ELEVATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF TREE DIVERSITY IN LOWER HIMALAYA: A CASE STUDY OF PHULCHOKI HILL, NEPAL

Authors

  • Ruska Kattel
  • Bimala Devkota
  • Laxman K.C.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i3.13236

Keywords:

Elevation, Diversity, Density, Lower Himalaya

Abstract

 Changes in tree species composition with elevation have been studied at three distinct altitudinal ranges on the basis of dominance, in sub-tropical and temperate forests on south slopes of Phulchoki hill, central part of lower Himalaya, Nepal. The greatest number of tree species was found in the low altitude (1600 m), followed by intermediate altitude (1950 m). The highest altitude (2650 m) contained only one distinct tree species (Oak). Site I has higher species diversity (Shannon Index: 2.1863, Evenness Index: 0.852) and density (5575 individual per hectare) dominated by Castonopsis indica, Quercus glauca, Myrica esculenta and myrsine capitellate. Site II has average species diversity (Shannon Index: 1.759, Evenness Index: 0.9) and an average density (2150 individual per hectare) dominated by Rhododendron arboretum, Castanopsis tribuloides and Quercus incana. At site III the forest is entirely dominated by Quercus semicarpifolia, a high altitude Oak. A linear trend of decreasing tree species diversity and density along with elevations was seen which might be because of intense afforestation by communities at lower elevation as site I and II under community managed forest and lower altitudinal ecozone with clear zonation of elevational vegetation types.

International Journal of Environment

Volume-4, Issue-3, June-August 2015

Page: 130-139

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Abstract
1352
PDF
1497

Author Biographies

Ruska Kattel

Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Khumaltar, Lalitpur
3SchEMS, Pokhara University

Bimala Devkota

Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Khumaltar, Lalitpur
3SchEMS, Pokhara University

Laxman K.C.

Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, Khumaltar, Lalitpur
3SchEMS, Pokhara University

Downloads

Published

2015-08-24

How to Cite

Kattel, R., Devkota, B., & K.C., L. (2015). ELEVATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF TREE DIVERSITY IN LOWER HIMALAYA: A CASE STUDY OF PHULCHOKI HILL, NEPAL. International Journal of Environment, 4(3), 130–139. https://doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i3.13236

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3 (2015)

Section

Research Papers

License

The author(s) acknowledge that the manuscript submitted is his/her/their own original work; all authors participated in the work in a substantive way and are prepared to take public responsibility for the work; all authors have seen and approved the manuscript as submitted;  the manuscript has not been published and is not being submitted or considered for publication elsewhere; the text, illustrations, and any other materials included in the manuscript do not infringe(plagiarism) upon any existing copyright or other rights of anyone.

Notwithstanding the above, the Contributor(s) or, if applicable the Contributor’s Employer, retain(s) all proprietary rights other than copyright, such as Patent rights; to use, free of charge, all parts of this article for the author’s future works in books, lectures, classroom teaching or oral presentations; the right to reproduce the article for their own purposes provided the copies are not offered for sale.

The copyright to the contribution identified is transferred to IJE.