Pinus Roxburghii Research Articles

Anomalous distribution of Cedrus deodara and Pinus roxburghii in Parbati valley, Kullu, Western Himalaya: An assessment in dendroecological perspective

The dendroecological potential of two conifers, Pinus roxburghii Sargent (Chir pine) and Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) G. Don, (Deodar) growing at Kasol, Kullu, western Himalaya, is discussed here. These two trees in this site, in contrast to their normal distribution along an altitude gradient, exhibit reversed orientation i.e., deodar trees are replaced by chir pine trees at higher altitude. A dendroecological approach was applied to investigate the distribution pattern in this area. Both trees exhibit clear datable tree-ring sequences, sensitive to climate change. Availability and amount of soil moisture during the early part of the growing period has an important role in the growth of both taxa. At lower elevations, retention of higher soil moisture for a longer duration from snow melt forms a suitable environment for the growth of deodar over chir pine. At higher elevations, steep slope, shallow soil depth or almost barren rock surface, and low water infiltration along with prevalence of ground fire provide an inhospitable situation for deodar, but chir pine can adapt to such conditions.

Soil Mineralogy of Forest Soils of Chamoli District, Uttarakhand

Soil properties and sand mineralogy were studied in forest area of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand covering four forest divisions namely Badrinath Forest Division, Kedarnath Wildlife Forest Division, Nanda Devi National Park and Alaknanda Soil Conservation Forest Division with different ranges viz. Chamoli, Joshimath, Gopeshwar, Madhya Pindari, Paschim Pindari, Naraingarh, Dhanpur, Attagad, Nandprayag and Pipalkoti. The study area was selected on the basis of altitude, vegetation distribution, parent material and topography. The forest type of the area is Himalayan moist temperate forests with Picea smithiana, Cedrus deodara, Quercus leucotrichophora, Pinus roxburghii, and Miscellaneous (Amaltas, Rohani, Asain, Semal and Mahua) as the dominant species. Geologically, the rocks of the study area are pre-cambrian to early paleozoic in age with recent and subrecent deposits. The soils were generally sandy loam in texture with acidic pH. Organic carbon is generally higher in forest areas at high altitude with maximum accumulation in the surface layer. Cation exchange capacity of the soil in different depth showed inconsistent trend. Exchangeable Ca2+and Mg2+ increased in the sub-surface horizons in some of the profiles due to presence of limestone parent material. The study suggested that P. smithiana grows well on schist and gneiss, C. deodara flourishes well on limestone, dolomite and quartzite, Q. leucotrichophora flourishes with good regeneration on phyllite and slate, P. roxburghii grows on quartzite and limestone and miscellaneous forests on boulders, limestone, shales, pebbles. Mineralogical composition showed that variations are mostly due to nature of parent rock and weathering stage. The study, therefore, indicates the presence of low to moderate amounts of weatherable minerals suggesting their podzolic nature.

Change in Community Composition and Soil Carbon Stock Along Transitional Boundary in a Sub-Tropical Forest of Garhwal Himalaya

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of transitional boundary on community composition and soil carbon stock. Five vegetation types were recognized horizontally along the transitional strip based on the dominance of tree species i.e., Pure Anogeissus latifolia forest (P.AL), mixed Pinus roxburghii and Lannea coromandelica forest (M.PR&LC), pure Pinus roxburghii forest (P.PR), mixed Pinus roxburghii and Lannea coromandelica (M.PR&LC) and pure Anogeissus latifolia forest (P.AL). The results revealed that Anogeissus latifolia was reported dominant tree in the outer transitional boundaries of the forest, which reduced dominance of trees towards middle where Pinus roxburghii was found dominant. The soil carbon stock was reported higher in the Anogeissus latifolia dominant forest and reduced with the dominance of Pinus roxburghii in the middle site. Both the species are growing close to one another and competing for survival, but the aggressive nature of Anogeissus latifolia particular in this region may change new growth of Pinus roxburghii and will enhance soil carbon stock. But high anthropogenic pressure on Anogeissus latifolia tree species could be limited chance to further its flourish.

