The present study was undertaken to understand the community behaviour of Nardostachys jatamansi in three different sub sites viz., maximum, moderate and minimum density levels in the alpine areas of Kedarnath region of Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand. The results reveal that the density was highest in the maximum sub site followed by in the moderate and minimum sub sites. Analysis of vegetation revealed that between different densities the community composition did not vary much. Although between various sub sites the density varied significantly between maximum, moderate and minimum categories, comparison of mean density of the area. Maximum density was represented by a total of fifteen plant species, while moderate and minimum densities showed twelve and thirteen plant species respectively.

The present study was undertaken to understand the population and its distribution of Nardostachys jatamansi in response to its associating species in three different sites of alpine region i.e. Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Dayyara of Garhwal Himalaya. Vegetation analysis to determine community composition associating with N. jatamansi was studied using quadrat sampling method. Analysis of vegetation revealed that the community composition of N. jatamansi in different sites did not vary much. Site-1 (Yamunotri) and Site-3 (Dayyara) showed a total of fifteen species each, while Site-2 (Kedarnath) represented by a total of twelve plant species. Species diversity was slightly higher in Site-1 than Site-2 and Site-3. The comparative analysis of total plant density at each site versus the individual contribution of N. jatamansi at Site-1, Site-2 and Site-3 showed the 33.62 %, 25.12%, and 14.92 % contribution in total density of all species.

Study was undertaken to understand the population size and distribution of Nardostachys jatamansi vis-à-vis phyto-associates at three subsites containing highly dense (Subsite-1), moderate (Subsite-2) and lowest population (Subsite-3) of N. jatamansi. The community composition between the sub sites was observed a very little difference with recoding 13, 15 and 12 species respectively in Subsite-1, Subsite-2 and Subsite-3. About 80% species were common in all Subsites, while 6.66% species were common in two Subsites and 13.32% species were observed unique in all subsites. Intra-site comparisons indicate that N. jatamansi and Anaphalis triplinervis had the mutualism type of interaction with one another. Picrorrhiza kurrooa, Anemone obtusiloba, Pyrus sp. and Saxifraga diversifolia showed the negative correlation with N. jatamansi. The populations of these phyto- associates appear to adversely affect with the population of N. jatamansi for utilization of resources. Pedicularis sp., Carex sp., Saussurea sp., Tanacetum longifolium, Saxifraga sp. and Araiostegia sp. showed the neutral type of interaction with N.jatamansi, which indicates that, the population of Nardostachys jatamansi is not affected by association with these species.