Phytodiversity and medicinal plant distribution in pasturelands of North Western Himalaya in relation to environmental gradients

This study aimed at elucidating phytodiversity of pasturelands of North-western Kashmir Himalayan biotic province in relation to various environmental gradients, with added focus on assessing distribution of important threatened medicinal plant taxa across surveyed pasturelands. A total of 16 sites that spanned across a broad altitudinal gradient(2502-4120 m) were selected. Phytosociological data like density, cover, frequency and abundance of vascular flora were collected and processed using gradient analysis. Soil moisture, nitrogen, organic carbon, acidity and electrical conductivity, altitude, degree of slope and human disturbance were recorded from each site. Analysis of species composition showed a total of 293 species of vascular plants, belonging to 192 genera and 64 families recorded from surveyed sites. Rank abundance exhibited that majority of species are locally rare and patchily distributed, with over 60% of species recording frequencies between 0%-20% and none showing frequencies more than 80%. Species richness showed significant variations and ranged from 20(Parihasmaidan) to 114(Nagbarren) for macro and 3.53±2.11(Thajwas) to 8.76± 1.01(Marsar) for micro-scale of measurement. The ShannonWiener(H') and Simpson's diversity(Ds) indices also varied greatly and were recorded highest(H'= 2.76 Ds= 0.36) for Marsar and lowest(0.87 0.62) for Parihasmaidan. The diversity attributes suggested that pasturelands with lower species richness and diversity on macro-scale were not always species poor and less diverse on micro-measurement scale. The life form groupings highlighted the hemicryptophytic character of vegetation and species with highest importance value index were Sibbaldia cuneata(5.71), Rumex nepalensis(2.89), Juniperus wallichiana(2.88), Cynodon dactylon(2.83), Poa annua(2.49) and Sambucus wightiana(2.41). The results of canonical correspondence analysis showed that effect of altitude and anthropogenic disturbance was overriding and among various environmental factors, species distribution was mainly correlated with altitude along first canonical axis, while to second axis anthropogenic disturbances were important. Using generalized additive model, these variables also appeared as significant predictors for distribution of various threatened taxa. The findings of this study may thus help in evolving an appropriate strategy and an ecological management tool for long term conservation and management of these mountain ecosystems.     

Extraction, utilization pattern and prioritization of fuel resources for conservation in Manali Wildlife Sanctuary, Northwestern Himalaya

Fuelwood is the main source of the energy in mountainous regions.Hence,annual wood consumption is very high.Information on fuelwood resources,and their extraction and availability is very scanty.Therefore,present study was carried out to study the diversity of fuelwood species,annual collection,preference and availability of fuel species in the forests.Thirty four species(25 trees and 9 shrubs) were extracted for fuel by the inhabitants.Total collection and species preference was highest for Picea smithiana,Cedrus deodara,Indigofera heterantha,Pinus wallchiana and Sorbaria tomentosa,respectively.Resource use index indicating use pressure was highest for P.smithiana,C.deodara,I.heterantha and Abies pindrow,respectively.Besides native species,some non-native horticultural and agroforestry species such as Malus pumila,P.domestica,Celtis australis,etc.were also being used as fuel.Preferred species showed their availability in eight forest types whereas,population and regeneration status was poor.Therefore,immediate actions are suggested to sustain current and future demand of fuelwood.The afforestation of degraded,uncultivated and marginal lands through high quality and preferred fuel species might reduce pressure on wild and selective species.     

Understory vascular plant community assembly in relation to time-since-fire and environmental variables in a Chinese boreal forest

Understanding the response of understory vegetation to fire disturbance is vital to biodiversity conservation and management of boreal forests. We surveyed understory vascular plant richness and composition, and measured related environmental variables along a toposequence within three successional stages, initial (3 years post-fire), early (13 years post-fire) and late (>100 years post-fire) successional stages. Using permutation multivariate ANOVA and nonmetric multidimensional scaling, we analyzed how understory species richness and composition change as time-since-fire proceeds, and their correlative relationships with environmental variables. Species richness and composition showed significant differences among the three successional stages. Understory species richness and abundance were significantly associated with time-since-fire, topographic position, elevation and organic layer depth. Among these variables, time-since-fire had the strongest effect and topographic position was the second major factor on affecting understory community assembly. In addition, time-since-fire overwhelmed the effects of soil pH in the initial successional stage and gravimetric soil moisture in early and late successional stages on understory species composition     

