Vegetational Distribution in a Mountainous Riparian Corridor along Neeru stream, Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir

Author: Anu Sharma and Neeraj Sharma

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Abstract

Riparian corridors are related to longitudinal and lateral patterns of plant species distribution as well as to species flows and exchanges across ecotonal and ecoclinal boundaries. The spatial distribution depends on a number of factors like physiography, hydrology, geo-morphology, climatic regime, substratum, light and temperature, etc. The present communication describes the distribution pattern of riparian vegetation along an elevational gradient of 1302 m along Neeru stream, a major left bank tributary of river Chenab. The results reveal that a large stretch of the riparian forest exhibits random followed by contagious and (negligible) regular pattern validating the better chances of species survival with adequate resource availability. When analyzed for occupancy frequency distribution, the vegetation showed homogenous distribution in the riparian and heterogeneous distribution along the upland forests. The whole corridor as a single linear unit was observed to be homogenous with

Keywords

Abundance, Distribution pattern, Frequency, Heterogeneous, Homogeneous, Plant associations, Riparian, Upland

Conclusion

Raunkiaer’s frequency classes reveal the highest frequency of occurrence of majority of species in class C and D pointing towards the homogeneity in the riparian corridor while the upland forests along both the banks were observed to be heterogeneous. The whole corridor as a single unit was however found to be homogenous. In terms of dispersion, the left bank upland forest showed random and riparian the contagious pattern.

References

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How to cite this article

Anu Sharma and Neeraj Sharma (2018). Vegetational Distribution in a Mountainous Riparian Corridor along Neeru stream, Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 10(2): 96-108(2018).