Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

PHYTOSOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF NATURAL VEGETATION OCCURRING IN NAINITAL CATCHMENT AREA, UTTARAKHAND, INDIA

Maitreyie Narayan and Uma Melkania

Abstract

The objective of the present study is to analyze the phytosociological characteristics and the diversity patterns of natural vegetation occurring in Nainital, India catchment area. The study was conducted in the Lands end hill of Nainital. The survey was made on the foot hill, slope and top of the hill. Importance Value Index (IVI) was used to estimate the phytosociological characteristics, the Shannon index to measure the plant diversity and the Simpson index for species evenness. During the study period, a total of 33 species were recorded. The phytosociological analysis revealed that Rumex nepalensis is dominated herbaceous species in sites followed by Origanum vulgare in Site II and Reinwardtia indica in Site III. The highest value was observed in hill slope followed by hill base and then in hill top. In hill slope it was 45%, in hill base 37% and in hill top is was 18%.