Soil nutrients in relation to vertical roots distribution in the riparian zone of Three Gorges Reservoir,China

Since the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), the riparian zone has been subjected to numerous environmental changes. This study was conducted to recognize the distribution of grass roots and its impacts on soil nutrients in the water level fluctuation zone of TGR. Roots of four predominant herbaceous plants in the study area, specifically, Cynodon dactylon, Hemarthria altissima, Hemarthria compressa, and Paspalum paspaloides, and their corresponding relation with soil nutrient contents were investigated. Root surface area density was determined with WinRHIZO, and the relationships of root distribution with soil depths and soil nutrient contents were studied. The results indicates that most roots are distributed in the top soil layer of 0–10 cm. Estimated root surface area density for the selected grass species ranges from 0.16 to 13.44 cm2/cm3, and decreases exponentially with an increase in soil depth. Soil organic matter and total nitrogen contents are significantly lower on bare control area than the corresponding values on the grasslands. Total nutrient contents on grasslands of C. dactylon and H. compressa are higher than those of other grass areas. Root length density and root surface area density are significantly correlated with soil organic matter and total nitrogen content for the four grasslands. The present results suggests that plant roots have significant effects on the distribution of soil nutrients in soil profiles in the riparian zone along the TGR. Nevertheless, additional investigations are needed to reveal the specific interactions between plant roots distribution, soil nutrients and water level fluctuations.     

Diatom distribution in surface sediments from Chinese inshore waters and the relationship to modern environmental variables

Diatoms are widely used to study past and present changes in the marine environment. Unimodal models are appropriate for exploring the relationship between environmental properties in Chinese inshore waters and fossil diatom species derived from modem surface sediments. The best-fit relationships between two multivariate datasets （diatom species and environmental variables） were identified using canonical correspondence analysis （CCA）, which is a constrained ordination technique. The absolute abundance of diatoms in the Chinese inshore waters ranged from 500 to 48 000 valves/g, and the average absolute abundance of all the 29 sites was l l 300 valves/g. 153 species and varieties of diatoms belonging to 42 genera in all were identified in the Chinese inshore waters. There were 28 dominant diatom species in all. According to the absolute abundance of the dominant species and the spatial distribution of the currents from the Chinese inshore waters, 12 diatom assemblages were distinguished from north to south, which reflected the different oceanographic conditions at the regional scale. Of the eight environmental variables considered, the most important environmental variable is winter sea surface salinity （WSS）, which was also the only environmental variable with statistical significance. Therefore, it may be used to establish a transfer functions for the Chinese inshore waters in future paleoclimate studies.     

The influence of environmental variables on distribution patterns of Irano-Turanian forests in Alborz Mountains,Iran

Topographic and edaphic variables are the main ecological factor determining species spatial variability on mountainous forests. A field study was performed in central Alborz to investigate how the edaphic and topographic parameters can affect the tree and shrub communities. Initially, 27 forest stands were identified and the homogeneous units were separated regarding physiognomy. In each single homogeneous unit, one random sample plot (1000 m2) and totally 43 plots were established. In each plot, the presence and abundance of all trees and shrubs were recorded and four soil samples were taken from depths of 0-5 and 5-20 cm. Concerning classification results, eight different forest communities were identified. The lowest and highest soil pH values were observed in Malus orientalis and pistacia-Amygdalus communities, respectively. The water saturation percent of pure- and mixed Juniperus excelsa and Rhus coriaria was the highest amongst communities. The clay content was the highest in pure J. excelsa. The 0-5 organic matter and Nitrogen content in mixed J. excelsa were significantly higher than pure J. excelsa and other communities. The CCA (Canonical Correspondence Analysis) results indicated that the altitude, precipitation, pH, EC, SP, clay and CaCO₃ are the most important factors determine the distribution of trees and shrub in central Alborz     

