Abstract
In this study, we examined the effect of a nitrogen-fixing shrub Coriaria nepalensis Wall on herb species composition, diversity and biomass. The effect was measured in terms of species richness, diversity and biomass of herb species in three sites varying in Coriaria density viz. site 1 (low Coriaria density; 20 ha-1), site-2 (medium Coriaria density; 120 ha-1) and site-3 (high Coriaria density 190 ha-1). Species richness was minimum at Site-1 (16 species), and maximum at site-2 (27 species). G. aparine dominated site-1 and Arthraxon sp dominated site-2 and 3. The individual herb density ranged between 0.40 - 42.40 m-2, and total herb density ranged between 138- 170.4 m-2 and was maximum at site-2. Value for species richness (27) and Shannon Index (3.72) was highest for medium Coriaria density site and lowest for low Coriaria density site. Simpson Index ranged between 0.11 and 0.14 and was lowest for site-2(medium Coriaria density) indicating that at this the dominance was shared by many species. Along the gradient of Coriaria density, maximum biomass was recorded at site-3 with highest Coriaria density and lowest at site-2 with medium Coriaria density. This may be due to the symbiotic nitrogen fixing ability of Coriaria that improve the habitat quality. The facilitative effect of C. nepalensis in terms of soil amelioration and herb growth can be used to regenerate degraded forest ecosystems.
Highlights
The herbaceous layer plays an important role in forest ecosystem; it contains the highest number of species and affect nutrient cycling (Gilliam, 2007; Jhariya et al, 2013, Parihaar et al, 2014)
We examined whether herb species composition, diversity and biomass differed with increasing density of an actinorhizal shrub Coriaria nepalensis Wall in a mixed conifer forest of Central Himalaya, India
For detailed study the area was divided into three sub sites varying in Coriaria colonisation in terms of density viz. site-1(low Coriaria density; 20 ind. ha-1), site-2 and site-3
Summary
The herbaceous layer plays an important role in forest ecosystem; it contains the highest number of species and affect nutrient cycling (Gilliam, 2007; Jhariya et al, 2013, Parihaar et al, 2014). The biological N-fixation in this species meets the relatively heavy demand for nitrogen in nutrient-poor degraded soils and can play key roles as ecosystem engineer by altering the physical environment beneath its canopy as well as characteristic of plant populations, communities and ecosystems (Shachak et al, 2008). It can facilitate growth of associate plants ; can change the composition and structure of the forest. We examined whether herb species composition, diversity and biomass differed with increasing density of an actinorhizal shrub Coriaria nepalensis Wall in a mixed conifer forest of Central Himalaya, India
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