Phytodiversity and Seasonal Variations in the Soil Characteristics of Shrublands of Dachigam National Park, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Abstract

The panorama of Indian biological resources is much wider making it one of the mega biodiverse (hotspot) centres of the world. Biodiversity is an element of natural resource base which is the main component of sustainability in both production and utilization of the ecosystem services. The present study was carried out on the Shrublands of the Dachigam National Park of Western Himalaya, Kashmir, in the year 2010. The vegetation was analysed for floristic composition, phytosociological aspects and seasonal variations in major soil characteristics of the study area. A seasonal variation in soil parameters was observed with temperature varying from 2 to 21°C, moisture 7.28–32.34%, pH 5.1–7.44, electrical conductivity 150–520 μS/cm, organic carbon 3.27–5.98%, organic matter 5.63–10.30%, total nitrogen 2500–4600 ppm, total phosphorus 757–1226 ppm and total potassium 15, 500-18, 550 ppm. A total of 35 shrub species were recorded belonging to 13 families and 19 generas with maximum richness and density in protected site and least at village site.