Socio-economic and environmental implications of the hydroelectric projects in Uttarakhand Himalaya, India

This paper deals with detailed analysis of the fiasco created by the Tehri High Dam in Uttarakhand, India, particularly in terms of resettlement and rehabilitation of the local inhabitants. Aspects pertaining to the environmental issues are also discussed. Currently, the river valleys in Uttarakhand state of India are the targets of increasing hydroelectric projects. Virtually all rivers are being exploited for generating environmental friendly power. Having being learned the hard lesson from Tehri Dam, it has been decided to opt for such schemes in which comparatively little submergence and tempering with the fragile eco-systems is involved.However, our observations suggest that even in such schemes if due care is not taken they may turn out to be a failure.     

Diversity, distribution and prioritization of fodder species for conservation in Kullu District, Northwestern Himalaya, India

In the Indian Himalayan Region predominantly rural in character, livestock is one of the main sources of livelihood and integral part of the economy. Livestock mostly rely on fodder from wild. The diversity, distribution, utilization pattern, nativity, endemism, rarity, seasonality of availability, nutritive values, perceived economic values and pressure use index of livestock have not been studied. The present study attempts to enumerate 150 species of fodder representing trees (51 spp.), shrubs (54 spp.) and herbs (45 spp.). Poaceae (19 spp.) and Fabaceae (13 spp.) amongst families and Salix (6 spp.), Ficus, Clematis, and Desmodium (5 spp., each) amongst genera are rich in species. Maximum species were found in the 1801 ~ 2600 m zone, and the remaining two zones showed relatively low diversity. Out of the 150 species, 109 are used in summer, 5 winter and 36 throughout year. During rainy season, mostly grasses are used as fodder. Only 83 species are native to the Himalayan region, one species, Strobilanthus atropuroureus is endemic and 35 species are near endemic. The nutritive values of the fodder species were reviewed, and economic values and status of the species were also assessed. The pressure use index of the species was calculated on the basis of cumulative values of the utilization pattern, altitudinal distribution, availability, status, nativity and endemism. Amongst the species, Grewia oppositifoilia, Morus serrata, Indigofera heterantha, Quercus leucotrichphora, Ulmus villosa, U. wallichiana and Aesculus indica showed highest PUI indicating high preference and pressure. Season wise prioritization of the species for different altitudinal zones has been done. Appropriate strategy and action plan have been suggested for the conservation and management of fodder species.     

Assessment of diversity, distribution, conservation status and preparation of management plan for medicinal plants in the catchment area of parbati hydroelectric project stage — III in Northwestern Himalaya

The developmental activities, particularly the construction of hydroelectric projects are causing a great loss of biodiversity in the Indian Himalayan Region. The Himachal Pradesh, a part of IHR is well known for the development of hydroelectric projects. The Parbati H.E. Project is amongst the major projects of the State. The different stages of the project are all causing loss of biodiversity of the area. Stage III of the Parbati H.E. Project is a run of the river scheme on the Sainj River downstream of Power House of Parbati H.E. Project Stage II. The project shall utilize regulated discharge of Parbati H.E. Project Stage II and inflow of River Sainj for power generation, and has been contemplated as a peaking station operating in tandem with Stage II. The present study has been undertaken to see the impact of hydroelectric project on the biodiversity, particularly on medicinal plants. A total of 104 species of medicinal plants, belonging to different life forms, i.e., trees (23 spp.), shrubs (22 spp.), herbs (57 spp.) and ferns (2 spp.) were recorded. The species have been analyzed and studied for their distribution, classification, altitudinal zones, part (s) used, indigenous uses, nativity, endemism and rarity. DDifferent parts of these species, such as whole plants, roots (including rhizomes and tubers), leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, stems, barks, spikes, nuts and insect galls are used by the inhabitants for curing various diseases and ailments. 30 species are native to the Himalayan region, 9 species native to the Himalayan region and adjacent countries also and 65 species are non-natives. 9 species are near endemics. Considering the whole Himalaya as a biogeographic unit (sensu lato), the near endemics are endemic to the Himalaya. Among these species, Zanthoxylum armatum is categorized as Endangered and Valeriana wallichii as Vulnerable. Hedychium spicatum, Rhus javanica, Berberis lycium, Thalictrum foliolossum, Salvia lanata, Rubia cordifolia and Bergenia ligulata may be considered as threatened species due to their over exploitation for trade. 90 species are propagated by seeds, 8 species by seeds and rhizomes/roots/tubers, 4 species by seeds and cuttings, and 2 species by sori. A management plan for the cultivation and conservation of the medicinal plants in the dam submergence area, and the commercially viable medicinal plants with high value in the catchment area is suggested.     

