Impact OF ASPECT ON association OF QUERCUS SPECIES: A CASE STUDY FROM mukteshwar MAHADEV TEMPLE FOREST, KUMAUN himalaya Poonam Mehta*1, 2, Balwant Kumar2, Kapil Bisht1, Shashi Upadhyay1 and K. Chandra Sekar1 1Centre for Biodiversity Conservation and Management, G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand, India 2Biodiversity Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, S.S.J. Campus, Kumaun University, Almora, Uttarakhand, India *Correspondence: [email protected] ABSTRACT Community structure and composition are the important factors affecting diversity pattern in plant communities. Pertinently, species diversity along altitudinal gradient and variation of aspect differs in different layers at different scale. Hence, the present study was conducted in Mukteshwar Mahadev temple forest in Nainital district of Uttarakhand to understand the vegetation structure, regeneration pattern and impact of aspect on the association of Quercus species. An altitudinal gradient of 2100- 2300m asl with different aspects was selected for present study. The study site was divided into four compartments with respect to different aspects. One plot of 50x50 m was laid down in each compartment and phytosociological analysis was conducted. In the present study, Quercus floribunda Lindl. ex A. Camus showed dominance in three aspects viz. North East, North and West, while in the South aspect Q. leucotrichophora A. Camus was the dominant species followed by Q. floribunda with different associates in each compartment. The under story vegetation was better in northern and eastern slopes in comparison to the southern slopes possibly due to the invasion of Ageratina adenophora (Spreng.) R.M. King & H. Rob. The regeneration of Q. leucotrichophora A. Camus in south aspect was seemed to be excellent and in near future there is a possibility of replacement of other plant species by Q. leucotrichophora. The study revealed that aspect plays a major role in defining and controlling the vegetation pattern in the study area. Keywords: Aspect, Mukteshwar Mahadev, Phytosociology, Quercus. INTROCUCTION Q. lanata J. E. Sm. (Rianj), Q. leucotrichophora A. Camus Western Himalaya is known for its highly diverse (Banj) & Q. semecarpifoli Sm. (Kharsu)] in Western compositional pattern of forests. Composition of the Himalaya. forest is diverse, and varies from place to place because As Western Himalaya is represented by varied landscape of different land forms. Variation in climate, soil and and topography, the organization of biodiversity in most topography support tropical, sub-tropical, temperate and of the natural ecosystems is influenced by multiple alpine vegetation and in some areas even arid or semi arid environmental factors such as altitude, habitat, climate, vegetation is also reported (Singh 2006). The temperate slope, aspect etc. Among all of the environmental factors, region is dominated by broad leaved forests, among them aspect plays an important role in defining vegetation Oak (Quercus) constitutes a major portion. pattern. Hence the present study was designed to collect Oak forests represent climax vegetation between 1000- the quantitative information about role of aspect on the 3500 m asl in the region and play a vital role in conservation forest diversity and regeneration status of dominant trees of soil, water, native flora and fauna, thereby, providing at Mukteshwar Mahadev forest in Nainital district of numerous ecosystem services to mankind (Singh et al., Kumaun Himalaya. 2012). The forest community having variable topography of the area supports luxuriant growth of Quercus STUDY AREA AND METHODS leucotrichophora, Q. floribunda, Q. semecarpifolia The present study was conducted in Mukteshwar Mahadev and Pinus roxburghii (Singh et al., 1987). The oak is forest which is located at a distance of 51 km from the main represented by five evergreen species [Q. floribundaLindl. town of Nainital district, Kumaun Himalaya, Uttarakhand ex A. Camus (Moru, Tilonj), Q. glauca Thunb. (Phalyant), in the month of May, 2018. Mukteshwar is located at ENVIS Bulletin Himalayan Ecology, Vol 26, 2018 33 29˚28’20”N latitude to 79˚38’52”E longitude with an RESULTS AND DISCUSSION altitude ranging from 2100 to 2300m asl. Mukteshwar is Species composition covered by dense forests and on the other side it offers In the present study, a total of 28 plant species belonging splendid view of enchanting valleys and the Himalaya. to 16 families (14 angiospermic and 2 gymnospermic) and Mukteshwar got its name from a 350 year old temple 25 genera have been recorded. Out of which 7 were tree of Mukteshwar Mahadev or Mukteshwar Dham whose species followed by 10 shrub species and 11 herb species residing deity is Lord Shiva. The forest around the temple (Table 2). The tree diversity of forest was belonging provided a scope for this study due to accessibility of all the to 5 families, out of which 3 (Ericaceae, Fagaceae and four aspects. Mukteshwar has a subtropical climate, which Sapindaceae) of angiospermic group and 2 (Cupressaceae is similar to other parts of northern India, with