Regeneration status of woody species in a protected area of Western Himalaya

Estimates of future species composition that exist following natural regeneration are very important to forest managers and silviculturists. The regeneration status/potential of a species in a community can be assessed from the population dynamics of seedlings and saplings in the forest community. Thus the main objective of the present study was to investigate natural regeneration status/potential of woody tree species in Madhmeshwar area of Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and the study revealed that density of seedlings ranged from 155 individuals ha−1 (zone-II 2000–2200 m) to 695 individuals ha−1 (zone-I 1550–1750 m) and similar trend was found in the densities of saplings (160–330 individuals ha−1) respectively. The new regeneration was found only in altitudinal zone-IV and altitudinal zone-V. The TBC was found highest in altitudinal zone-I followed by altitudinal zone-III for both seedlings and saplings. The distribution of density and individual percentage was observed highest in 0–15 GBH class at altitudinal zone-I followed by altitudinal zone-III however the girth class distribution of individuals showed a reverse J-shaped curve for all the species at all the altitudinal zones. The present study concludes that the regeneration pattern or the growth of seedlings and saplings decreases with increase in altitudinal gradient while the increase in biotic pressure in some pockets of higher altitudes is affecting regeneration pattern of species which may affect the species composition in future, however the shift of tree species toward upper altitudes might be variation in temperature.