Abstracts

Central Department of Botany

Tribhuvan University
Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
2010
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Terric:olous Uchens as Indicator of anthropogenic disturbances in a high altitude
gnssland 10 Garbwal (Western Himalaya), India

Hlm.nshu Ral·, Roshnl Kbare, Rajan K Gupta and DK Uprell

Department of Botany, Pt. LM.S. Government Post Graduate College (HNB Garhwal Central
University, Srinagar), Rishikesh (Dehradun), Uttarakhand, India
- E-mai l: himanshurai08@yahoo.com

Lichens are known to be more sensitive indicators of ecosystem functioning and disturbances
than any other cryptogamic and vascular plant community. Himalayan habitats. despite their
stressed climatology harbor some of the unique biodiversity of the region, vital for overall
«osystem functioning and stability. Lichens due to their desiccation-tolerance are able to
survive in high altitude Himalayan habilats and evolved into diverse categories and functiona l
groups. Present study ellamines the tenicolous lichen community in Chopta-Tungnath.
temperate-alpine grassland of Garhwal Himalaya, in order to identify potential elements
(species/growth form) as indicator of anthropogenic disturbances on the landscape. Tenicolous
lichens were sampled from twelve sites distributed in three stratified macro-habilats. along
increasing altitudinal gradient. A tolal 0£20 species of soil lichen belonging to ten genera, six
families and four morphological groups (i.e. leprose. foliose, dimorphic and &uticose) were
identified. Soil lichen diversity was negatively correlated (r - 0.70, p<0.05) with altitude.
Among the four growth forms &uricase growth form was indicator of grazing disturbance,
distinguishing low grazed high altitude (3400 - 4000 masl) areas with highly grazed low (2700-
3000 masl) to mid altitude (3000-3400 masl) areas (r = -0.81, p< 0.01). Tenicolous lichen
diversity in the study area was found constrained by vascular plants at lower altitudes, human-
related impacts (tourism and livestock grazing induced trampling) at mid-altitudes and habitat
characteristics (low soi l cover) at higher altitudes.

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