Browsing by Author "Kumar, Amit"

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A study on floristic diversity and plant functional types across various landforms in upper Dhauli valley, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Western Himalaya.
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2016) Kumar, Amit; Adhikari, B.S.; Rawat, G.S.
In ecological systems, vegetation communities are shaped by various physiographic and edaphic factors which determine their structural and functional attributes. In Trans- Himalayan region of the state of Uttarakhand, limited studies on linkages of floristics, patterns of diversity in various vegetation communities and landforms are available. The region faces disturbances due to various natural and anthropogenic causes. The present research work attempts to assess the diversity of vascular plants, plant community structure and plant functional types (PFTs) in various landforms and physiognomic units in Upper Dhauli Valley, a cold-arid region and buffer of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. This research work has not only generated information on the baseline ecological characteristics of various plant species and communities but also provides valuable management implications. The study is summarized in the following paragraphs. The Upper Dhauli Valley (UDV; ca. 727.7 km2; 30°46-54’N and 79°45-51’E) in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve was selected for intensive study. The UDV was added as a part of buffer zone of NDBR in 2002 and among the least studied valleys of the region with respect to floristics, floral assemblages and vegetation structure. It has three major watersheds namely, Amrit Ganga, Satyagad and Ganesh Ganga. The present study is based on the extensive surveys of various landscape features, landforms and physiognomic units. Reconnaissance survey in the entire valley was conducted in the year 2011. The field work comprised of floristic survey, systematic collection and record of plant specimens, vegetation quantification and collection of soil samples followed by laboratory analysis
Assessing the effect of anthropogenic disturbance on epiphytes in Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, India
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2024) Nongrang, Tiewlyngksiar Lyngdoh; Kumar, Amit
The key findings emerged from this study include- A total of 66 epiphytes comprising 32 species of orchids, 09 species of ferns, and 25 species of hemi-epiphytes & holo-epiphytes were recorded from the study area. Orchids had the highest species richness followed by ferns and hemi-epiphytes & holoepiphytes. Among orchids, species of Bulbophyllum, Pholidota and and a were dominant. The dominant species among ferns included Lepisorus sp., Davallodes hymenophylloides and Pyrrosia flocculosa whereas, among hemi-epiphytes and holo-epiphytes, the dominant species were Piper longum, Pothos chinensis, Rhaphidophora decursiva, Scurrula parasitica and Ficus sp. The abundance of epiphytes was observed highest in the Private Forest followed by the Village Forest and Reserve Forest. Species richness, using sampled-based Rarefaction curves of epiphytes showed that the curve is not reaching an asymptote and observed species were highest in the Village Forest followed by Reserve Forest and Private Forest. The most abundant groups of epiphytes in Private Forest were hemiepiphytes mainly dominating on the lower trunk. In the village forest, orchids were found occupying the inner canopy. In Reserve Forest, ferns were in abundance and occupied the upper trunk. Species correlation shows no difference in species composition. Environmental variables are factors that can explain the difference in species richness and abundance of epiphytes.
Assessment of medicinal and aromatic plant species on their collection, usage, demand, markets, price trends and life cycle in Lahaul and Pangi landscape, Himachal Pradesh
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Kumar, Amit; Sathyakumar, S.; Goraya, G.S.; Gupta, A.K.; Adhikari, B.S.; Rawat, G.S.
Nested in the Western Himalaya, the state of Himachal Pradesh (30° to 33°N and 75° to 79° E) is known for its rich biological diversity. It covers an area of 55,673 km2 with >3,300 distinct plants species. Interestingly, the alpine areas of Lahaul and Spiti are one of the major hot spots of wild MAPs in the Western Himalaya. Unfortunately, the remote valleys such as Lahaul, Pangi, Spiti, Kinnaur including micro-watersheds lying in the cold-arid regions of Himachal Pradesh are relatively less studied in terms of available growing stock and population status of MAPs. Notably, there is a general lack of literature on medicinal plants at the catchment, watershed and valley levels. Further, the information on recent levels of trade of MAPs are available only from a few localities of the Western Himalaya. Like other areas, these areas have also been facing additional stress due to over-exploitation of forest resources, including the unscientific and premature harvesting of MAPs from the wild, which functions parallel to the illegal and hidden markets thus, putting tremendous pressure on the wild resource base resulting in the dwindling populations and precarious livelihoods of local communities. The rising demand of herbal products has caused excessive harvesting of many of the important MAPs from these regions, putting their wild population at the risk of extinction. Keeping aforementioned aspects in view, the current study was proposed which aims to study selected Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (MAP) species in Lahaul and Pangi landscape of Himachal Pradesh with focus to ensure sustainable harvesting and cultivation by (i) identifying usage patterns of MAPs, and (ii) studying existing value chains. In order to address the project objectives, the present study has been categorized into 12 key tasks. The current study revealed that the major