GC-MS Analysis and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil of Pinus roxburghii Sarg. from Northern India

The essential oil from Pinus roxburghii Sarg. leaves was extracted by hydro-distillation and analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Twenty three compounds were identified and quantified in the essential oil, the major ones being α-pinene, 3-carene, p-cymene, caryophyllene and caryphyllene oxide. The plant was also evaluated for antimicrobial activity against two Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis); two Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and two yeast, (Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae). P. roxburghii was found to be best in inhibiting the growth of Bacillus subtilis (22.6 mm) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (21.6 mm), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (19.3 mm) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherchia coli (15 mm). S. aureus and B. subtilis were found to be most sensitive pathogen having an MIC of 31.25 mg/ml. P. roxburghii was unable to inhibit the growth of C. albicans.

PINE NEEDLE CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES: RURAL TECHNOLOGY OPTION IN PINE FOREST REGION

The use of fuel wood, crop residue or cow dung for cooking is widespread in rural India and, as it is not purchased, is often the only option for the rural poor. Besides the low calorific value of these residues, it also affects the health due to indoor air pollution. Briquette technology can reduce this rural problem. Moreover the technology can also prevent forest fires. They are the annual phenomenon in Himachal Pradesh as the forests are dense and catch fire easily due to natural and man-made reasons. Himalayan forests are rich in Pine trees (Pinus roxburghii Sarg.) and the pine needle is one of the reasons to enhance the forest fire. There is a necessity to handle this forest waste efficiently. This paper attempts to explain the briquetting technology of pine needles and the results showed that a significant improvement in calorific value.

Rehabilitation of Degraded Conifer Forests in Western Himalayas

Excessive felling and grazing, incendiaries, and mismanagement have resulted in degradation of a number of conifer forests of Pinus roxburghii, Cedrus deodara and Pinus wallichiana in Rajgarh Forest Division of Himachal Pradesh. The forests are irregular, very open and under-stocked. Regeneration is either absent or deficient. With intensive care and proper forest management practices the forests can be rehabilitated and brought back to normalcy. Natural regeneration has to be supplemented with sowing and planting. Felling and resin tapping have to be stopped. Hygienic and salvage removals should be permitted to meet the right holder’s demand. Adequate mother trees as seed bearers, middle aged trees as advance growth, mature trees as fire insurance and young poles as future crops are to be retained. No attempt should be made to remove the prescribed yield. Felling methods have to be followed strictly. Pinus roxburghii, Cedrus deodara, Pinus wallichiana and broad-leaved species of economic importance should be preferred in planting programs. The areas have to be restocked by post planting treatment and care including subsidiary silvicultural operations, fire protection, control on grazing and lopping and maintenance of effective closures for the degraded forests to be rehabilitated.

NEW LANOSTENE-LINKED DEHYDROABIETIC ACID DERIVATIVES FROM THE OLEO-RESIN OF PINUS ROXBURGHII SARG. (PINACEAE)

Pinus roxburghii Sarg.; syn. Pinus longifolia Roxb. (Pinaceae), found in the Himalayan region, furnishes an oleo-resin which is used as insecticides, disinfectants and to treat boils and gastric troubles. Phytochemical investigation of the oleo-resin gave four new triterpenic acids linked with dehydroabietic acid derivatives characterised as lanost-5,20(21),22,25(27)-tetraen-26-oic acid-3β-olyl (3→19')-3'- oxodehydroabietic acid (roxburghianoic acid A, 2), lanost-5,9(11), 20(21), 22,25(27)-pentaen-26-oic acid 3β-olyl-(3→19')-3'-oxodehydroabietic acid (roxburghianoic acid B, 3), lanost-5,7,20(21),22,25(27)- pentaenyl-26-oic acid (3→19')-3'-oxodehydroabietic acid (roxburghianoic acid C, 4), lanost- 5,7,20,22,25(27)-pentaen-26-oic acid 3β-olyl-(3→19')-3'-oxodehydroabietic 16'-dioic acid (roxburghianoic acid D, 5) along with the known phytoconstituent identified a dehydroabietic acid (1). The structures of all the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral data analysis and chemical reactions.