distinct and Pinaceae) from gymnosperms, shrubs were belonging summer, monsoon and winter seasons. However, due to its to 8 families (Adoxaceae, Asparagaceae, Asteraceae, high elevation, Mukteshwar is spared of the intense heat Berberidaceae, Fabaceae, Hypericaceae, Rosaceae and of lower-lying towns and cities. It has cold winters and Thymelaceae) and herb diversity was belonging to 7 relatively cool summer with drastically escalated rain, in families (Asparagaceae, Acanthaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, relation with lower altitudes, and frequent fog. Summer is Rosaceae, Lamiaceae and Poaceae) of flowering plants. The warm with moderate rainfall, while the monsoon season detailed characteristics of different forest compartmentsare is slightly cooler and fetches much heavier rain. Winters given in Table 1. can be quite cool and temperatures below freezing are not Quercus floribunda was found the most dominant species unusual. Snowfall occurs occasionally in December and wall compartments. The density of Q. floribunda was highest January, though it is sparse, while the heavy rainfall event in COM 1 with 580 plants ha-1 followed by COM 3 (440 plants occurs during the monsoon season stretching from July to ha-1), COM 4 (340 plants ha-1) and COM 2 (280 plants ha-1), September. and whereas the saplings density were recorded as same as the trees in COM 1 (440 plants ha-1) followed by COM 2 (280 Vegetation analysis plants ha-1) 1340 plant ha-1, COM 3 (180 plants ha-1) and COM 4 One plot of 50x50 m was marked at each compartment (120 plants ha-1). However, the density of Q. leucotrichophora and sampling was done in five quadrates of 10x10 m (four (380 plants ha-1) was greater than Q. floribunda in south aspect. at corners of the plot and one at the centre). Trees and The regeneration of Q. leucotrichophora in south aspect was saplings were analyzed within the same quadrate. Plants seemed to be excellent and in near future there is a possibility having circumference more than 30 cm at breast height of replacement of other plant species by Q. leucotrichophora. (1.37m above the ground) were considered as tree, plants The under story vegetation and regeneration pattern of having CBH lower than 30 cm but not less than 10 cm dominant species was better in northern and eastern slopes in were considered as sapling, and plants with CBH below 10 comparison to the southern slopes probably due to the invasion cm were considered as seedling. Subsequently quadrates of Ageratina adenophora in south. The distribution pattern of 5x 5 m were laid with in 10x10 m quadrates for study of (Regular, Random and Contagious) of tree species is shown in shrubs and 1x1 m for herbs (Knight 1975). Table 3. Quantitative analysis Impact of aspect on species diversity of Mukteshwar The vegetation data were quantitatively analyzed for Mahadev forest density (D), frequency (F), abundance (A) & A/F ratio The species richness (number of species) of tree, sapling, of trees & shrubs following Curtis et al. (1950). Value seedling, shrub and herb strata indicated that the forest of A/F < 0.025 was categorized as regular distribution, compartments were comparatively species rich. The COM between 0.026 to 0.050 random and > 0.050 contagious 1 and COM 2 were relatively species poor than COM 3 and type of distribution by Kershaw (1973). Similarly COM 4 although dominance was shared by a number of the sum of relative frequency (RF), relative density (RD), species. On the basis of Density, Frequency, Basal Area and and relative basal area (RBA) represented as Important IVI, the species Quercus floribunda, Q. leucotrichophora, Value Index (IVI) for various species and was computed Rhododendron arboreum were the most important and (Curtis 1959). The species richness was determined dominant species in all forest compartments of Mukteshwar as the number of species per unit area ‘Menhinick’s Mahadev forest (Table 4). However the abundance of Q. richness index (DMn; Whittaker 1965). However leucotrichophora seedlings in south aspect (COM 4) of this diversity (H’) was determined by using Shannon Wiener forest stand may be an indication towards the replacement of Index by Shannon et al. (1963). The concentration of dominant species (Q. floribunda by Q. leucotrichophora) in dominance (Cd) or Simpson’s index was calculated rest of the compartments (aspect) in near future. The forests (Simpson 1949). of Q. floribunda and Q. leucotrichophora which are later 34 ENVIS Centre on Himalayan Ecology successional and climax species, when disturbed by various anthropogenic factors (i.e. lopping, cutting, burning etc) are invaded by the early succession species such as Lyonia ovalifolia and Persea duthiei. But at the time of study no sign of lopping and burning were encountered in the study site, the forest was entirely intact. Table 1. Qualitative and quantitative characters of studied compartments of Mukteshwar Mahadev forest, Nainital district Alt. Dominant tree Associated Associated COM Aspect NS NG NF NT NSh NH Associated herbs (m asl) species tree shrubs Asparagus race- mosus, Berberis Q.