issues adversely impacting the MAP species in the Lahaul and Pangi landscape include illegal/ over/ premature/ unorganized harvesting of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs), high demand and non-transparent operations in the markets of MAPs. Besides these issues, few gaps such as knowledge on available stock of MAPs, lack of information on cultivation and harvesting methods of key MAP species specific to Lahaul and Pangi landscape, lack of information on end users and middlemen and inadequate information on quantity of raw material traded have been reported. In order to optimize the benefits to the local communities and adopt the concepts of sustainable harvesting and benefit sharing, it is important to assess the availability, market trends and methods for collection of MAPs including gathering information on population of selected MAPs. This will help in identifying High Conservation Value Areas (HCVAs) and delineating MPCAs for in-situ conservation in the landscape. Assessment of medicinal and aromatic plant species on their collection, usage, demand, markets, price trends and life cycle in Lahaul and Pangi landscape, Himachal Pradesh Additionally, identification of large traders and industries that acquire their raw materials from Lahaul and Pangi will strengthen the implementation of Access and Benefit Sharing model on pilot basis. Furthermore, identification of hidden markets viz., local, regional and national, price trends, value addition and strengthening BMCs will help in sustainable management of MAPs in the landscape. The first step towards conservation is identifying the existing population base, and information on the species distribution and abundance. Identification of the best cultivation practices, R&D to reduce long-gestation periods, cost effective technology, organic-farming, buy-back mechanisms, policy-revision in the interest of stakeholders, protocols for post-cultivation management, quality-control and awareness training are some measures in this direction. It can be concluded that in order to optimize the benefits to the local communities, and to adopt the concepts of sustainable harvesting and benefit-sharing, it is important to assess the availability, market trends and methods for collection of MAPs, including gathering information on population of selected MAPs. A major step towards species conservation can be spreading awareness on the dwindling populations amongst the stakeholders. It is also important to identify alternative sources of income for the locals to create in them confidence that wild harvest of MAPs was not the only source of cash income and, thus to dissuade them from ruthless wild harvest and to make them participate in conservation programs. Identifying and building the capacities of stakeholders including the forest officials, locals, school children, traditional healers and plant traders can help in community based natural resource management. These issues need to be addressed to ensure long-term conservation of the MAP resources of the landscape in a way that livelihood needs of the local communities depending on this resource are not compromised. The following key recommendations have emerged after this study:  Documentation of the Conservation Status of Key MAPs i Setting aside Conservation Areas around Viable Populations of Priority MAPs ii Strengthening of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) iii Value addition by adopting best Post-Harvest Management Techniques iv Developing Farm-scale Agro-Techniques for Priority MAP Species v Developing Germplasm Banks of the Priority MAP Species vi Study and Monitor Impacts of Climate Change
Influence of Forest Cover on Fruit and Frugivore Richness and Abundance in Southern Western Ghats
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2021) Takorbhai, Patel Zankhnaben; Page, Navendu V.; Kumar, Amit
Habitat fragmentation is a pervasive threat to ecosystem processes like seed dispersal, which is vital for biodiversity maintenance in tropical forests. Habitat fragmentation negatively impacts the richness, abundance and composition of plants and animals, thereby disrupting the interactions between them, with cascading impacts on biodiversity. However, the remnant fragments continue to harbour biodiversity. However, it is critical to determine the functional value of the fragments in terms of fruit resource diversity and availability and prevalence of frugivores across different size classes. To this end, I conducted the study in the Valparai plateau and adjacent contiguous patches of rainforests in the Western Ghats. I first determined the organization of plant-seed disperser community and identified key frugivores and plants in the landscape using network analysis. Using mixed models and the recently developed Joint Species Distribution Modelling approach called HMSC (hierarchical modelling of species communities), I investigated 1) the relationship between the amount of forest cover and richness of fruiting plants across different seed size classes, 2) the relationship between the amount of forest cover and availability of fruit s across different seed size classes 3) the relationship between richness and presence of all the avian frugivores and, amount of forest cover, and richness and availability of fruits. I recorded the frugivores and fruiting plants from 33 trails distributed in 12 fragments and 2 sites in contiguous area during four months of sampling. I also recorded plant-frugivore interactions. I documented 49 species of fruiting plants and 17 species of avian frugivores
Status of threatened medicinal and aromatic plansts and their use by the Bhotiya community in Niti valley, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Uttarakhand,
(Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 2022) Kumar, Amit
