8 Response of Pinus Wallichiana to Climate Change a Case Study From
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Response of Pinus wallichiana to Climate Change: A Case Study from Manaslu Conservation Area, Western Nepal A dissertation submitted for the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the completion of Master’s degree in Environmental Science Submitted to Central Department of Environmental Science Tribhuvan University Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal Submitted by Sangita Pant T.U. Reg. No: 5-2-33-630-2006 Symbol No: 12619 December, 201 II III IV V Acknowledgements This dissertation is the outcome of the continuous inspiration, guidance, suggestions and support of many helpful hands. I am extremely grateful for the contributions made by a large number of people who made my work possible. Firstly, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisors Academician Dr Dinesh Raj Bhuju and Mr Narayan Prasad Gaire for their inspiration, consistent support, constructive comments and tireless guidance. I would like to acknowledge my mentor Ms Isabel Vogel for her suggestion and online mentoring and Mr Carl Jackson for his invitation to Eldis community. I want to express my sincere gratitude and special appreciation to Professor Dr. Kedar Rijal, Head of Department, Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University for his continuous encouragement and support. Similarly, I am also thankful to Nepal Academy of Science and Technology – Climate Development Knowledge Network (NAST-CDKN) strengthening Nepal Climate Change Knowledge Management Centre (NCCKMC) project for research grant without which this work wouldn’t have been completed. My special thanks go to my research colleague Prakash Sigdel who have always been interested in my ideas and patiently helped me in my fieldwork. I grant my sincere thanks to my research colleagues Luna Khadka and Bunu Gauli. Thanks to all other research colleagues of NCCKMC with whom the field visit was carried out successfully. I am equally thankful to Phurbu Namgel Lama, Chhimik Namgel Lama and Kungsan Dorje, inhabitants of Prok VDC for their field guidance. Thanks to Rakesh Guragai for guiding to prepare GIS map of the study area. I am grateful to Danu Basyal for helping me during sanding and polishing the core samples. I would like to thank all the members of National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC)- Manaslu Conservation Area (MCA) project, Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and Central Department of Environmental Science (CDES). Last but not the least, I express my deepest gratitude and respect to my parents and family members for giving all the moral support, love, affection, benevolence and inspiration. Sangita Pant December, 2013 VI Abstract This study mainly focuses on dendro-ecological response of Pinus wallichiana to climate change. The study was carried out in two community managed forests, namely Thangming and Chhak of Prok VDC in Manaslu Conservation Area (MCA) in western Nepal. Vegetation sampling was done by quadrate method, and the sample quadrates were located by stratified random sampling technique. Four vertical transects were laid along the elevation gradient running parallel to each other with 200 m difference starting from 2,100 m asl to 2,700 m asl. Altogether 28 quadrates (size: 20 m × 20 m) were laid on both north and south-facing slopes (18 in north and 10 in south). Diameter at Breast Height (DBH), basal diameter and height of each individual tree of P. wallichiana were recorded. A total of 105 tree cores were collected by using Swedish increment borer. A detailed ecological survey was carried out in each plot with GPS recording. The forests of both aspects were dominated by P. wallichiana. Northern aspect was associated with Cedrus deodara, Rhododendron arboreum, Castanopsis indica, etc. The north facing slope had denser forests (1437.5 no. /ha) than the south-facing slope (643.75 no. /ha). Tree density of P. wallichiana decreased with increase in altitude in southern aspect; however, no such consistent trend was seen in the northern aspect. There was significant difference in P. wallichiana density between two aspects (t-statistic 0.37, p< 0.05). The average seedling and sapling density of P. wallichiana on the north and south slopes was 173.75 no./ha; 293.75 no./ha and 218.75 no./ha; 256.25 no./ha respectively. From the tree ring analysis a 91 years old tree was recorded from northern aspect of the forest. The average annual radial growth was 1.30 mm/yr and 0.90 mm/yr for northern and southern aspect respectively. The ring pattern showed the fluctuation in the ring width with the temporal change in environmental condition. The growth of P. wallichiana was favored by pre-monsoon temperature and monsoon rainfall. This shows that fluctuation in any climatic condition in these months will change the growth pattern of the P. wallichiana. Keywords: aspect, DBH, dendrochronology, density, species association, tree core, tree ring VII Table of Content Contents Declaration ......................................................................................................................... II Letter of Recommendation ............................................................................................... III Letter of Approval ............................................................................................................ IV Letter of Acceptance .......................................................................................................... V Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ VI Abstract ........................................................................................................................... VII Table of Content ............................................................................................................. VIII List of Figures.................................................................................................................... IX List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... X Acronyms and Abbreviations ........................................................................................... XI Chapter I: Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Statement of the Problems........................................................................................................ 5 1.3 Research Question ................................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Objectives ................................................................................................................................ 6 1.5 Limitations .............................................................................................................................. 7 1.6 Overview of Contents .............................................................................................................. 7 Chapter II: Literature Review ............................................................................................ 9 Chapter III: Materials and Methods ................................................................................ 14 3.1 Study Area ............................................................................................................................. 14 3.2 Research Design .................................................................................................................... 21 3.3 Data Collection Methods ........................................................................................................ 21 Chapter IV: Results .......................................................................................................... 28 Chapter V: Discussion ...................................................................................................... 46 Chapter VI: Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................ 51 6.1 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................... 51 6.2 Recommendations.................................................................................................................. 52 References.............................................................................................................................. Appendixes ............................................................................................................................ VIII List of Figures Figure 1: Annual temperature pattern recorded at Gorkha station (1980-2009) ................... 15 Figure 2: Yearly trend of mean annual rainfall at Gorkha station (1980-2009) ..................... 15 Figure 3: Map of study area showing Prok VDC with different plots in northern and southern aspect of the forest .............................................................................................................. 18 Figure 4: Schematic diagram of research design .................................................................. 21 Figure 5: Density of Pinus wallichiana along different elevation gradient with different aspect .................................................................................................................................. 30 Figure