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 H...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Forests and Global Change |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2023.1019277/full |
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| author | Zishan A. Wani Vikram S. Negi Jahangeer A. Bhat K. V. Satish Ashish Kumar Sajid Khan Rupesh Dhyani Sazada Siddiqui Rahmah N. Al-Qthanin Shreekar Pant |
| author_facet | Zishan A. Wani Vikram S. Negi Jahangeer A. Bhat K. V. Satish Ashish Kumar Sajid Khan Rupesh Dhyani Sazada Siddiqui Rahmah N. Al-Qthanin Shreekar Pant |
| author_sort | Zishan A. Wani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T15:26:31Z |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 2624-893X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T15:26:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Forests and Global Change |
| spelling | doaj.art-0c88f92ebc824d2bb175ea5d1b36bcdb2023-04-28T13:37:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Forests and Global Change2624-893X2023-02-01610.3389/ffgc.2023.10192771019277Elevation, aspect, and habitat heterogeneity determine plant diversity and compositional patterns in the Kashmir HimalayaZishan A. Wani0Vikram S. Negi1Jahangeer A. Bhat2K. V. Satish3Ashish Kumar4Sajid Khan5Rupesh Dhyani6Sazada Siddiqui7Rahmah N. Al-Qthanin8Shreekar Pant9Department of Botany, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaG. B. Pant, National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand, IndiaCollege of Horticulture and Forestry, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, UP, IndiaRemote Sensing Laboratory, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, IndiaG. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Garhwal Regional Centre, Srinagar Garhwal, Srinagar, Uttarakhand, IndiaDepartment of Botany, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaG. B. Pant, National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand, IndiaDepartment of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Botany, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaElevational 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.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2023.1019277/fullKashmir Himalayacompositionβ-diversityvariation partitioningelevation |
| spellingShingle | Zishan A. Wani Vikram S. Negi Jahangeer A. Bhat K. V. Satish Ashish Kumar Sajid Khan Rupesh Dhyani Sazada Siddiqui Rahmah N. Al-Qthanin Shreekar Pant Elevation, aspect, and habitat heterogeneity determine plant diversity and compositional patterns in the Kashmir Himalaya Frontiers in Forests and Global Change Kashmir Himalaya composition β-diversity variation partitioning elevation |
| title | Elevation, aspect, and habitat heterogeneity determine plant diversity and compositional patterns in the Kashmir Himalaya |
| title_full | Elevation, aspect, and habitat heterogeneity determine plant diversity and compositional patterns in the Kashmir Himalaya |
| title_fullStr | Elevation, aspect, and habitat heterogeneity determine plant diversity and compositional patterns in the Kashmir Himalaya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Elevation, aspect, and habitat heterogeneity determine plant diversity and compositional patterns in the Kashmir Himalaya |
| title_short | Elevation, aspect, and habitat heterogeneity determine plant diversity and compositional patterns in the Kashmir Himalaya |
| title_sort | elevation aspect and habitat heterogeneity determine plant diversity and compositional patterns in the kashmir himalaya |
| topic | Kashmir Himalaya composition β-diversity variation partitioning elevation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2023.1019277/full |
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