Southern Aspect Research Articles

Effect of altitudes and aspects on carbon sequestration potential of Quercus floribunda forests of Garhwal Himalayas

The forests are major resources for carbon sequestration and help to mitigate the adverse effect of atmospheric carbon and reduce global warming. The present study was conducted to estimate the carbon sequestration potential of the Quercus floribunda forests at two different aspects and three altitudes. Ten quadrates of 10 × 10 m size were laid out in each forest for the estimation of stand density, tree biomass, and soil samples were collected from each quadrate. Q. floribunda was the dominating tree at studied altitudes and aspects with the IVI values of 161.14 and 124.96 in the southern aspect and northern aspects, respectively. the highest values of above-ground biomass density (AGBD), below-ground biomass density (BGBD), total biomass density (TBD), and total carbon density (TCD) was recorded at the upper elevation (2500–2700 m) of southern and northern aspects. In the southern aspect values of AGBD (476.67 < 575.67 Mg/ha), BGBD (124.8 < 148.9 Mg/ha), TBD (601.53 < 724 Mg/ha), TCD (300.83 < 362.03 Mg/ha) were higher than northern aspect. The values of AGBD, BGBD, TBD, and TCD were reported maximum (638 Mg/ha, 163.1 Mg/ha, 800.5 Mg/ha, and 400.35 Mg/ha; respectively) in the upper elevation. Soil organic carbon (SOC), soil organic matter (SOM), and soil organic carbon stock (SOCS) decreased with increasing altitudes and depths which were found higher in the southern aspect. Bulk density (BD) and P increased with altitudes and depth however bulk density was equal (1.29 g cc-1) in both aspects whereas P was also found higher (31.43 kg/ha) in the southern aspect. Highest available nitrogen (398 kg/ha) was recorded in the northern aspect at middle altitude. The available potassium was highest in the northern aspect. At lower altitudes, available potassium ranges between 246–615 kg/ha. Soil pH was found slightly acidic in all the sites ranging from 4.91 to 5.74 in different soil depths. Dehydrogenase activity was ranged between 1.35 and 8.74 µg/g/h from lower to upper soil depth and decreased with an increase in soil depths and increased with altitudes, whereas found highest in the southern aspect. The present study suggested that tree density, tree biomass, carbon sequestration potential, and soil health in Q. floribunda forests were substantially influenced by the altitude as well as the aspect. These findings contribute valuable insights for climate change mitigation and forest management strategies in the study region.

Spatiotemporal Changes of Glaciers in the Yigong Zangbo River Basin over the Period of the 1970s to 2023 and Their Driving Factors

The glaciers in southeastern Tibet Plateau (SETP) influenced by oceanic climate are sensitive to global warming, and there remains a notable deficiency in accurate multitemporal change analyses of these glaciers. We conduct glacier inventories in the Yigong Zangbo River Basin (YZRB) in SETP for the years 1988, 2015, and 2023 utilizing Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery, and analyze the glacier spatiotemporal variation incorporating the existing glacier inventory data. Since the 1970s until 2023, the glaciers significantly retreated at a rate of 0.76 ± 0.11%·a−1, with the area decreasing from 2583.09 ± 88.80 km2 to 1635.89 ± 71.74 km2, and the ice volume reducing from 221.7017 ± 7.9618 km3 to 152.7429 ± 6.1747 km3. The most significant retreat occurred in glaciers smaller than 1 km2. Additionally, glaciers on southern aspects retreated slower than the northern counterparts. The glaciers in the western YZRB witnessed a significantly greater shrinkage rate than those in the eastern section, with the most pronounced changes occurring in Aso Longbu River Basin. Furthermore, severe glacier mass deficits were observed from 2000 to 2019, averaging a loss rate of 0.57 ± 0.06 m w.e. a−1. The continuous rise in air temperature has primarily induced a general widespread glacier change in the YZRB. However, diverse topography led to spatial variability in glacier changes with discrepancies as large as several times. The features of individual glaciers, such as glacier size, debris cover, and the development of ice-contact glacial lakes enhanced the local complexity of glacier change and elusive response behaviors to climate warming led by the different topographic conditions.

