Floristic Diversity Along An Altitudinal Gradient in Lakadmandi Beat of Kalatop Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary of District Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

A study was conducted to understand the floristic diversity along an altitudinal gradient with elevations varying from 1800-2400m above msl in Lakadmandi beat of Kalatop Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary in district Chamba, Himachal Pradesh during 2011. Total number of plant species was 81 belonging to 52 families and 76 genera. The dominant families were Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Pinaceae and Polygonaceae. The number of trees species was 6, 6 and 10 with the dominance of Quercus leucotrichophora, Cedrus deodara and Cedrus deodara at 1800-2000m, 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. The number of shrub species was 16, 13 and 23 with the dominance of Quercus leucotrichophora sapling, Sarcococca saligna and Sarcococca saligna at 1800-2000m, 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevations respectively. The number of herb species was 46, 46 and 58 at 1800-2000m, 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. On the basis of Importance Value Index (IVI), Valeriana jatamansii was the dominant herb at 2000-2200m and 2200-2400m elevation ranges respectively. The distribution pattern of most of plant species was contiguous at all altitudinal ranges. Index of diversity for herb species in these elevational ranges was 3.420, 3.568 and 3.250. Out of 40 medicinal plant species recorded from the area, 3 species i.e. Paris polyphylla, Podophyllum hexandrum and Taxus wallichiana fall in the category of threatened plants. The better conservation of natural resources can be done through promotion of community based conservation, ex-situ conservation through tissue culture, developing cultivation technologies and nurseries of medicinal plants and conducting of regular training on the procedure of medicinal plants collection and processing among the end users.