Primary Productivity and the Impacts of the Exotic Weed Eupatorium Glandulosum in a Montane Grassland of Garhwal Himalaya

Abstract

The biomass and productivity of a montane grassland of Garhwal Himalaya were estimated with the objectives to compare these values of the dominant exotic species, Eupatorium glandulosum HBK. (Asteraceae) with other species, and to compare the sites more dominated by this species with other study sites. The effect of dominance of this species on other species was undertaken because of its continuous spread in the grasslands of the Garhwal Himalaya causing replacement of some native grasses and economically important herbaceous plants. Out of six study sites, SW1, SW2, and NE1 were more dominated by Eupatorium glandulosum. Total net primary productivity (TNP) ranged from 1528.5 to 2163.4 g m−2 yr−1. Eupatorium glandulosum showed individual highest biomass on all the study sites, and the sites more dominated by this species showed higher values of primary productivity, thereby reducing the biomass and production of other species on these sites.