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

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Acdemia Arena 2010, Supplement 0201 http://www.sciencepub.net Chapter-8 AN ACCOUNT OF LICHENS ON FALLEN TWIGS OF THREE QUERCUS SPECIES IN CHOPTA FOREST OF GARHWAL HIMALAYAS, INDIA BALWANT KUMAR* AND DALIP K. UPRETI** *Center for Ecological Studies, Appropriate Technology India, Ukhimath (Garhwal) Uttarakhand, India **National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow-226001, Uttar Pradesh, India ABSTRACT The association of epiphytic lichens on the fallen twig of three common Quercus species viz. Quercus semecarpifolia, Q. floribunda and Quercus leucotrichophora from the moist temperate forest of Chopta region, Rudraprayag district of Garhwal Himalayas has been discussed. Q. semecarpifolia exhibits the maximum growth of lichens on its twigs represented by 29 species followed by Q. floribunda and Q. leucotrichophora with 16 and 12 species respectively. The twigs of diameter classes more than 4.1 cm in Q. semecarpifolia and Q. floribunda bears the maximum individuals of lichens represented by 148 and 71, while Q. leucotrichophora the twigs 3.1-4.0 diameter class exhibit maximum 82 individuals. All the three oak species exhibit luxuriant growth of Parmelioid lichens on their twigs. Key words Lichens, fallen twigs, Quercus spp., Chopta, Uttarakhand. Introduction Lichens in India are collected from the temperature regions of Himalayas and used indigenously for preparation of perfumes, dyes, and condiments. Approximately 750 metric tones (MT) of lichens are collected from Uttarakhand hills, 800 MT are imported from other regions of India, including Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Assam and out of which about 50-80 MT are exported (Shah, 1997). In Nepal and adjoining areas of India, 320 MT of lichens are utilized annually for different purposes (Moxham, 1986). The lichens are picked up by hand from the 79
Acdemia Arena 2010, Supplement 0201 http://www.sciencepub.net lower branches, trunk and fallen twigs of trees or sometimes scrapers are also used. Upreti et al. (2005) listed 38 species of lichens belonging to 23 genera from the commercial samples of lichens collected from seven states of India. The lichens grow at a rate ranging from 1.0mm or less per year in case of crustose forms up to a few centimeters a year for most rapidly growing leafy (foliose) or shrubby (fruticose or pendant) lichens. The larger lichens in the last two categories grow on an average about 5.0mm per year in length or rapidly are more conspicuous and exploited for collection. In the recent year there has been a great concern about the loss of lichen diversity in India (Upreti, 1996) and there is a need to know the patterns and processes that regulate species occurrence and behavior in natural forests. An account of the lichens associated with fallen twigs will provide an idea about the lichen species which play important role in the formation of lichen material utilized for their commercial use. Quercus trees in temperate Himalayas form major vegetation and are the excellent host for colonization of a large number of lichen taxa together with epiphytic ferns and orchids. Out of the five species of Quercus, Q. semecarpifolia bears the maximum member of lichens species on its trunk, branches and twigs (Upreti and Chatterjee, 1999). This paper is based on sampling designed to provide estimates of twig lichen of three Quercus species in temperate Himalayas, and to determine the contribution of twigs of Oak tree which are colonized by lichen and collected for commercial exploitation. The estimated lichen species individuals on more than 100 sampled twigs of three common Quercus species of different diameter classes have been provided in table 1, 2, and 3. The diameter classes of the sampled twigs have been categorized on the basis of availability of fallen twigs. Materials and Methods Study Area: Chopta is situated 35 km from Ukhimath block in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, in Akashkamini valley between 1,500 m -3,500 m at 79 0 -79 0 30’E and 30 0 30’ – 30 0 42’ N. The mountain landscape has steep to moderate slopes, spreads over an area of 500 Km 2 . The Maximum monthly temperature varies from 19 0 C to 37 0 C from the higher altitude grasslands to the lower elevation, during May to October, while the minimum temperate drops as low as – 15 0 C in the alpine grasslands during December to February. 80
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