D. C. Sharma , P. L. Taneja , A. P. S. Bisht

Abstract

The biomass, prductivity and nutrient cycling in a 24 year old Dalbergia sissoo plantation have been discussed in this paper. Out of the total above-ground biomass of 162 metric tonnes/ha the ischolar_mains contribute 15.4 per cent. Maximum concentration of nitrogen was observed in leaf and minimum in the bole. The highest concentration of calcium was found in bark and least in the bole. As compared with the annual uptake of nutrients, 63 per cent N, 50 per cent P, 48 per cent K, 67 per cent Ca and 57 per cent of Mg are returned to the soil annually through litter fall.

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P. K. Pande , A. P. S. Bisht , S. C. Sharma

Abstract

The present study deals with the comparative vegetation analysis of the four plantations of sal, teak, pine and eucalypts at New Forest, Dehra Dun. The higher density values and species richness in the plantations of pine, sal and teak were due to the stand maturity. The total basal cover (cm² 100 m^-2) followed the order; Pine (5308.33)> sal (4002.21)> teak (2887.27)> eucalypts (1106.88), whereas IVI was the highest for eucalypts and sal (300) followed by teak (203.18) and pine (142.61) in their respective plantations. Comparatively, more diversity was observed for pine, while minimum for euculypts stand on both density and IVI basis. The distribution pattern of different tree species was contagious in all the plantations except pine, where it was random for most of the species. The highest values of concentration of dominance (on IVI basis) observed for sal and eucalypts, are attributed to the monospecific nature of their stands. In conclusion, it seems that different silvicultural operations like thinning, burning, weeding, etc. may create a possible route for the invasion of new species even during the premature age of the plantation.

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J. D. S. Negi , S. C. Sharma , A. P. S. Bisht

Abstract

Studies on forest floor and soil nutrient reserve (0-25 cm) under five eucalypts (E. acmenoides, E. eugenoides, E. paniculata, E. pilularis and E. propinqua) plantations were carried out in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. These studies reveal that the forest floor behaviour was similar to that of tropical forest, while the soil nutrient status was akin to the temperate forest of the world. Thus, the soil nutrient status is well developed under eucalypts plantation.

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