Ecological, Social and Commercial Role of Lichens in India with ...

Acdemia Arena 2010, Supplement 0201
http://www.sciencepub.net
Preface
The Himalayas has been a perennial source of attraction, curiosity and challenge to human intellect
throughout the ages. Amongst several assets the investigation provides and everlasting and
interesting field of investigation. The diversity copiousness as well as uniqueness of the plant
components in various habitats retained sound and aesthetic environment of the study area.
However in the recent past a couple of decades excessive exploitation of vegetation, unplanned
land use, natural disasters and several developmental processes, accelerated deterioration of
biodiversity and harmonious ecosystem of the Himalaya.
Forest resources of the Himalayas are shrinking in size due to over-exploitation and there is
increased interest to protect, manage and make them more protective. This requires essentially the
knowledge of their population status, production behaviour and rate of utilization on unit area basis.
The human influences on lichen diversity and other biodiversity and ecosystem functioning have
largely taken form of rapid, large and frequent changes in land and resource use, increased
frequency of biotic invasion, reduction of species number, creation of stresses and potential for
changes in climate system.
This book is primarily based on the publication of various research papers and collection
made by my previous work and references may be found in available literature. The specimens
described in this volume were mostly collected during various excursions to Garhwal Himalaya.
This book is complied into eleven chapters. Chapter first (1) introduction deals with need of
inventorying and monitoring of lichens of Garhwal Himalaya, historical background of lichens and
detailed description about the Garhwal Himalayas. The chapter ends with the description of
vegetation (forest) type of the Garhwal Himalayas. Chapter second (2) a review of literature work
done at regional Himalayan and national level pertaining to various aspects of the present
information. Chapter third (3) deals with the phytosociological analysis of trees, shrubs, herbs and
grasses in the temperate belt of Garhwal Himalaya. Assessment of lichen species in the temperate
region of of Garhwal has been discussed in the fourth chapter.
Description of macro-lichens cover and their distribution pattern on common phorophytes
3