Abstract
A study was conducted to examine the distribution pattern of four rhizomatous medicinal and aromatic plant species (MAPs) viz., Angelica glauca, Pleurospermum angelicoides, Rheum emodi and Arnebia benthamii in different forest stands in Central Himalaya. Results show that A. glauca and P. angelicoides had a higher (50%) frequency at Chipkoan, Garpak and Phagati forest, R. emodi had a higher (60%) frequency at Rishikund, Suki and Himtoli, and A. benthamii had a higher (70%) frequency at Suki and Khambdhar The densities of A. glauca (0.6 plants·m−2) and P. angelicoides (0.5 plants·m−2) were higher at Chipkoan and Garpak sites than at other micro-sites, while densities of R. emodi (0.8 plants·m−2) and A. benthamii (1.0 plants·m−2) were higher at Suki and Khambdhar sites. A. glauca had highest total basal covers (TBC) (1.2 cm2·m−2) at Chipkoan, P. angelicoides had highest TBC (0.92 cm2·m−2) at Lati kharak site, A. benthamii had the highest TBC (6.48 cm2·m−2) at Khambdhar, and R. emodi had highest TBC (4.53 cm2·m−2) at Rishikund. For the four studied species, A. glauca showed a contagious distribution, P. angelicoides and R. emodi showed the random and A. benthamii showed the regular type of distribution.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bisht NS, Kusumlata. 1993. Niche width and dominance diversity relations of woody species in a moist temperate of Garhwal Himalaya. Journal of Hill Research, 6: 107–113.
Bongers F, Poorter L, Van Rompaey RSAR, Parren MPE. 1999. Distribution of twelve moist forest canopy tree species in Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire: response curves to a climatic gradient. Journal of Vegetation Science, 10: 371–382.
Braun-Blanquet J. 1932. Plant Sociology: The study of plant communities. (Transl. G.D. Fuller & H.C. Conard). New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., p. 439.
Curtis JT, Cottam G. 1956. Plant Ecology Workbook Laboratory Field Reference Manual. Minnesota: Burgess Publishing Co., p.193.
Curtis JT, McIntosh RP. 1950. The interrelations of certain analytic and synthetic phytosociological characters. Ecology, 31: 434–455.
Gaur RD. 1999. Flora of District Garhwal, North West Himalaya (With Ethnobotanical Notes). Transmedia, Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttaranchal, India.
Heydari M, Madhavi A. 2009. Pattern of plant species diversity in related to physiographic factors in Melah Gavan protected area, Iran. Asian Journal of Biological Sciences, 2: 21–28.
Hajra PK. 1983. Contribution to the botany of Nanda Devi National Park, Howrah, Botanical Survey of India.
Jaccard P. 1912. The distribution of flora in alpine zone. New Phytosociology, 11: 37–87.
Kala CP. 2000. Status and conservation of rare and endangered medicinal plants in the Indian trans-Himalaya. Biological Conservation, 93: 371–379.
Kala CP. 2004. Pastoralism, plant conservation, and conflicts on proliferation of Himalayan Knotweed in high altitude protected areas of the Western Himalaya, India. Biodiversity and Conservation, 13: 985–995.
Kala CP. 2005. Indigenous uses, population density and conservation of threatened medicinal plants in protected areas of the Indian Himalayas. Conservation Biology, 19: 368–378.
Kala CP. 2006. Problems and prospects in the conservation and development of the Himalayan medicinal plant sector. International Journal of Sustainable Development, 9:370–388.
Kala CP. 2010. Medicinal plants of Uttarakhand: Diversity livelihood and conservation. Delhi, India: Biotech Books.
Kershaw KA. 1973. Quantitative and dynamic plant ecology. London: Edward Arnold, p. 308.
Kharkwal G, Poonam M, Rawat YS, Pangtey YS. 2005. Phytodiversity and growth form in relation to altitudinal gradients in the Central Himalayan (Kumaun) region of India. Current Science, 89: 873–878.