Spatio‐temporal analysis of snow depth and snow water equivalent in a mountainous catchment: Insights from in‐situ observations and statistical modelling

AbstractThis research, conducted in the mountainous catchment near Abant Lake in the Western Black Sea region of Türkiye, aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal variations of snow depth (SD) and snow water equivalent (SWE) throughout the snow season from December 2019 to March 2020, encompassing both accumulation and melting periods. In total, 14 snow surveys were conducted, covering 58 permanent snow measurement points (PSMP) marked with snow poles. The classification and regression tree (CART) method was employed to statistically analyse their relationships with eight variables: snow period, forest canopy, aspect, slope, elevation, slope position, plan and profile curvature. The root mean square error (RMSE) for SD and SWE was determined to be 0.15 m and 46 mm, respectively. The study findings revealed that mean SD and SWE values were higher in forest gaps compared with under‐forest and open areas. Although the snow cover disappeared earliest in under‐forest areas, the melting rate was observed to be 43% and 17% slower compared with forest gaps and open areas, respectively. Wind redistribution resulted in minimum snow accumulation on western aspects, upper slope positions and ridges, while maximum accumulation was observed on southern aspects, valleys and lower slope positions. Higher elevations (&gt;1580 meters) experienced faster snow melting rates, leading to earlier disappearance of snow cover. PSMPs located on slopes with lower degrees (&lt;15°) exhibited lesser accumulation and earlier snow disappearance. The CART model identified the snow period as the most significant factor in predicting SD and SWE, based on variations in snowfall and air temperature. Other significant variables included forest canopy, aspect and elevation. The study suggests that the CART method is well‐suited for modelling complex snow dynamics, providing valuable insights into spatiotemporal variations in SD and SWE in mountainous regions.

Identification of drought-induced forest damage in 2022 and of its key site condition drivers through satellite imagery

Abstract An extensive discoloration (yellowing, browning), and defoliation (leaf loss) were observed in Slovak forests during the summer of 2022. These phenomena are attributed to the combination of very low atmospheric precipitation and extremely high air temperatures from June to early August. In this study, the deterioration of forest health was analysed by comparing the image classification of Sentinel-2 satellite data from the year of intense drought occur-rence, 2022, with that from a referenced year without drought occurrence, 2020. The results indicated that in 2022, the proportion of heavily damaged stands with defoliation exceeding 50% doubled, reaching 19.3% (417,000 ha), and an area of 223,000 ha experienced an increase in defoliation by 30% or more. The damage exhibited an uneven spatial distribution, with the most significant impact observed in the western and southern parts of central Slovakia, as well as partially in the southern part of eastern Slovakia. Further GIS analyses revealed that forests growing on slopes with southern aspects suffered more severe damage than with northern exposures. However, the difference between the most damaged forests with south-southeast exposure (12.2%) and the least damaged ones with north-northwest exposure (8.2%) was only 4%. The level of damage gradually decreased with increasing altitude. Nevertheless, compared to previous studies, the damage was significantly manifested even in the fourth forest vegetation zone, up to an elevation of approximately 800 m. Regarding soil texture, which influences the water regime, the damage gradually decreased with decreasing sand content, ranging from sandy soils (17.5%) to clayey soils (6.6%).

Impact of Parthenium hysterophorus L. on floristic diversity in Dhauladhar foothills of Himachal Pradesh.

