Species composition and community structure of forest stands in ...

170 FOREST STRUCTURE IN KUMAON HIMALAYA
Density and diversity estimates
Density of trees, shrubs and ground vegetation
was calculated following Greig - Smith (1983). The
diversity values for each layer (tree, shrub and
ground vegetation) were calculated using Shannon
- Wiener’s diversity index following Magurran
(1988). The species richness was calculated using
Margelef’s species richness index (Magurran
1988). One-way ANOVA (Zar 1984) was used to
detect significant differences in density, diversity
and richness for the vegetation layers in all the
surveyed forest stands.
Classification and ordination of species and
sites
The vegetation was classified on the basis of
tree species and dominant ground vegetation
(shrub and herb species) using TWINSPAN (Twoway
indicator species analysis) computer program
(Hill 1979 a). Same data matrix was used for
ordination of tree species as well as sites (forest
stands) through Detrended Correspondence
Analysis (DCA) in computer program DECORANA
(Hill 1979 b). The vegetation attributes (density,
diversity and richness) of the 23 sites along with
altitude, number of stumps, lopped trees and cattle
dung were subjected to Principal Component
Analysis (PCA).
Stepwise multiple regression was used to
obtain correlation between the DCA axes, and
measured environmental and vegetation
attributes. All data matrices were standardized
following Zar (1984) to achieve normality and
reduce heteroscadesticity.
Rarity index
A rarity index was generated to identify rare
tree species of Kumaon. For this purpose two
parameters were taken into account-
a) Qualitative proportion of each tree species in
Kumaon (PQA)
Table 1. Location details and distribution of sampling plots in different forest stands of Kumaon
Himalaya. RF = Reserve forest, POF = Privately owned forest, WLS = Wildlife sanctuary, CF =
Community forest, Alt. = Altitude, m = meter, asl = above sea level, BWS = Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Forest stand District Status Sampling
Plots
Alt. Range
(m asl.)
Coordinates
Kilbery Naini Tal RF 40 2085- 2240 29°25'24.3"N 79°2.6'24.3"E
Vinaiyak Naini Tal RF 40 2130- 2290 29°27'45.4"N 79°24'31.8"E
Kunjakharak Naini Tal RF 45 2040- 2430 29°39'N 79°18'58.1"E
Maheshkhan Naini Tal RF 40 1820- 2090 29°24'16.2"N 79°33'50.6"E
Gager Naini Tal RF 40 1860- 2220 29°25'11.4"N 79°30'31.9"E
Mukteshwer Naini Tal RF 49 1800- 2260 29°28'34.1"N 79°38'28.1"E
Jilling Naini Tal POF 20 1860- 2010 29°22'1.6"N 79°37'E
BWS Bageshwer WLS 75 1990- 2260 29°42'3.2"N 79°45'E
Pandavkholi Almora CF 40 2460- 2590 29°48'19.5"N 79°27'E
Sitlakhet Almora RF 15 1880- 1980 29°42'3.2"N 79°45'E
Jageshwer Almora RF 26 2060- 2200 29°39'3.2"N 79°50'52.5"E
Gasi Bageshwer RF 40 2140- 2370 30°04'48.4"N 80°E
Dhakuri Bageshwer RF 55 2470- 2825 30°13'19.5"N 79°55'26.3"E
Wachham Bageshwer RF 50 2410- 2935 30°07'25"N 79°54'37.5"E
Sunderdunga Bageshwer RF 36 2560- 2780 30°13'30.3"N 79°54'18.5"E
Pindari Bageshwer CF 39 2200- 2960 30°11'11.3"N 79°59'30"E
Daphiadhura Pithoragarh WLS 40 2020- 2440 29°54'N 80°20'E
Majtham Pithoragarh WLS 40 1595- 2250 29°53'N 80°22'E
Gandhura Pithoragarh WLS 50 1710- 2045 29°51'40"N 80°14'16.9"E
Sobala Pithoragarh WLS 40 2190- 2650 30°04'16.2"N 80°34'15"E
Duku Pithoragarh WLS 48 1930- 2530 29°56.3'N 80°30'E
Munsiary Pithoragarh RF 25 2655- 2770 30°05'3.2"N 80°14'41.3"E
Mechh Champawat CF 10 1810- 1830 29°16'16.2"N 80°12'18.8"E