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Lichen Diversity in High Elevations of Western Himalaya with Special Reference to Treeline Ecotone: Conservation and Indicator Value

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Ecology of Himalayan Treeline Ecotone

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Abstract

The treeline ecotone, which lies between subalpine forests and the alpine grasslands, offers special habitats and niches for several unique, representative, and sensitive biodiversity elements. Present study, with a focus on distribution patterns of macrolichens, attempts to describe such elements in high-altitude landscape associated with Tungnath, west Himalayan treeline ecotone. Two representative elevation transects [Kalsir–Chandrashila (KCT), 2080–3677 m asl and Pothibhasha–Chandrashila (PCT), 2120–3677 m asl] were investigated. Together these transects harbor 108 macrolichen species (41 genera, 15 families). PCT with 104 species (40 genera, 15 families) was species rich compared to KCT (73 species, 34 genera, 15 families). While family Parmeliaceae (46), Physciaceae (18), and Cladoniaceae (14) were species rich, genera like Parmotrema (12), Heterodermia (11), and Cladonia (8 species) had maximum species. Among families Candelariaceae, Coccocarpaceae, Nephromataceae, and Teloschistaceae had one species only. The species richness peaked at 2500 and 2600 m altitude bands (62 spp.). The presence of two foliicolous and caliciale lichen communities was interesting in view of their indicator value. Existence of the foliicolous lichens is indicative of human disturbance and increasing subtropical elements in high-elevation forests. Occurrence of caliciale lichens is associated with old growth forests. The distribution of macrolichens has implications for management of high−altitude forests including treelines.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from Indian Himalayan Timberline Project (IHTP) under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) of Govt. of India is gratefully acknowledged. Coordinator IHTP, Prof SP Singh is thanked for his encouragement. Thanks are due to Head, Department of Botany, S.S.J. Campus, Kumaun University, Almora and Director NIHE for laboratory facilities. We extend our thanks to Mr. Sunil Joshi, Ms. Renu Rawal, Ms. Poonam Mehta, Ms. Kamini Durgapal, and Ms. Medha Durgapal, NIHE, for supporting the authors (KB and SU) in the field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Almora, Uttarakhand, India

    Kapil Bisht, Shashi Upadhyay & Ranbeer S. Rawal

  2. Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

    Yogesh Joshi

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  1. Kapil Bisht
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  2. Shashi Upadhyay
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  3. Ranbeer S. Rawal
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  4. Yogesh Joshi
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Central Himalayan Environment Association, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

    S P Singh

  2. Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

    Zafar Ahmad Reshi

  3. G B Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Sikkim Regional Centre, Pangthang, Gangtok, Sikkim, India

    Rajesh Joshi

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Bisht, K., Upadhyay, S., Rawal, R.S., Joshi, Y. (2023). Lichen Diversity in High Elevations of Western Himalaya with Special Reference to Treeline Ecotone: Conservation and Indicator Value. In: Singh, S.P., Reshi, Z.A., Joshi, R. (eds) Ecology of Himalayan Treeline Ecotone. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-4476-5_12

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