Parthenium hysterophorus L. has become a weed of global concern owing to its fast expansion and invasive character. In order to study the status of this noxious weed and its impact on floristic diversity in Dhauladhar foothills, the study was conducted during the year 2021-2022 in culturable wastelands of Dhauladhar ranges in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The impact of Parthenium hysterophorus L. on associated species at different altitudes and aspects was observed. Our observations depicted that Parthenium hysterophorus L. has been growing more vigorously in the northern aspect than the southern aspect with the density of 37.78m-2 and 21.62m-2, respectively. The highest density of this noxious weed was recorded in the altitudinal range of 600-1200m (34.32m-2) while it was not observed beyond 1805m above sea level. The invasion of Parthenium hysterophorus L. significantly affected the plant density of other species. The descending order of the species as per dominance was observed as Cynodon dactylon, Trifolium repens, Oxalis latifolia, Parthenium hysterophorus L., and Ageratum houstonianum. The average number of species and species density were observed more in non-invaded sites (9.35 and 27.67m-2) than in invaded sites (7.10 and 20.60m-2). Species abundance and plant cover were observed more in non-invaded sites (28.73 and 657.90 m2ha-1) than in invaded sites (22.70 and 322.30 m2ha-1). Species diversity, richness, and evenness were reported to decline in invaded sites (1.56, 0.95, and 0.81, respectively) with respect to the non-invaded sites (1.94, 1.16, and 0.88, respectively). The study highlights the significant concerns associated with the invasive weed within the plant communities. Understanding its invasive status holds considerable implications for local afforestation initiatives, forest management strategies, and conservation policies. Furthermore, this investigation lays a foundational groundwork for implementing effective measures to get rid of this alien weed.

Using satellite-derived land surface temperatures to clarify the spatiotemporal warming trends of the Alborz Mountains in northern Iran

The Alborz Mountains are some of the highest in Iran, and they play an important role in controlling the climate of the country’s northern regions. The land surface temperature (LST) is an important variable that affects the ecosystem of this area. This study investigated the spatiotemporal changes and trends of the nighttime LST in the western region of the Central Alborz Mountains at elevations of 1500–4000 m above sea level. MODIS data were extracted for the period of 2000–2021, and the Mann–Kendall nonparametric test was applied to evaluating the changes in the LST. The results indicated a significant increasing trend for the monthly average LST in May–August along the southern aspect. Both the northern and southern aspects showed decreasing trends for the monthly average LST in October, November, and March and an increasing trend in other months. At all elevations, the average decadal change in the monthly average LST was more severe along the southern aspect (0.60°C) than along the northern aspect (0.37°C). The LST difference between the northern and southern aspects decreased in the cold months but increased in the hot months. At the same elevation, the difference in the lapse rate between the northern and southern aspects was greater in the hot months than in the cold months. With increasing elevation, the lapse rate between the northern and southern aspects disappeared. Climate change was concluded to greatly decrease the difference in LST at different elevations for April–July.

NATURAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE DENSITY OF REGENERATION IN SUBTROPICAL CHIR PINE FOREST OF MALAKAND REGION, KHYBER-PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Chir pine botanically called Pinus roxburghii of family Pinaceae, found in sub-tropical chir pine zone providing valuable services to the locals. The anthropogenic disturbances in sub-tropical Chir pine forest are mostly affecting natural regeneration in coniferous forest of Pakistan. However, natural factors like slope, aspect, elevation, sunshade etc. also responsible for low density of natural regeneration in these forests. Therefore, we formulated a study to investigate the effect of slope and aspect on natural regeneration of chir pine forest in Malakand region in Khyber Pakhutnkhwah. Regeneration was studied on three different slopes (steep slopes of 27° and above, the moderate slope of 18- 27° and gentle slope 18° and below and northern and southern aspect. A total of 45 random samples were thoroughly studied in the form of circular plots of radius 8.4 meters, 15 from each category of slope in each study area. Similarly, 20 plots on southern and 20 northern aspect were also selected randlomly in each study area. Analsysis was carried out through two way analysis of variance for slopes and two sample independent t- test for aspect through SPSS and significance difference among slope was determined through tukey test. The result showed that moderate slope and southern aspect was the best for optimum natural regeneration. The less number of regeneration on gentle slope corresponds to heavy anthropogenic activities, grazing pressure and inadequate mother trees. The study recommend to focus efforts of regeneration protectoin mainly on moderate slope, prohibit individuals from collecting seeds, and raise public understanding of natural regeneration.

