Orus Ilyas , Jamal A. Khan

Abstract

Socio-economic and threat assessment survey were conducted at 18 oak patches in Kumaon Himalayas. Total 84 Gram sabhas (revenue villages) and 184 villages were surveyed. Human as well livestock population was found to be maximum in Mechh (20,000, 25000 respectively). The mean tree species density was found to be maximum in Gasi (1006.37/ha), while minimum in Kunjakharak (280.25). Tree species diversity was found to be maximum in Munsiyari (2.51), while it was found to be minimum in Mukteshwer (1.01). Mean tree cutting was recorded maximum in Mukteshwer (7.3±1.3), while it was found to be minimum in Kunjakharak (1.3±0.36). Tree lopping was highest in Pandavkholi (8.1±1.3) and found minimum in Pindari and Binayak (0.01± 0.1). Various threat factors were asses and the threats scores were calculated for different sites in Kumaon Himalayas. The most threatened site was recorded as Jageshwer, Gager, Sitlakhet, while least threatened surveyed site was recorded as Duku, Pindari, Sobla etc. The conservation problems and the management recommendation for biodiversity conservation have been discussed in the paper.

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Tanweer A. Dar , Bilal Habib , Jamal A. Khan

Abstract

The paper deals with the variation of the vegetation along an altitudinal gradient in the Phakot Watershed - mosaic of civil and reserve forest inhabited by more than 20 hamlets. Phakot Watershed Area (PWA) is a part of Phakot beat of Saklana range of Garhwal Himalaya. The vegetation of the Phakot falls under Himalayan temperate forest. Tree cover (F = 6.189, P < 0.000) and shrub cover (F = 9.313, P < 0.000), varied significantly across different habitat types. Tree cover was highest at middle altitude. Quercus leucotrichophora was the dominant tree species (lVI 98.6) and contributed 31 % to the total density of PWA. Aspect also showed variation in terms of density, diversity and richness of trees and shrubs in the PWA. Cluster analysis separated agriculture land as the most dissimilar habitat mainly because oflack oftree species. Phakot, being one of the micro-watershed areas of the Garhwal Himalaya, but its strategic location with respect to outer and inner Himalaya explained the gradation of the vegetation wi th respect to altitude and aspect.

Keywords

Vegetation, Altitude, Phakot Watershed, Garhwal Himalaya, Aspect

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Junid N. Shah ¹, Rajiv Kalsi ², Rahul Kaul ³, Jamal A. Khan ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Wildlife Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh – 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, IN
2 Department of Zoology, M.L.N. College, Yamuna Nagar - 135 001, Haryana, IN
3 Wildlife Trust of India, Noida, U.P., IN

Abstract

No Abstract.

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