Archive | 2021
A Landscape-Level Assessment of Composition, Structural Heterogeneity and Distribution Pattern of Trees in Temperate Forest of Kashmir Himalaya, India
Abstract
\n Background: A landscape-level quantitative assessment of tree species was conducted across three forest types viz., low-level blue pine (BP), mixed conifer (MC) and subalpine (SA) forests of Kashmir Himalaya, India to ascertain patterns of species composition, and stand structure heterogeneity. We performed analyses of tree composition and structural heterogeneity, and multivariate ordination for the distribution of species across the landscape. Results: In total, thirteen tree species ranging from five in SA forest to ten species in MC forest were recorded. There was an overall forest compositional dissimilarity among the forest types. Pinus wallichiana and Abies pindrow were exclusive dominants under BP and SA forests, respectively, whereas, Abies pindrow and Pinus wallichaiana prevailed in sampled plots from mid-elevation MC forest. Pinaceae family contributing more than 98% individual stems was the most speciose and dominant, followed by Sapindaceae (0.52%) and Betulaceae (0.44%). Stand density, basal area, as well as mean DBH differed among the forest types with an overall positive response to elevation. Besides MC forest, the diameter class distribution of BP and SA forests displayed characteristics ‘reverse J-shaped’ pattern, concluding its degenerated forest structure. Abies pindrow and Pinus wallichiana across the forests showed bell-shaped tree size distribution, indicated sporadic recruitment and/or due to targeting specific size classes. A single cluster in SA forest and two sub-clusters in BP and MC forests were displayed in abundance and species-based Bray-Curtis cluster analysis. Topographical factors, elevation and slope, were identified as the principal factors of tree species distribution patterns and positively correlated with Canonical Correspondence Analysis 1 (CCA1) and CCA2, respectively. Conclusions: The quantitative landscape-level inventory of diversity across forest types indicated an overall less heterogenous tree composition with structural heterogeneity. CCA predicted elevation and slope as principal drivers determining species distribution. Information about these forest attributes are expected to provide better ecological insights and prospects for sustainable forest management and utilisation, and improving conservation strategies and ecosystem services.