• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2013

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.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2015

Forest disturbance sometime considered as a tool of management as it believed that mid level disturbance constructs better micro-climatic conditions which ultimately boost up the plant diversity. The effect of different levels of disturbance on species composition and regeneration is very important. Present attempt was carried out in a temperate evergreen oak forest which was under various degree of disturbance. The study area is one of the large ranges of oak forest in Garhwal Himalaya and compensating various types of daily needs of local people. On the basis of IVI values Quercus leucotrichophora holds first position in all the disturbance zones whereas Myrica esculenta upgraded it's rank in highly disturbed zone and showed less impacted species by disturbance. Berberis aristata and Eupatorium adenophorum in shrub layer and Anaphalis adnata and Bidens pilosa in herb layer were found as disturbance friendly species because they attained higher rank in highly disturbed zone whereas Caryopteris foetida was found disturbance-sensitive in shrub layer. The banj oak regenerated well under mid disturbance as compared to no and high degree of disturbance and a sharp downfall in the species diversity was recorded with increasing magnitude of disturbance. Density-diameter curves showed a reverse trend of lower density in higher girth classes. The results of the study should be useful for the forest management strategies.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.329-343
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• 2016

The present study was conducted on ridge tops of moist temperate Oak forests in Garhwal Himalaya to assess the plant diversity, regeneration, biomass production and carbon assimilation in different Oak forests. For this purpose, three Oak forest types viz., (a) Quercus leucotrichophora or Banj Oak (FT1; between 1,428-2,578 m asl), (b) Quercus floribunda or Moru Oak (FT2; between 2,430-2,697 m asl) and (c) Quercus semecarpifolia or Kharsu Oak (FT3; between 2,418-3,540 m asl) were selected on different ridge tops in Bhagirathi catchment area of Garhwal Himalaya. A total of 91 plant species including 23 trees (8 gymnosperms and 15 angiosperms), 21 shrubs and 47 herbs species belonging to 46 families were recorded from all the ridge top Oak forests. The highest mean tree density ($607{\pm}33.60trees\;ha^{-1}$) was observed in Q. floribunda forest with lower mean total basal cover (TBC) value ($48.02{\pm}3.67m^2ha^{-1}$), whereas highest TBC value ($80.16{\pm}3.30m^2ha^{-1}$) was recorded for Q. semecarpifolia forest, with lowest mean stem density ($594{\pm}23.43stems\;ha^{-1}$). The total biomass density (TBD) across three Oak forests ranged between $497.32{\pm}83.70$ (FT1) and $663.16{\pm}93.85t\;ha^{-1}$ (FT3), while the total carbon density (TCD) values ranged between $228.75{\pm}22.27$ (FT1) and $304.31{\pm}18.12t\;ha^{-1}$ (FT3). Most of the tree species were found with good regeneration (GR) status (average 45%) in all the forest types whereas, few species were found not regenerating (NR) (average 17%) however, few new recruitments were also recorded. ANOVA (Post-Hoc Tukey's test at 5% significance level) indicated significant forest-wise differences in TBC, TBD and TCD (in tree layer); family and evenness (in shrub layer only) values, while insignificant differences were noticed in density values of tree, seedling and herb layer.