Use of artificial neural network (ANN) for the development of bioprocess using Pinus roxburghii fallen foliages for the release of polyphenols and reducing sugars

In present study, different parameters, i.e., percentage of NaOH, loading volume, microwave power (watt) and volume of water during pretreatment were optimized by ANN for release of polyphenols and sugars from pine fallen foliage. ANN used was feed forward back propagation type with 72 input, 72 output and 10 hidden layers coupled with Lvenberg-Marquardt (LM) training algorithms. The predicted optimal values by generated neural network for alkali pretreatment were 6 ml (0.5% NaOH)/g of substrate, soaking time of 10 min followed by 1 min of 100 W microwave. Pretreated sample on enzymatic hydrolysis at 50°C for 20 h with cocktail of cellulase, xylanase and laccase produced by locally isolated consortia released 668.9 mg/g of total sugar and 265.06 mg/g of total polyphenols. Optimization by ANN showed good yield, therefore, indicating its suitability for bioprocess modeling and control for release of reducing sugars and polyphenols from pine foliage.

Cognitive enhancement in aged mice after chronic administration of Cedrus deodara Loud. and Pinus roxburghii Sarg. with demonstrated antioxidant properties

Cedrus deodara and Pinus roxburghii, plants mentioned in Indian literature, have been described to possess central nervous system effects and are used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat disorders of the mind. To investigate the memory-enhancing activity of volatile oil and chloroform extracts of C. deodara and P. roxburghii in the Morris water maze paradigm as well as evaluating their antioxidant properties. Aged albino mice were used to study the effect of oil and chloroform extracts on learning and memory by using the Morris water maze paradigm. The chloroform extract of C. deodara produced a significant decrease in escape latency over 7 days of training in both reference and working memory training in comparison to the control group. In the probe trial on day 8, mice in the chloroform extract of C. deodara group crossed the target area more often and spent more time in the target quadrant. Amongst the oils and extracts tested for oxidative stress parameters, only the chloroform extract of C. deodara at doses of 100 mg/kg produced a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) with a simultaneous significant increase in the level of glutathione (GSH) in both the frontal cortex and hippocampus. The present findings indicate that the chloroform extract of C. deodara has the best memory-enhancing effect due to its strong antioxidant properties from compounds like terpenoids and flavonoids. The study provides a scientific rationale for the traditional use of C. deodara in the management of memory dysfunction and related disorders.

Removal of heavy metals from industrial effluent using Pinus roxburghii leaves as biosorbent: equilibrium modelling

In the present study, biosorption capability of pine (Pinus roxburghii) leaves for the removal Cr(6+), Cu(2+), Fe(2+) and Zn(2+) ions, present in brass and electroplating industry effluent, were investigated with respect to different adsorbent doses, contact time and pH. Heavy metals concentrations were estimated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Initial concentration of Cr(6+), Cu(2+), Fe(2+) and Zn(2+) ions in the effluent were found to be 2.741, 4.551, 8.820 and 5.529 mg/L respectively. Biosorption studies revealed that Cr(6+), Cu(2+), Fe(2+) and Zn(2+) showed maximum removal of 99.85, 94.54, 97.10 and 89% at pH 4, 4, 4 and 8, respectively, with 4 g pine leaves when shaken at 150 rpm for 60 min. The applicability of the three equilibrium isotherm models was investigated and the data obtained fitted the three investigated isothermal models in the order: Langmuir > Temkin > Freundlich for all the studied metal ions. The adsorption isotherm coefficients, Qmax, b, Kf, n, at, bt were also calculated. Very high regression correlation coefficients (R(2) > 0.9) were found for Cu(2+), Fe(2+) and Zn(2+); Cr(6+) (Temkin isotherm) when pH (2-8) was varied; Cr(6+), Cu(2+),Fe(2+) and Zn(2+) when contact time (15-60 min) was varied; Cu(2+) (Langmuir isotherm) Fe(2+) (Freundlich and Temkin isotherms) when adsorbent was varied from 2 to 5 g. Results also revealed that among all the studied ions Cr(6+) at varied pH and Fe(2+) at different adsorbent doses satisfy the Temkin and Freundlich isotherm models to describe the biosorption equilibrium by pine (Pinus roxburghii) adsorbent.