Influence of aspect on vegetation dynamics: insights into the understory vegetation diversity of the dry temperate forests of South Waziristan Agency, Pakistan

The dry temperate forests of Pakistan exhibit rich diversity of understory floral species. These important and endemic plant species play a pivotal role in ecosystem functioning and providing livelihoods to the forest communities. South Waziristan, located in the southwest of Pakistan, is known for its rare pure stands of Pinus gerardiana Wallichex. D. Don forests. The rapidly expanding population and current state of affairs are leading to deforestation and causing disturbance to the understory vegetation of this valuable forest. The current study aims to fill the currently scanty information present in the literature regarding the diversity status of understory vegetation in P. gerardiana forests. Data of understory vegetation diversity were gathered for the northern and southern aspects of the forest. A 50 m2 sampling plot along with the placement of fifty 1x1m2 quadrats on both sites were laid out to determine species dominance, diversity, and evenness using Simpson, Shanon, Marglef, and Buzas–Gibson indices. The study depicted 612 individuals of about 29 species representing 23 families from the study site. The most abundant species in all of the sites was Salvia Glutinosa cccIV = 0.52. The southern aspect depicted the lowest diversity, but had high species dominance. Allium carolinianum DC. in this site was the most important species (IV = 0.74). The most abundant species were medicinal plants (75%), followed by edible plants (25%). Aspect had a significant effect on the understory vegetation and different categories of plants with respect to their diversity, dominance, and evenness as predicted by the various diversity indices. This study provides essential insight in to the florisitic diversity and community structure of the fragile pine nut understory vegetation in South Waziristan, which was hitherto not available. It was concluded that the southern aspect of understudy dry temperate forests depicted lower diversity and density as compared with the northern aspect. But it was observed that the southern aspect more specifically had more density and diversity of medicinal plants. It is therefore the need of the hour that conservation of these species from grazing and unsustainable harvesting must be ensured to sustain the livelihood of the inhabitants.

Diversity of woody flora in Isparta Gölcük Nature Park and its relations with environmental variables

Ormancılıkta flora üzerine gerçekleştirilen çalışmalar sürdürülebilir ormancılık ve biyolojik çeşitlilik üzerine önemli bilgiler vermektedir. Bu çalışma Gölcük Tabiat Parkında odunsu flora çeşitliliğinin belirlenerek çevresel değişkenlerle ilişkilerini ortaya koymak amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışmada arazi envanteri ile 20x20 metre boyutlarında 25 örnekleme alanı alınmıştır. Her bir örnekleme alanı için odunsu bitki taksonları ve yetişme ortamı özellikleri envanter defterine kaydedilmiştir. Kümeleme analizi ile kesme seviyelerinden elde edilen grupların en uygun olanını tespit edebilmek amacıyla çoklu permütasyon testi (MRPP) uygulanmış en etkili vejetasyon grup ayrımının gösterge bitki türlerini tespit edebilmek amacıyla gösterge bitki analizi uygulanmıştır. Alfa çeşitlilik indis değerleri ile çevresel faktörler arasındaki ilişkileri ortaya koyabilmek adına Pearson korelasyon analizi uygulanmıştır. Pinus nigra, Rosa canina, Populus nigra subsp. caudina ve Malus sylvestris subsp. sylvestris türlerinin çalışma alanın genelinde en sık rastlanan türler olduğu belirlenmiştir. Çalışmada en uygun odunsu grup ayrımı 3’lü grup ayrımında elde edilmiştir. İstatistiksel analizler neticesinde en uygun vejetasyon grup ayrımlarının oluşmasında bakı farklılıklarının önem arz ettiği belirlenmiştir. Bu sonuç tür çeşitliliğinin yörede güneyli bakılarda kuzeyli bakılara kıyasla daha fazla olduğunun tespit edilmesi ile desteklenmiştir.

