknowledgements



Author Information


Kumar Sanjay
Department of Botany, Kumaun University, Nainital, India
sanjay14_kumar@aol.com
Joshi Jyoti
Department of Botany, Kumaun University, Nainital, India
jyoti.joshi88590@gmail.com

Bhatt Priyanka
Department of Botany, Kumaun University, Nainital, India

bhatt.priyanka1992@gmail.com
Chopra Neha
Department of Botany, Kumaun University, Nainital, India

nixy.chopra@gmail.com