Kharkwal G, Rawat YS, Pangtey YS. 2007. Distribution characteristics of the tree species in Central Himalaya, India. International Journal of Botany, 3: 226–228.
Knight DH. 1975. A phytosociological analysis of species rich tropical forest on Barro-Colorado Island: Panama. Ecological Monograph, 45: 259–284.
Kukshal S, Nautiyal BP, Anthwal A, Sharma A, Bhatt BP. 2009. Phytosociological investigation and life form pattern of grazing lands under Pine canopy in temperate zone, Northwest Himalaya, India. Research Journal of Botany, 4:55–69.
Kumar J, Ram J. 2005. Anthropogenic disturbance and plant biodiversity in forests of Uttaranchal, Central Himalaya. Biodiversity and Conservation, 14:309–331.
Levins R. 1968. Evolution in changing environments. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J. USA.
MacArthur RH. 1965. Patterns of species diversity. Biological Review, 40: 510–533.
Maikhuri RK, Nautiyal S, Rao KS, Chandrasekhar K, Gavali R, Saxena KG. 2000. Analysis and resolution of protected area-people conflicts in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, India. Environmental Conservation, 27: 43–53.
Misra R. 1968. Ecology workbook. Calcutta: Oxford and IBH Publishing, p.244.
Misra S, Maikhuri RK, Kala CP, Rao KS, Saxena KG. 2008. Wild leafy vegetables: A study of their subsistence dietetic support to the inhabitants of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, India. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 4: 1–9.
Naithani BD. 1984. Flora of Chamoli, I & II, Botanical Survey of India, Howarh.
Nautiyal BP, Prakash V, Chauhan RS, Harish P, Nautiyal MC. 2001. Assessment of germinability, productivity and cost benefit analysis of Picrorrhiza kurrooa cultivated at lower altitude. Current Science, 81: 579–585.
Niggemann M, Jetzkowitz J, Brunzel S, Wichmann MC, Bialozyt R. 2009. Distribution patterns of plants explained by human movement behaviour. Ecological Modelling, 220: 1339–1346.
Odum EP. 1971. Fundamental of Ecology. 3rd ed., WB Saunders, Philadelphia, pp574.
Purohit A, Maikhuri RK, Rao KS, Nautiyal S. 2001. Impact of bark removal on survival of Taxus baccata L. (Himalayan yew) in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Garhwal Himalaya, India. Current Science, 81: 586–590.
Samant SS. 1993. Diversity and status of plants in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, In; Scientific and ecological expedition on Nanda Devi. Reports, Corps of Engineers (Army), New Delhi, India, pp. 45–53.
Saxena AK, Singh JS. 1980. Analysis of forest grazing lands vegetation in parts of Kumaun Himalaya. Indian Journal of Range Management, 1: 13–32.
Shannon CE, Weaver W. 1963. The Mathematical theory of communication. Champaign, IL, USA: University of Illinois Press, p.367.
Singh JS, Singh SP. 1992. Forest of Himalaya: Structure, Functioning and Impact of Man. Nainital, India: Gyanodaya Prakashan,.
Singh JS, Yadav PS. 1974. Seasonal variation in composition, plant biomass and net primary productivity of tropical grasslands at Kurukshetra, India. Ecological Monograph, 44: 351–376.
Smith RL. 1980. Ecology and Field Biology. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, p. 835.
Smith RL. 1990. Student resource manual to accompany ecology and field biology. Fourth edition, New York: Harper and Row Publisher, p. 114.
Song B, Chen J, Desanker PV, Reed DD, Bradshaw GA, Franklin DF. 1997. Modelling canopy structure and heterogeneity across scales: from crown to canopy. Forest Ecology and Management, 96: 217–229.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Foundation project: This work was supported by financial assistantships from NATP-PB, NBPGR, Pusa Campus New Delhi.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kandari, L.S., Rao, K.S., Maikhuri, R.K. et al. Distribution pattern and conservation of threatened medicinal and aromatic plants of Central Himalaya, India. Journal of Forestry Research 22, 403–408 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-011-0110-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-011-0110-y