Elevation, aspect, and habitat heterogeneity determine plant diversity and compositional patterns in the Kashmir Himalaya

Elevational gradient, slope, and aspect offer a unique opportunity to explore the response of plant species under changing environmental conditions. The present study aimed to analyze the species diversity and distribution patterns with respect to altitude, aspect, and habitat types in the Kashmir Himalayas. Considering major aspects and habitats, a total of 123 representative sites were selected along the elevational gradients for the present study. The plant species composition of each selected site was studied by organized sampling following the standard ecological methods. During the present study, a total of 361 vascular plant species belonging to 71 families and 214 genera were identified in the study area. At the lower altitudes, the southern aspect and drier habitats showed the highest diversity. Moreover, a significant amount of compositional dissimilarity was observed between the studied aspects, habitats, and elevation belts and was mainly due to species turnover rather than the nestedness component. Further, among the studied variables, altitude was the most important contributing variable, explaining the greatest variation in the species composition. The paired effects of altitude and habitat explained the maximum variation in plant species composition. It may be concluded that floristic diversity should be studied not only with reference to elevational gradients but should also include aspects and habitats. The current study will act as a reference in this direction. A similar study must be replicated in other parts of the Himalayan region in the future to improve our understanding of the distribution and preferences of plant species in mountainous zones. This, in turn, will be immensely helpful in the conservation and sustainable utilization of resources in these ecologically fragile regions.

Topography and climate of Mount Karanfil (Pozantı/Adana)

The goal of this study is to investigate the impact of the topographic features of Mount Karanfil and its surroundings on the local climate. Mount Karanfil, located in the Mediterranean Basin, has a unique ecological position due to its topography. This study analyzed temperature, precipitation, and wind conditions at Mount Karanfil from 1980 to 2018 using data from the General Directorate of Meteorology (MGM). The temperature indices were calculated using the Clima data and the ArcGIS v10.5 software package. The temperature indices series was analyzed using cluster analysis in ArcGIS v10.5 before being used to calculate the maximum and minimum temperature and precipitation values for each month. The spatial estimation method IDW interpolation was then applied to these data. The initial analysis showed significant differences in temperature, precipitation, and wind conditions between this location and others. This may be due to the southern aspect of the landscape, which receives more precipitation than other slopes and is affected by south-oriented sectoral winds that bring abundant precipitation to the southern slopes. The results of the temperature indices analysis showed that evaporation tends to increase on hot days with high maximum temperatures compared to days with low minimum temperatures. The Emberger bioclimatic index also confirmed the typical Mediterranean climate of mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. In addition to the regional climate and geology, the geomorphologic conditions of the mountainous mass and the specific valley profiles of the Ecemis stream and Cakıt stream (such as the strait valley) were found to influence the local climate. These valley profiles, which are composed of narrow and deep dolomitic and limestone layers, showed differences in climate due to their slope, elevation, and aspect, as analyzed using digital elevation models with a resolution of 10–20 m. These topographic analyses revealed that elevation decreases and humidity increases in alluvial valley floors.

How Southern is Tunisia? Gender Equality in Tunisian Constitutionalism

Tunisia can be considered as a recent example for gendered constitutionalism in the Global South. In 2014, the country adopted a new constitution in the context of the so-called Arab Spring and enshrined far-reaching women's rights in it. With the enactment of the newest Constitution in august 2022, Tunisia is in a process of rupture with the previous constitutional order. In terms of gender equality, the Constitution of 2022 largely takes over the provisions from the previous constitution of 2014. However, the concrete political context is likely to be less favourable to gender equality. The Tunisian constitutional experience has the potential to widen the global gendered constitutional conversation while not disregarding seemingly typical southern aspects. One southern aspect is certainly that the Tunisian experience of gendered constitutionalism has so far received too little attention. The historical perspective shows that the so-called women's question recurs again and again as a strategy for identity, power and state-building. The struggle for gender equality is specific, a struggle à la tunisienne, so to speak, but it is embedded in the overarching historical (colonial) and regional context. This applies, for example, to the role of Islam in the legal and constitutional order - as a possible restriction of gender equality, but also as an expression of religious freedom or as an identarian aspect. These aspects might be rather southern. Nevertheless, religious arguments and patriarchal nationalisms are possible limitations to gender equality globally. The Tunisian case shows that female participation in constitutional processes and a gendered constitutional history are important factors for gender equality. The adopted constitutional arrangements can promote gender equality. However - and this is not a Global South specificity - the decisive factor is their implementation; social, economic and democratic factors are of paramount importance. The new Tunisian constitution of 2022 illustrates this impressively.