Species diversity and population status of threatened plants in different landscape elements of the Rohtang Pass,western Himalaya

This paper highlights the quantitative estimates of plant species diversity and ecosystems of the Rohtang Pass,which is one of the most preferred visiting spots by tourists in Himachal Pradesh （H.P.）,India. In spite of high pressure of anthropogenic activities,the Rohtang Pass still harbours a variety of flowering plants with economic value,including various medicinal herbs. In order to observe species diversity in different landscape elements （LSEs）,ground surveys were conducted in nine unique LSEs within the elevation range between 3624 m and 4332 m. Plant community structure in each LSE was studied using stratified random sampling where a total 56 quadrats of 1 m^2 in size for herbs and 7 quadrats of 25 m^2 for shrubs were made. Of the total 50 plant species belonging to 15 families recorded in different random quadrats,24 species were found of medicinal value. Maximum species richness （18） and value of Shannon diversity （H＇=2.2648） were observed on northeast-facing slope in Picrorhiza kurrooa dominated LSE in moist area,followed by Rheum emodi LSE （species richness = 17 and H＇ = 2.4141） distributed on south-facing slope. Maximum values of species richness and Shannon diversity in Rheum emodi LSE were observed between 8 ～ 12 and 1.4797 ～ 2.1911,respectively. Rhododendron anthopogon dominated LSE on northwest-facing slope was found least diverse in terms of species richness where the Simpson index of dominance （D） was 0.4205. The species were equal in abundance in P. kurrooa LSE on east-facing slope and Pleurospermum candollii LSE on north-facing slope,showing the maximum similarity in terms of species distribution between the two LSEs. Low turnover of species across common LSEs gives an idea regarding their limited distribution. Five species of threatened category according to the IUCN criteria were observed in seven LSEs. The largest population of threatened medicinal plants was recorded on northeast and northwest-facing slopes where population density of Bergenia stracheyi （     

Seasonal and spatial distribution of trace metals in alpine soils of Eastern Tibetan Plateau,China

The distribution of trace metals in remote alpine region is an effective way to understand the impacts of regional human activity and vegetation on the alpine ecosystem. In this study, the concentrations of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in the soils of Gongga Mountain, Eastern Tibetan Plateau, were investigated to reveal their seasonal and spatial distribution and enrichment state, and to decipher the effects of atmospheric deposition and vegetation on their distributions among five vegetation zones. The results showed that the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn were higher in the O horizon than in other horizons despite the seasonal changes, whereas Cu was enriched in the C horizon. The enrichment states of the metals studied in the soils decreased in the order of Cd > Pb > Zn > Cu. Cd and Pb were mainly sourced from atmospheric deposition; Zn was from both atmospheric deposition and parent materials, whereas Cu was mainly from parent materials. Seasonally, the trace metals were generally higher in May and December but lower in September, implying the impact of vegetation on the distribution of trace metals under the plant uptake and the litter decomposition. Spatially, the higher enrichment of Cu, Pb, and Zn in the soils existed in the mixed broadleaf-coniferous forests and coniferous forests (approximately 3000 m above sea level). The results suggested that atmospheric deposition and biological processes are main factors controlling the seasonal and spatial distribution of trace metals in the soils of the remote alpine ecosystem.     