Regeneration of tree species in the sub-tropical forest of Alaknanda Valley, Garhwal Himalaya, India

We studied the regeneration of tree species in the sub-tropical forest of Alaknanda Valley in Garhwal Himalaya, India. The overall regeneration status was fairly good in the study area. Seedling density ranged between 520 and 1,240 seedlings per ha while the density of saplings varied between 400 and 800 saplings per ha. Out of eight sites studied, five sites, viz., A1, A2, B1, B2 and C2 contained the highest number of seedlings (280–480 per ha) and saplings (200–440 per ha) for Pinus roxburghii and remaining three sites viz., C1, D1 and D2 represented the highest number of seedlings (240–400 per ha) and saplings (200–240 per ha) for Anogeissus latifolius. The DBH class distribution of the tree species revealed that the highest number of individuals was concentrated in the lower diameter classes while smallest numbers were found in the higher diameter classes. Species such as Acacia catechu, Anogeissus latifolius, Dalbergia sissoo, Engelhardtia spicata, Lannea coromandelica, Mallotus philippensis and Pinus roxburghii have the largest number of saplings and seedlings in the lower DBH classes, suggesting that they have good regeneration potential. Other species such as Aegle marmelos, Bauhinia variegata, Bombax ceiba, Cassia fistula, Erythrina variegata, Haldiniacordifolia, Mangifera indica, Ougeinia oojeinensis, Phyllanthus emblica, Syzygium cumini, Terminalia alata and Toon ahexandra have either no or very small number of saplings in the lower DBH classes, which indicates that the status of these species implies poor regeneration.

English

  A method for extraction of genomic DNA from sapwood tissues of mature tall trees ofPinus roxburghii, where collection of needle tissues is extremely difficult has been standardized. The extracted DNA was comparable to that obtained from the needle tissue in terms of yield and purity. The yield of extracted DNA ranged from 6.98 to 19.668 µg / 100 mg tissue and A260 / A280 ratio ranged from 1.70 to 1.87. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the DNA extracted from sapwood tissue using  random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD), inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers was similar to that of DNA extracted from the needle tissues.   Key words: Pinus roxburghii, DNA extraction, sapwood, random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD), inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR), simple sequence repeat (SSR).

EPR-effect: Utilizing size-dependent Nanoparticle Delivery to Solid Tumors

EPR-effect: Utilizing size-dependent Nanoparticle Delivery to Solid Tumors

Carbon stock variation of Pinus roxburghii Sarg. Forest along altitudes of Garhwal Himalaya, India

The present study was undertaken in Pinus roxburghii forest along three different altitudes i.e., 1100, 1300 and 1500 meter above mean sea level of Garhwal Himalaya to understand the effect of altitudes on carbon stocks (live trees and soil) in Pinus roxburghii forest. Tree density of this forest ranged between 590 tree ha−1 (upper altitude) to 640 tree ha−1 (lower altitude). The highest total carbon density (TCD) of above and belowground carbon was 66.33 ± 29.92 Mg ha−1 at lower altitude followed by 57.64 ± 16.75 Mg ha−1 in middle altitude and 52.92 ± 6.52 Mg ha−1 in upper altitude. Soil organic carbon was highest (33.20 ± 2.77 Mg ha−1) at lower altitude followed by middle (22.61 ± 7.17 Mg ha−1) and upper altitude (12.65 ± 6.10 Mg ha−1). Total carbon stock (trees + soil) of Pinus roxburghii forest was maximum (99.53 Mg ha−1) at lower altitude and minimum (65.57 Mg ha−1) at upper altitude.