Variation in Tree Species Richness along an Elevation Gradient in the Modi River Basin, Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal

In this study, we studied the pattern and relationship between tree species richness along an elevation gradient in the southern aspect of Modi River Basin, Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), Central Nepal. Altogether, 30 quadrats were established at 15 elevation bands between 1000 m and 3800 m above the mean sea level. Thirty tree species belonging to 21 families were recorded; Fabaceae had the highest number of species (4 spp.) followed by Betulaceae (3 spp.) and Anacardiaceae (3 spp.). Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) tool was applied which revealed that the species richness and distribution varied significantly along an elevation gradient. The bimodal pattern of species richness was observed. It is concluded that the higher the elevation level, the lesser the number of tree species, thus, the trees in study site eschewed higher elevation levels.

Mapping Samudra Tapu glacier: A holistic approach utilizing radar and optical remote sensing data for glacier radar facies mapping and velocity estimation

Himalayan glaciers have shown more sensitivity and visible changes to the climate change and global warming in the last 150 years. The highly rugged topography and inaccessible remote areas makes satellite images as the most appropriate source of information retrieval. We performed remote sensing based glacier change study for Samudra Tapu glacier, located in the Chandra basin of North-West Himalaya. In the present study, the capabilities of both optical and microwave remote sensing data was analysed in glacier change study in terms of its coverage, shift in equilibrium line altitude (ELA) and surface velocity over a period from 2000 to 2021. Multi Sensor (RISAT-1, Sentinel-1) time series of C-band SAR data along with a object oriented classification technique were used to identify different glacier facies such as percolation facies, icefalls, bare ice facies, refreeze snow and supraglacial debris. These classified maps were also used to detect the snow line and firn line along with ELA, aided with elevation information from digital elevation model (DEM). It was identified that more than 50 % of the total glacier area still lies into accumulation region. Further, we estimated the glacier surface velocity using Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) technique using European Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS-1/2) tandem data of 1996. High value of coherence was observed from the SAR return signal for one-day temporal difference. A mean velocity of 17–24 cm/day was found for the months of March and May 1996, highest flow rates were seen in the high accumulation area located in the Eastern and Southern Aspect of glacier. Spatial analysis of velocity patterns with respect to slope and aspect show that high rates of flow was found in southern slopes and movement rates generally increase with increase in slope. Feature tracking approach was used to estimate the glacier flow for long term and seasonal basis using optical and SAR datasets (IRS-1C, 1D PAN, Landsat-7, 8 PAN, and TANDEM-x) during 1999–2020 period. The results suggest that glacier flow varies with season, i.e., high velocity during spring-summer season, as compared to late summer or winter and, the rate of ice flow changes over the years. The mean glacier velocity reduced to 49.5 m/year during 2013–2020 time, as compared to 67.67 m/year during 1999–2003 time. These results of reducing glacier velocity and changing snow line altitude indicates enhanced glacier’s melt rate and overall negative mass balance for Smudra tapu glacier.

Depth and benthic habitat influence shallow and mesophotic predatory fishes on a remote, high-latitude coral reef