Effect of geojute technique on density,diversity and carbon stock of plant species in landslide site of North West Himalaya

Mountainous regions of the globe experience landslides due to heavy rainfall and unplanned construction on slopes. Geojute is adopted globally as a landslide rehabilitation measure, but its impact on natural vegetation development is poorly understood. The present study was conducted to examine the impact of geojute application on vegetation restoration, ecology and carbon stock in a recently occurred landslide, during 2012. The results revealed that the geojute application improved the richness, diversity, density and basal area of plant species at the landslide site. Likewise, biomass production, carbon stock and carbon sequestration of plant species was observed significantly higher in geojute treatments compared to control (without geojute treatment). Moreover, significant improvement in soil moisture was recorded beneath the geojute treatments. Further, results showed that the geojute is highly effective in controlling soil erosion at the landslide site. The findings of this study revealed ecological and environmental benefits of geojute application in term of improvement in vegetation recovery processes, species diversity and carbon sequestration at the landslide site. The scientific outcome of this study can be helpful for planning the rehabilitation measures in landslide affected regions of the globe.     

Responses and feedback of litter properties and soil mesofauna to herbaceous plants expansion into the alpine tundra on Changbai Mountain,China

Global climate changes result in the expansion of lower elevation plants to higher elevations.The rapid upward expansion of herbaceous plants into the alpine tu...     

Distribution of microbial populations and their relationship with environmental variables in the North Yellow Sea, China

In order to understand the large-scale spatial distribution characteristics of picoplankton,nanophytoplankton and virio-plankton and their relationship with environmental variables in coastal and offshore waters,flow cytometry(FCM) was used to ana-lyze microbial abundance of samples collected in summer from four depths at 36 stations in the North Yellow Sea(NYS).The data revealed spatial heterogeneity in microbial populations in the offshore and near-shore waters of the NYS during the summer.For the surface layer,picoeukaryotes were abundant in the near-shore waters,Synechococcus was abundant in the offshore areas,and bacte-rial and viral abundances were high in the near-shore waters around the Liaodong peninsula.In the near-shore waters,no significant vertical variation of picophytoplankton(0.2-2μm) abundance was found.However,the nanophytoplankton abundance was higher in the upper layers(from the surface to 10 m depth) than in the bottom layer.For the offshore waters,both pico-and nanophytoplankton(2-20μm) abundance decreased sharply with depth in the North Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass(NYSCWM).But,for the vertical dis-tribution of virus and bacteria abundance,no significant variation was observed in both near-shore and offshore waters.Autotrophic microbes were more sensitive to environmental change than heterotrophic microbes and viruses.Viruses showed a positive correla-tion with bacterial abundance,suggesting that the bacteriophage might be prominent for virioplankton(about 0.45μm) in summer in the NYS and that viral abundance might play an important role in microbial loop functions.     

Phenotypic plasticity of floral traits and pollination adaption in an alpine plant Pedicularis siphonantha D. Don when transplanted from higher to lower elevation in Eastern Himalaya

Phenotypic plasticity and/or pollinatormediated selection may be responsible for the changes in floral traits of plants when they are forced to live in new conditions. Although the two events could be independent, we hypothesized that phenotypic plasticity in floral traits might help to coordinate plant-pollinator interactions and enhance plant reproductive success in changing habitats. To test this hypothesis, we investigated floral traits and pollination on three natural populations of a lousewort(Pedicularis siphonantha) ranging at different elevations, as well as two downward transplanted populations in Shangeri-La County and Deqin County, northwest Yunnan, China. The results indicated that floral traits, i.e. phenology, longevity,display size, corolla tube length and pollen production differed significantly among populations. Moreover,or the two transplanted populations, floral traits diverged from their original populations, but converged to their host populations. Although the phenotypic plasticity in floral traits might be a rapid response to abiotic factor such as warmer environment, the changes in floral traits were found to be well adapted to pollination environment of the host population. Compared with plants of their original habitats in higher elevation, the transplanted individuals advanced flowering time, shortened flower longevity, reduced floral display size and pollen production, received higher visiting frequency and yielded more seeds. These findings suggested that phenotypic plasticity of floral traits might help plants adjust their resource allocation strategy between preand post-pollination stages in response to harsh or temperate conditions, which might correspondingly meet a pollinator-poor or hyphen rich environment.This would be beneficial for the widely-distributed species to adapt to various environmental changes.     