Altitudinal Variation in Species Composition and Soil Properties of Banj Oak and Chir Pine Dominated Forests

The study was carried out in two different forest types viz., Banj oak and Chir pine forests to assess the variation in forest species composition and soil properties along altitudinal gradients in the Garhwal Himalayas. The results of the study showed that between the forests soil moisture was higher in Banj oak forest because of closed canopy and dense forest compared to Chir pine forest. The sand particles were reported higher in Banj oak forest which might be due to the addition of organic matter favouring coarse structure of soil, helping in holding maximum water in soils. However in the Chir pine forest low amount of soil organic matter and presence of clayey soil, develops soil compactness which reduces the penetration of water resulting in high soil bulk density. The higher accumulation of litter and presence of moisture in Banj oak forest favours higher nutrient level of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compared to Chir pine forest. The soil organic carbon also reduced with increasing altitude at both gradients. While bulk density has reverse trend with soil organic carbon in both the forests at different peaks of same region. In Banj oak forest, the highest density and total basal cover was reported 1,100 tree <TEX>$ha^{-1}$</TEX> and 58.86 <TEX>$m^2\;ha^{-1}$</TEX> respectively. However, the highest values of density and total basal cover of Chir pine forest was 560 tree<TEX>$ha^{-1}$</TEX> and 56.94 <TEX>$m^2\;ha^{-1}$</TEX> respectively. The total density and basal cover of both the forests reduced with increasing altitude. The study concludes that Banj oak forest has better nutrient cycling ability, well developed foest floor and has a greater protective and productive features compared to the Chir pine forest which is without lower vegetation cover and having only pine litter accumulation which does not allow any other species to grow.

The effects of sustained forest use on hillslope soil hydraulic conductivity in the Middle Mountains of Central Nepal

ABSTRACTThis work investigated the multi‐decadal changes in field saturated hydraulic conductivity, Kfs, beneath severely degraded pasture, natural forest and two mature planted Pinus roxburghii stands between two sets of measurements made in 1986 and 2011 at the same locations in the Middle Mountains of Central Nepal. Multiple measurements of Kfs were made at the four sites, both at the surface and at depths of 0·05–0·15, 0·15–0·25 and 0·25–0·50 m. The Kfs results were subsequently combined with rainfall intensities associated with different time intervals to infer multi‐decadal changes in dominant hillslope stormflow pathways.The widely assumed hydrological benefits of reforesting degraded land through the enhancement of near‐surface permeability due to such factors as the incorporation of a greater amount of organic matter, formation of macropores, as well as root development were not observed in this study. Continued heavy use of the natural and planted forests of the Middle Mountains, particularly the removal of understory vegetation and leaf litter, and cattle grazing, are considered to be the chief causal factors of the presently observed deterioration in forest hydrological functioning. This situation is typical not only of the Middle Mountain Zone across the Himalaya but is also observed in other densely populated parts of South and South‐East Asia.The key conclusion of this work is that simply planting trees in degraded landscapes is not sufficient in itself to restore watershed hydrological functioning. Attention also needs to be given to on‐going management of the reforested areas to balance product usage with watershed functions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Effect of fire on soil nutrients and under storey vegetation in Chir pine forest in Garhwal Himalaya, India