Predatory fishes on coral reefs continue to decline globally despite playing key roles in ecosystem functioning. Remote atolls and platform reefs provide potential refugia for predator populations, but quantitative information on their spatial distribution is required to establish accurate baselines for ongoing monitoring and conservation management. Current knowledge of predatory fish populations has been derived from targeted shallow diver-based surveys (<15 m). However, the spatial distribution and extent of predatory fishes on outer mesophotic shelf environments has remained under described. Middleton Reef is a remote, high-latitude, oceanic platform reef that is located within a no-take area in the Lord Howe Marine Park off eastern Australia. Here we used baited remote underwater stereo video to sample predatory fishes across lagoon and outer shelf habitats from depths 0-100 m, extending knowledge on use of mesophotic depths and habitats. Many predatory fish demonstrated clear depth and habitat associations over this depth range. Carcharhinid sharks and Carangid fishes were the most abundant predators sampled on Middleton Reef, with five predatory fishes accounting for over 90% of the predator fish biomass. Notably, Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) and the protected black rockcod (Epinephelus daemelii) dominated the predator fish assemblage. A higher richness of predator fish species was sampled on reef areas north and south of the lagoon. The more exposed southern aspect of the reef supported a different suite of predator fish across mesophotic habitats relative to the assemblage recorded in the north and lagoonal habitats, a pattern potentially driven by differences in hard coral cover. Biomass of predatory fishes in the more sheltered north habitats was twice that of other areas, predominantly driven by high abundances of Galapagos shark. This work adds to the growing body of literature highlighting the conservation value of isolated oceanic reefs and the need to ensure that lagoon, shallow and mesophotic habitats in these systems are adequately protected, as they support vulnerable ecologically and economically important predator fish assemblages.

The Influence of Topographic Aspect on Biomass and Soil Carbon Stock in Case of Bale Mountain National Park, Ethiopia

The Bale Mountains of Ethiopia have a global conservation significance which contains a number of unique plants and animal species. The study was conducted to analyze the influence of topographic aspect on biomass and soil carbon stock in case of Bale Mountain national park. Simple random sampling method was used to collect soil and vegetation samples. The sample was laid on two main areas of Bale Mountain (South and North aspect). The total of 20 composite samples were collected from the study area for the year 2017 and 60 soil samples was collected from 2016. During carbon stock measurement the data collection were takes place in to two major activities, (1) Above-ground tree biomass (2) Soil organic carbon measurements. The result showed that, there was a significance difference in soil organic carbon among two aspects. The Northern aspect has 13.12kg/ m -2 and Southern aspect was 10.04km/ m-2 . There was also a significance difference in average diameter of Erica plant species. There is a significant difference in the total N and SOC in both aspects, the Northern aspect has higher total carbon stock (11.4607) than the Southern aspects (11.0116). But the nitrogen of Northern aspect (0.7005) is lower than the Southern aspect (0.8109). Immediate action should be taken on land use conversion and human settlement problems of study area and biodiversity conservation works should be developed and facilitated. Keywords: Bale Mountain, Biomass, Carbon stock, Topographic aspect, Ethiopia DOI: 10.7176/JEES/12-2-01 Publication date: February 28 th 2022

Characterization and classification of the Mawer forest soils of Lesser Himalayas of North Kashmir

Soil is an important component of the forest ecosystem. The inventory and assessment of the forest soil resource provide critical baseline information on forest health and productivity. Therefore, a study for the characterization and classification of the soils of Mawer forest range of North Kashmir Himalayas was conducted. In this study, twelve representative soil profiles along with two altitude gradients on Northern and Southern aspects of Mawer forest range were evaluated for soil characterization and classification. The soils show varying degree of profile development varying from A-B to A-C type with the well-developed sub-surface argillic horizon (Bt) on moderately steep slopes and cambic horizon on steep slopes. The soils are silty loam to loam in texture, slightly acidic to alkaline (pH 5.5 to 6.8) in reaction, non-saline (EC 0.02 to 0.14 dS m−1) with higher organic carbon content on north-facing profiles. Available nutrients are higher on the northern aspect of surface horizons with higher calcium and potassium content on higher altitudes and magnesium and sodium content on lower altitudes. As per soil classification, major soils belong to Udothents and Haploudolls followed by Hapludalfs, Agriudolls, and Eutrochrepts at a great group level.