Nested in the Western Himalaya, the state of Uttarakhand, also known as the ‘herbal state of India,’ harbors more than 5000 species of vascular plants, of which one-third species have medicinal uses. The state abounds in a rich and varied flora and fauna, constituting the most species-rich part of the whole of the Western Himalaya. The extreme north of the state contributes approximately 1% (ca. >1,000 km2) of the total Trans- Himalayan region (ca. 98,660 km2) of India. However, in spite of rich floral diversity, the cold-arid regions of Nilang, Niti, Mana, Johar, Darma and Byans valleys of Uttarakhand along the northern frontiers that falls under Trans-Himalayan Biogeographic Province (1C) are underexplored in terms of the current levels of pressure and patterns of biodiversity. These areas have also been facing tremendous pressure due to over-exploitation of forest resources including the unscientific and illegal harvesting of MAPs from the wild. The current study was conducted to study selected threatened and high use value MAPs in Niti valley, a cold-arid region of Nanda Devi Biosphere reserve with a focus to (i) assess the status, abundance, and use of MAPs, and (ii) suggest their sustainable harvesting and cultivation framework. The information on the focal species was gathered through primary viz., semi-structured open-ended and closed-ended questions including individual interactions and group discussions in selected villages (7) and secondary information through offline and online sources. After reconnaissance and stratification of habitats, population status of focal species was assessed using stratified random sampling. Based on extensive interactions with younger generation, elder people including local healers, plant collectors and local traders, a total of five high value (with significant economic end usage) MAPs namely Allium stracheyi, Carum carvi, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Picrorhiza kurroa and Sinopodophyllum hexandrum were selected in Niti valley, NDBR. The selection of MAPs was based mainly on highest quantum of collection and high threat due to removal and usages. The current study highlights that the population of the focal species (except Carum carvi) are sparse albeit rapidly declining due to excessive exploitation, unscientific, illegal and premature harvesting. Therefore, keeping their current population status in view, preparation of microplans, assessment of available growing stock and sustainable management and utilization of dwindling populations is recommended. Besides over-exploitation of MAPs, knowledge on their available stock, lack of information on end users and middlemen and inadequate information on quantity of raw material traded due to secretive nature of the markets were reported. In Niti valley, the market trend, price vis a vis trade route is indiscernible for highly traded medicinal species such as Gucchi, Morchella esculenta and Keedajadi, Ophiocordyceps sinensis which sells in the market like a hot cake, and therefore has created hue and cry state among the locals. Hence, these issues need to be addressed to ensure long-term conservation of the MAPs in a way that livelihood needs of the locals depending on such resources are not compromised. The focal species are one of the highly traded MAPs from the Western Himalaya, in general and Niti valley, particularly. Therefore, considering the existing threats, habitat specificity, population size and pressure level, the focus of conservation and regulated harvest is particularly needed for (i) restricted distribution heavy pressure (RDHP) species such as Picrorhiza kurroa and Dactylorhiza hatagirea, and (ii) locally common heavy pressure (LCHP) species such as Allium stracheyi, Sinopodophyllum hexandrum and Carum carvi in Niti valley, NDBR. Bhotiyas, ethnic community of Indo-Mongoloid origin mailny depend on natural resources from the adjacent forests and alpine pastures or meadows (locally known as payar) for their livelihood. Therefore, considering the high use value, market opportunities, price of the produce, and ease of cultivation or harvesting processes, the current study proposes Allium stracheyi, Carum carvi and Saussurea costus as the potential species that can be encouraged for their cultivation in Niti valley. It will not only provide livelihood opportunites to the local inhabitants but also check ruthless exploitation of the wild MAPs. The local inhabitants are dependent on the wild MAPs for their traditional health care system. They are knowledgeable of about 72 MAPs that are locally utilized consumption and for curing at least 24 different human ailments. However, the practice of utilising MAPs in their local healthcare system is sharply declining due to lack of education facility and market, which has led to lack of knowledge as well as transfer of knowledge to younger generations. The payar such as Bamplas, Lang, Goting, Rekhana (base of Mount Kamet) and Geldung in Ganesh Ganga; Timersain and Thali enroute Kalajowar, and Daman towards Sagar glacier in Amrit Ganga are rich in medicinal plant diversity. Thus, considering the unique medicinal diversity and traditional ways of their conservation in view, rotation grazing in the forested areas including heavily grazed payars such as Daman, Thali, Timsersain and Goting in a cycle of 2-3 years is proposed. Owing to excessive human population, it is evident that the demand visa- vis harvesting pressure on wild populations of several MAPs is increasing every year. Thus, in order to meet the accelerating demand of high use value MAPs, there is an urgent need to develop farm scale agrotechniques for priority MAP species in the absence of such efforts on lab to land tested techniques. In the current study, sustainable harvesting and cultivation framework have been designed for the selected 05 MAPs, although appropriate demonstration sites showcasing such agrotechniques in the cold-arid landscapes such as Niti valley in Uttarakhand be set up to build confidence of the plant growers or locals in adoption of such medicinal crops in their agricultural practices.