The study was carried out in the Pinus roxburghii Sargent (Chir pine) forest in the sub-tropical region of Garhwal Himalaya to assess the effect of fire on soil nutrient status at different altitudes (700m, 800m and 1000m), soil depths (0–20cm, 20–40cm and 40–60cm) and on under storey vegetation. The soil nutrients and under storey vegetation were assessed before fire (pre-fire) and after fire (post-fire). The results of the study indicate that fire plays an important role in soil nutrient status and under storey vegetation. The nutrients (soil organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), decreased in post-fire assessment and with increasing altitudes, and soil depths, compared to pre-fire assessment. The under storey vegetation diminished after fire in all forest sites. The study concludes that in Chir pine forest, fire plays a role in reducing soil nutrients along the altitudinal gradient, soil depths and under storey vegetation. Thus, these nutrients can be saved through some management practices e.g. by early controlled burning and by educating local villagers about the negative impacts of severe wild fires on soil and vegetation.

Seasonal Population Dynamics of Rhizosphere and Non-rhizosphere Soil Microorganisms of Chir Pine Seedlings (Pinus roxburghii Sarg.)

Seasonal population dynamics of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi was studied in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil of chir pine (Pinus roxburghii Sarg.) seedlings growing in polybags and in situ (forest). In greenhouse experiment bacteria and actinomycetes were present in higher numbers and their populations fluctuated with season. Fungal population, although lower in numbers, remained stable throughout the year. Population fluctuations with lower numbers were more prominent in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils of forest plants. Differential bacterial population characteristics viz. sporeformers, fluorescent colony producers, methylene blue reducers, ammonifiers and glucose fermenters were also taken into account. The population of sporeformers was comparable with methylene blue reducers, which was higher than fluorescent colony producers, ammonifiers and glucose fermenters, respectively. The rhizosphere soil bacterial count of nursery seedlings ranged from 4.36 x 10

Hay and Tendril Classifiable Deforestation of Pine and Its Impacts – A Survey of Himalayan Region in India

Deforestation, forest fire hazard and exploitation of forest have been warning threats to our environment and ecosystem globally. Uttarakhand is a hilly state of India situated in the lap of Central Himalayas and Chir pine forest is the foremost species of this state. In this state, 65% area is covered mainly by forest and population wise, about 70% of its total population inhibit in its rural areas. Pine forest is found enormously in several districts of the Uttarakhand state. One of the prime means of survival hood of rural there is collection of hay stuff for cattle and growing tendrils for vegetables etc. For this purpose every year, villagers need a number of poles as a support to hay stuff and tendrils. Pine trees, bearing a pole kind of structure, are the most victims for this reason as it is easily available to the villagers. Pine has been a valuable asset internationally for many applications e.g. medicine, drugs, expensive chemicals, etc. It has been a research focus of many scientists and industrialists. It's under usage for hay and tendril purpose is, however, hardly noticed. The present study deals with estimation of poles, required for hay and tendril purpose in various districts of the Uttarakhand. A field survey is conducted to observe and estimate pine deforestation by individual family. The findings of present survey indicate: (i) pine deforestation by villages needs to be noticed and avoided (ii) villages may be provided an alternative solution (iii) instead, pine trees should be preserved and used for enhancing social, environmental and economic measures. The alternate for hay and tendril poles is discussed. The benefits of preserving pine trees and its scope is thoroughly studied. Harmful effects of pine forest degradation are highlighted. Keywords-Pine forest, Hay, Tendril, Chir pine, Himalaya

Comparative morphological, epidermal, and anatomical studies of Pinus roxburghii needles at different altitudes in the North-West Indian Himalayas

The aim of the present study was to understand the ecological adaptation of Pinus roxburghii Sarg. in the North-West Himalayan region. P. roxburghii needles showed morphological, epidermal, and anatomical variation at different altitudes. Needle length was negatively correlated with altitude. Stomatal characters like stomatal density, stomatal index, and guard cell lengths were found to be affected by environmental factors and showed a direct correlation with altitude. The results showed that potential conductance index was dependent on the climatic conditions of the habitat. The anatomical properties of needles exhibited variation from lower to higher elevation, especially in the number and position of resin ducts.