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Sudesh K Sorani , V. Joshi , G. C. S. Negi , J. K Rawat

Abstract

Nursery raising in Himalayan region is a very difficult proposition due to inclement weather conditions and higher chill factor. With a view to raise healthy plants for in time supply, a quick portable type solar warmer-cum-nursery plant protector (SWNPP) has been developed. Heat loss estimates and the extent of total solar impact at two different locations in the Himalayas have been worked out. Using commonly available materials a local village carpenter can very easily fabricate SWNPP unit. It can be installed by any unskilled worker quickly on the nursery bed as and when needed. And, therefore, these units have got heavy potential to be used in the temperature as well sub-tropical zones of Himalayas experiencing sudden weather changes and where full-scale greenhouses for various reasons are generally not working out feasible.

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Gunjan Joshi ¹, G. C. S. Negi ¹

Affiliations
1 G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 463, IN

Abstract

Physico-chemical properties of soil of two dominant forest types in Western Himalaya, viz. oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) and pine (Pinus roxburghii) across three soil depths, and winter and rainy seasons were analysed. In general, all the soil parameters, viz. soil moisture, water-holding capacity, organic carbon and total nitrogen decreased significantly with increasing soil depth in both the forests. However, pH did not show any trend with soil depth. All the soil physicochemical parameters were found significantly higher for oak forests compared to pine forests. The topsoil layer (0-30 cm depth) of both the forests had high concentration of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total N. Shallower distribution of the most limiting nutrients for plants such as N was in agreement with earlier reports. A declining nutrient concentration with increasing soil depth may explain that the zone of accumulation of nutrients is not well established in the forest soils of this mountainous region due to strong leaching effect. With regard to nutrient extraction from deeper soil layers, the deep-ischolar_mained oak forest has competitive advantage over the shallow-ischolar_mained pine forest. Considering that SOC stored in the surface layer is more vulnerable and less stable than that in the deeper layers, the topsoil of these forests should be protected to minimize the risk of large carbon release. The oak forests should be given priority over the pine forests in afforestation and conservation programmes to sequester and stock high amounts of carbon in the soil pool and contribute towards mitigation of climate change impacts.

Keywords

Nutrient Concentration, Oak and Pine Forests, Soil Depth, Soil Physico-Chemical Properties.

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G. C. S. Negi ¹, R. S. Rawal ¹, S. Sharma ¹, Kireet Kumar ¹, P. P. Dhyani ¹

Affiliations
1 G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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Bhaskar Ch. Joshi ¹, G. P. Pande ¹, G. C. S. Negi ¹, R. S. Rawal ¹, Rajesh Joshi ¹, Subrat Sharma ¹, D. S. Rawat ¹, Anushree Bhattachaijee ²

Affiliations
1 G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, IN
2 International Union for Conservation of Nature, New Delhi 110 049,, IN

Abstract

Land degradation is a global problem caused by a variety of factors or processes which include soil erosion by water/wind, deterioration in physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and loss of its productive potential. Worldwide about 2 billion hectare of degraded lands has opportunities of restoration1. Estimates of degraded land in India vary from 30 to 175 million hectare (m ha) (ref. 2). Among the Indian States, Uttarakhand, a predominantly mountainous State, ranks 20th in terms of area under wasteland, which has 23.91% area under degraded land3. The Bonn Challenge is a global effort to bring 150 m ha of deforested and degraded land into restoration by 2020 and 350 m ha by 2030, contributing to the international commitments on climate change, biodiversity conservation and land degradation4. India was one of the first countries in Asia to commit to the Bonn Challenge, pledging to bring under restoration 13 m ha land by 2020 and another 8 m ha land by 2030 at COP21 of UNFCCC in Paris.

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S. P. Singh ¹, A. Bhattacharyya ², Amit Mittal ³, Aseesh Pandey ⁴, Ashish Tewari ³, Avantika Latwal ⁵, Bency David ², Bhupendra S. Adhikari ⁶, Devendra Kumar ⁴, G. C. S. Negi ¹, Ishfaq Ahmad Mir ⁷, Krishna Kumar Tamta ³, Kumar Sambhav ⁵, Mayank Shekhar ², Mohit Phulara ⁵, Munisa Manzoor ⁷, Nandan Singh ³, Pankaj Tewari ¹, Parminder S. Ranhotra ², Pradeep Singh ⁵, Pratap Dhaila ¹, Priyanka Sah ⁵, Rahul Kumar ⁶, Rajesh Joshi ⁵, Ranbeer S. Rawal ⁵, Renu Rawal ⁵, Ripu Daman Singh ¹, Shruti Shah ³, Subrat Sharma ⁵, Subzar Ahmad Nanda ⁷, Surabhi Gumber ¹, Utsa Singh ¹, Zafar Reshi ⁷

Affiliations
1 Central Himalayan Environment Association, 6 Waldorf Compound, Mallital, Nainital 263 001, IN
2 Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, 53, University Road, Lucknow 226 007, IN
3 Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, D.S.B. Campus, Kumaun University, Nainital 263 001, IN
4 G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Sikkim Regional Centre, Pangthang, Gangtok 737 101, IN
5 G. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development (GBPNIHESD), Kosi-Katramal, Almora 263 643, IN
6 Department of Habitat Ecology, Wildlife Institute of India, P.O. Box 18, Chandrabani, Dehradun 248 001, IN
7 Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar 190 006, IN

Abstract

This article enumerates the findings of a team research on the Indian Himalayan timberline ecotone, with focus on three sites (located in Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Sikkim). Timberline elevation increased from west to east, was higher in the warmer south aspect than the cooler north aspect, and was generally depressed. Betula, Abies, Rhododendron and Juniperus were important treeline genera. The Himalaya has not only the highest treelines (Juniperus tibetica, at 4900 m), but also the widest elevational range (>1700 m). Remotely sensed data revealed that the timberline is a long, twisting and turning ecotone, traversing a length of 8–10 km per km horizontal distance. Surface temperature lapse rate in the monsoonal regions was lower (–0.53°C/100 m elevation) than generally perceived and varied considerably with season, being the lowest in December. The Himalayan treeline species are not water-stressed at least in monsoonal regions, predawn tree water potential seldom getting below –1 MPa. The upward advance of Rhododendron campanulatum (a krummholz species) may deplete alpine meadows with climatic warming. Tree-ring chronology indicated that winter warming may be favouring Abies spectabilis. Early snowmelt increased growth period and species richness. Treelines generally are stable in spite of decades of warming. Dependence of people on timberline was still high; so economic interventions are required to reduce the same.

Keywords

Climate Change, Temperature Lapse Rate, Timberline Ecotone And Elevation, Tree Water Relation, Treeline Genera.

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