Zooplankton community of Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) Manipur,India in relation to the physico-chemical variables of the water

Keibul Lamjao National Park(KLNP), a floating park in Loktak Lake, Manipur(India) was studied from Winter(WIN) to Post Monsoon(POM) for its zooplankton composition and some selected water parameters. The resultant data were subjected to multivariate techniques ? Principal Component Analysis(PCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis(CCA). Analyses of water parameters with PCA revealed that the first PC axis(PC1) accounts for maximum variance in the seasonal data, explaining a variability of 91%. The PCA revealed that the seasonal variability in water parameters was due to the wet and dry cycle of seasons and the stations were distinguished on the basis of transparency and turbidity. Zooplankton abundance was dominated by copepods followed by cladocerans. Temporally, abundance of copepods reached a maximum during Post-monsoon(POM)(3 880 ind./L). Spatially, S6 was found to be most abundant of the other stations in zooplankton. Copepodites and nauplii larvae were the major components of zooplankton. The Rotifera were the least abundant among the three zooplankton groups. Brachionus formed the major component of Rotifera zooplankton at all the stations during the study period. In the Cladocera, Macrothrix was present during all the four seasons, while Pleuroxus, Oxyurella, Kurzia and, Diaphanosoma were rare. The CCA shows that maximal temporal variability in zooplankton abundance was explained by temperature and rainfall. ANOVA revealed no significant difference in mean zooplankton abundance among the seasons, but there was a statistically significant difference among the sites.     

Effects of degradation succession of alpine wetland on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen in the Yellow River source zone,west China

Wetland is an important carbon pool,and the degradation of wetlands causes the loss of organic carbon and total nitrogen.This study aims to explore how wetland degradation succession affects soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)contents in alpine wetland.A field survey of 180 soilsampling profiles was conducted in an alpine wetland that has been classified into three degradation succession stages.The SOC and TN contents of soil layers from 0 to 200 cm depth were studied,including their distribution characteristics and the relationship between microtopography.The results showed that SOC and TN of different degradation succession gradients followed the ranked order of Non Degradation(ND)>Light Degradation(LD)>Heavy Degradation(HD).SWC was positively correlated with SOC and TN(p<0.05).As the degree of degradation succession worsened,SOC and TN became more sensitive to the SWC.Microtopography was closely related to the degree of wetland degradation succession,SWC,SOC and TN,especially in the topsoil(0-30 cm).This result showed that SWC was an important indicator of SOC/TN in alpine wetland.It is highly recommended to strengthen water injection into the wetland as a means of effective restoration to reverse alpine meadow back to marsh alpine wetland.     

Spatial distribution of pico-and nano-phytoplankton and bacteria in the Chukchi Sea in relation to water masses

We evaluated the relationships between water masses and pico- and nano-phytoplankton and bacterial abundance in the Chukchi Sea. The abundance of picoplankton ranged from 0.01 ~ 103 cells.mL1 （100 m, station R05） to 2.21 x 103 cells.mL-1 （10 m, station R05） and that of nanoplankton ranged from 0.03 x 103 cells.mL-I （100 m, station R07） to 2.21 ~ 104 cells.mLq （10 m, station R05）. The lowest abundance of bacteria in the whole water column （0.21 x 106 cells.mLq） was at 100 m at station R17, and the highest （9.61 x 106 cells.mLL） was at 10 m at station R09. Melting sea ice affected the physical characteristics of the Chukchi Sea by reducing salinity of the surface mixed layer, resulting in greater hydrodynamic stability of the water column. These changes were accompanied by increased bacterial abundance. The warm Pacific water brought nutrients into the Chukchi Sea, resulting in greater abundance of bacteria and nano-phytoplankton in the Chukchi Sea than in other regions of the Arctic Ocean. However, the abundance of pico-phytoplankton, which was related to chlorophyll a concentration, was higher in Anadyr water than in the other two water masses. The structures ofpico- and nanoplankton communities coupled with the water masses in the Chuk- chi Sea can serve as indicators of the inflow of warm Pacific water into the Chukchi Sea.     

Sources and distribution of particulate organic carbon in Great Wall Cove and Ardley Cove,King George Island,West Antarctica

Concentrations of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), particulate organic carbon (POC) and its stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) were analyzed to investigate the biogeochemical characteristics and sources of...