Earticle

The present study was undertaken in middle altitudinal (1500 to 2500 masl) moist temperate forest of Mandal-Chopta area in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. The aim of the present study was to assess the variation in species composition and diversity in different vegetation layers viz. herb, shrub and tree, at different altitudes. Shannon-Wiener diversity index ( H ), Nha-1, total basal cover per hectare (G), Simpson concentration of dominance, Pielou Equitability, species richness (SR), Margalef index, Menheink index of species richness and β-diversity were calculated to understand community composition. Tree G ranged from 84.25 to 35.08 m2ha-1 and total stem density varied from 990 to 1470 Nha-1. Total SR (herb, shrub and trees) among different forest types ranged between 31 and 58. Maximum G of herb and shrub layers was recorded at lower altitudes between 1500 and 1650 masl. β-diversity was higher in herb layers as compared to tree and shrub layers. Dominance-diversity curves were also drawn to ascertain resource apportionment among various species in different forest types. Values of species diversity, H, Nha-1 and G were higher in the study area as compared to similar forests growing in other parts of Uttarakhand Himalaya.

Based upon the vegetation data of woody plants by plot sampling method in the natural deciduous forest of Mt. Jeombong, the study was carried out to examine importance value, rank abundance curve, and species abundance curve, and comparatively evaluate seven different species diversity indices for Shannon-Wiener index, Simpson index, McIntosh index, Log series, Margalef index, Berger-Parker index, and species richness, according to topographic positions. The minimal area which meant only few more species were increased was 3.48 ha in total. The dominant species of valley were Carpinus cordata, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, Quercus mongolica, Acer mono, and Abies holophylla, and the dominant species of mid-slope were Quercus mongolica, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, Carpinus cordata, Tilia amurensis, and Fraxinus rhynchophylla. Moreover, the dominant species of ridge were Quercus mongolica, Acer pseudo-sieboldianum, Tilia amurensis, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, and Acer mono. According to rank abundance curve and species abundance curve, species evenness was also low. All of Log series, species richness, Margalef, and Shannon-Wiener index discriminated that valley had the highest diversity, and ridge had the lowest diversity; but, Simpson index, McIntosh index, and Berger-Parker index represented that mid-slope had the highest diversity, and ridge had the lowest diversity. Uniquely, in Berger-Parker index, mid-slope was the higher value than total.

Ever since the dawn of civilization, the ambient vegetation and the resources constituted major source of human existence for various substantial requirements. Our present knowledge on plant resources emerged from the traditional heritable knowledge descended from generation to generation. However, traditional knowledge pertaining to several aspects remained untapped from various remote localities or populations. Furthermore, with the present trends of excessive exploitation of natural resources and degradation of habitats, conservation and ecological management require coherence of traditional skills and modern approaches. Therefore, the present study is to record traditional plant based knowledge among the inhabitants of Siwalik region of Uttarakhand Himalaya. Extensive field survey was made for the collection of data on the medicinal aspects of plant species in the study area covering the parts of districts Pauri, Dehradun and Haridwar. During the course of study 130 plant species belonging to 65 families are reported, used as traditional medicine by the local inhabitants of this region.

This study was carried out to establish a proper cultivation site and diagnose the drought-tolerance of Allium ochotense leaves and Allium microdictyon leaves by using pressure - volume curve method. The Allium microdictyon leaves had more lower osmotic water potential Ψosat, and osmotic water potential at turgor loss point Ψotlp than Allium ochotense leaves. Then, the Allium microdictyon leaves was slightly higher drought-tolerance than Allium ochotense leaves. Therefore, We suggest that growth of the two Allium species was appropriate for relative moisture forest.

This study purposed to analyze the spatial pattern and the amount of carbon emission at the deforestation area in Gangwondo. Forest geographic information system(FGIS) and administrative data were used in the analysis. The area size and spatial patterns of deforestation area were analyzed according to the article 3.3 of Kyoto protocol. Forest administration data for 9 years from 2000 to 2008 were entered into a database. Fifty-nine percent of deforestation area was found within 200m of the road network, and seventy-five percent of the area was found within 500m. Theoretical carbon emission based on deforestation area was estimated at 6,968tc. Carbon emission of national forest was 5.7times higher than that of private forest.

Allometry and basal area equations were developed with various tree measurement variables for the major species; Quercus variabilis, Quercus mongolica, Pinus koraiensis and Larix leptolepis in Korea. For allometry models, the relationships between total height-DBH, crown width-DBH, height to the widest portion of the crown-total height, and height to base of crown-total height were investigated. Multiple regression methods were used to relate annual basal area growth to tree variables of initial size (DBH, total height, and crown width), relative size (relative diameter and relative height) as well as competition measures (competition index, crown class, and live crown ratio).

This study has been carried out to investigate the preservation characteristics and weathering of larch wood treated with wood tar and wood vinegar, neglected under the circumstance of outdoor exposure, buried under ground, and deposited under water. Earlywood cell wall observed by optical microscope has been collapsed due to the fungi deterioration. This phenomenon occurred more frequently in the case of woods treated with wood tar and buried under ground. Relative crystallinity of woods treated with wood tar, exposed outdoors, and untreated wood buried under groud was highest at 63% while wood tar treated wood buried under ground was lowest at 46%.