Habitat variation and vulnerability of Quercus brantii woodlands in the Zagros Mountains, Iran

During the past decades, extensive parts of the Quercus brantii woodlands in the Zagros Mountains declined in size and habitat quality. We aimed to explore the variation of oak woodlands in the southern Zagros Mountains and to assess the vulnerability. The following questions were addressed in the study: Which edaphic and physiographic parameters are most important in differentiating woodland vegetation? Which plant species express certain habitat quality and vulnerability characteristics? We examined 49 plots at different altitudes and aspects, recorded the vascular plant species for tree and herb-layer composition, and collected data on topographic and edaphic factors. TWINSPAN was applied to classify the plots. We identified three types of woodland plant communities that show differentiation associated with environmental factors. Most vulnerable types stand at lower altitudes, chiefly on southern aspects and with poor soil fertility. The highest tree-layer ? diversity was observed at steeper slopes around the north at higher altitudes, on fertile fine soils rich in organic matter. Longitude, altitude, and slope were correlated with the soil factors and the vegetation composition. Soil erosion and the removal of fine organic soil resulted in forest degradation and loss of habitat quality. Facilitation of regeneration of Quercus brantii as keystone species in the forests of the Zagros mountain range is concluded as a crucial management objective to buffer the negative effects of climate change and overexploitation. The protection of larger areas of Q. brantii woodlands to conserve local-scale species and community diversity is imperative.

The oldest Pinus nigra plantations in the central Apennines: distribution and floristic-vegetational characterisation

This paper represents the first syntaxonomic study on the Pinus nigra subsp. nigra artificial stands in the Apennines. It refers exclusively to the mature Pinus nigra forest plantations in the central Apennines that were planted before the 1950s, and then not managed. The mature Pinus nigra forest plantations in the central Apennines are distributed within four National Parks, on limestone substrata, mainly with southern aspects and rugged slopes, and at elevations ranging from 655 m to 1670 m a.s.l.. Two new phytosociological associations are described here and classified in the alliance Junipero communis–Pinion nigrae: Orthilio secundae–Pinetum nigrae and Digitalidi micranthae–Pinetum nigrae. The association Orthilio secundae–Pinetum nigrae comprises the relative mesophilous mature pine forests of the supratemperate thermotype in the plant landscape context of the alliance Aremonio agrimonioidis–Fagion sylvaticae potential vegetation belt. The Digitalidi micranthae–Pinetum nigrae comprises the thermophilous pine forests occurring on rocky stands within mesotemperate and lower supratemperate thermotypes in the potential belt of alliance Carpinion orientalis woods. The comparison of these two new associations and the phytosociological literature concerning the natural communities of Pinus nigra in the Apennines highlights their floristic and coenological autonomy.

Grazing management, slope aspect and canopy effects on the compression characteristic of soils of the Gonbad experimental watershed in Hamedan, Iran

Arid and semiarid environments are very sensitive to unsuitable land management practices like livestock overgrazing. Animal trampling and overgrazing can cause land degradation through soil compaction, and this can be controlled by slope aspect. Soil compaction changes soil structure, reduces soil water infiltration and root penetration and decreases vegetation cover and soil organic matter. Livestock overgrazing and the slope aspect can affect many soil properties, but their effects on the confined compression curve (CCC) of soils and other land degradation indices have not been investigated so far. We studied the effects of slope aspect, grazing intensity, and sampling position on the characteristics of the CCC in Gonbad experimental watershed, Hamedan, Iran. Undisturbed and disturbed soil samples were collected at the end of the grazing season in November. The soil CCC was measured, and the Gompertz model was fitted to the measured data. The smallest void ratios, compactability, and swelling indices occurred with a southern aspect due to the greater sand content and coarser texture. Free grazing increased the soil bulk density and decreased the void ratio to decrease all of the CCC characteristics and Gompertz model coefficients (except m). Soil on a northern aspect and with no grazing improved the compression and degradation indices, and would be the best management to prevent compression and consequent land degradation. Path analysis demonstrated that topography and grazing management changed the compression characteristics, which affected land degradation strongly, by affecting the cation exchange capacity, organic matter, and textural and structural properties. In consequence, compression of rangeland soils can be mitigated by selecting suitable grazing management systems by considering topography of the region.