Abstract
Microhistology techniques have been used in many studies regarding food habits of herbivores. The absence of detailed reference materials and time consumed in creating reference plant materials for a particular study species and area hampers an understanding and extensive use of the technique. On the other hand, the use of direct sighting procedure of animals to study the dietary spectrum of herbivores is interrupted by tough terrain and harsh climatic condition in the Trans-Himalaya. The current study provides a photographic key for identification of 38 plants species belonging to 35 genera and 21 families. Structures such as types of stomata, trichomes and epidermal cells are discussed for different species of plants collected from Kargil, Ladakh. The given information is expected to help researchers working on feeding ecology of mammals in the Indian Trans-Himalaya.
Highlights
Feeding habits of mammals are in the centre of interest of population biology (Lodé, 1996) and ecology (Mátrai et al, 1998)
Microhistological analysis of plant remains in the faeces has several unique advantages which accounts for its popularity as a research tool (Holechek et al, 1982a; Smith and Shandruk, 1979)
Similar efforts were made elsewhere; Hurst and Beck (1988) developed a reference key based on microhistological characteristics of aquatic plants of Florida, Lindstöm et al (1998) did the same for perennial grass in central Argentina, while Carrière (2002) provided photographic key for the microhistological identification of some Arctic vascular plants
Summary
Feeding habits of mammals are in the centre of interest of population biology (Lodé, 1996) and ecology (Mátrai et al, 1998). Similar efforts were made elsewhere; Hurst and Beck (1988) developed a reference key based on microhistological characteristics of aquatic plants of Florida, Lindstöm et al (1998) did the same for perennial grass in central Argentina, while Carrière (2002) provided photographic key for the microhistological identification of some Arctic vascular plants. Such reference keys can be of great help to the researchers working on feeding habits of herbivores by reducing time and efforts to develop reference. This paper is aimed to develop a key for identification of some plant species of Indian Trans-Himalaya by illustrating characters of stomata, trichomes and epidermal cells
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