Factors Affecting Regeneration Potential of Quercus semecarpifolia, Smith: A Poor Regenerated Oak of Himalayan Timberline

Bisht, Hemlata; Prakash, Vinay; Nautiyal, A. R.

doi:10.3923/rjss.2012.63.70

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The regeneration failure is a considerable threat to the future of these oak forests and the important ecosystem services they provide. Their decline could directly impact the wellbeing of temperate farmers [43,49,53,60,[66][67][68]. We call for a detailed study on the ecology and restoration of the oak forests in Bhutan and the transmission of ecological knowledge to local communities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socio-Cultural Values of Ecosystem Services from Oak Forests in the Eastern Himalaya

et al. 2019

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Identification and assessment of socio-cultural values of ecosystem services are increasingly important for the planning and management of forest resources. Key information necessary is how different forest user groups perceive and prioritize different ecosystem services based on their local setting. We assessed the socio-cultural values of ecosystem services of high-altitude oak forests in Western Bhutan using participatory approaches with two important forest users: local communities and forest experts. We found that these forests serve as a pool of 22 ecosystem services under four MEA categories of provisioning (9), regulating (8), supporting (2), and cultural (3) services. Fresh water was unanimously identified as the most valuable service, as well as the most vulnerable, by both the groups. The priorities of local communities inclined towards provisioning and cultural services due to their dependence on these services for their livelihood and wellbeing. Forest experts’ priorities were more evenly spread over three categories of services: provisioning, regulating, and supporting services, reflecting their broader interest in resource management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation. Several regulating and supporting services were not easily identified by many villagers, suggesting that bridging the priorities of local interests with broader national forestry goals may require public partnerships and integrated decision-making about the entire suite of ecosystem services. Several management interventions proposed by the groups were presented for consideration by local users, scientists, and policy makers. For all ongoing and future ecosystem service assessments, we recommend the integration of socio-cultural values with biophysical and monetary assessments to fully value the benefits from the high-altitude oak forests.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socio-Cultural Values of Ecosystem Services from Oak Forests in the Eastern Himalaya

et al. 2019

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“…Many of these studies suggest that intensive grazing is the most important factor inhibiting regeneration in Himalayan oak forests. However, oak's recalcitrant, short-lived seeds and shade intolerance are often cited as limiting vigorous regeneration as well (Bisht et al, 2012;Verma et al, 2012). It is suspected that abundant light is the essential element in securing dense regeneration with areas near forest edges and isolated parent trees well stocked with vigorous seedlings (Jackson, 1984;Orwa et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Developmental dynamics following selective logging of an evergreen oak forest in the Eastern Himalaya, Bhutan: Structure, composition, and spatial pattern

Covey¹,

Carroll²,

Duguid³

et al. 2015

Forest Ecology and Management

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“…Laboratory experiments found high germination and seedling establishment under favorable moisture and light conditions. The best germination occurred at a temperature of about 15°C (Bisht et al ). In the natural environment, the species prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000–2,500 mm, mean annual temperature of 5–17°C, and dry season spanning not more than 4–6 months (Tashi ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tree shelters facilitate brown oak seedling survival and establishment in a grazing‐dominant forest of Bhutan, Eastern Himalaya

Dorji

Norbu²,

Delean

et al. 2020

Restoration Ecology

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Brown oak (Quercus semecarpifolia) forest is essential for ecological and socioeconomic functions, mainly grazing in the Himalayas. The tree has failed to regenerate naturally and is a threatened species. Restoration of brown oaks is crucial to ensure sustainability while maintaining livestock grazing in these habitats. Achieving this requires cost-effective restoration techniques that are practicable and sympathetic to the multiple uses of the forest. We assessed the combined effect of grazing (control) and three tree shelters (Protex tubes, mesh wires, and wooden frames) on the field performance of oak seedlings in a forest with heavy grazing pressure. Seedling survival and morphological indicators, including seedling height, collar diameter, sturdiness quotient (SQ), and leaf mass per area (LMA) indices, were measured. More than 90% of control seedlings without protective shelters suffered severe browsing and demonstrated significantly lower survival rates compared to tree shelter seedlings, indicating that grazing was the primary factor governing regeneration success. Seedling survival in tree shelters was three times higher, while the height increase was two times higher than the control. Additionally, locally made mesh wire and wooden tree shelters were more effective than Protex and control in producing quality seedlings reflected by the SQ and LMA values. We suggest that tree shelter is a promising option to restore brown oaks due to its efficacy to defend grazing and support the local community's rights to forest grazing. Our finding is expected to support Bhutan's forest policy of incorporating grazing and tree regeneration into forest management.

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Factors Affecting Regeneration Potential of Quercus semecarpifolia, Smith: A Poor Regenerated Oak of Himalayan Timberline

Cited by 6 publications

References 4 publications

Socio-Cultural Values of Ecosystem Services from Oak Forests in the Eastern Himalaya

Socio-Cultural Values of Ecosystem Services from Oak Forests in the Eastern Himalaya

Developmental dynamics following selective logging of an evergreen oak forest in the Eastern Himalaya, Bhutan: Structure, composition, and spatial pattern

Tree shelters facilitate brown oak seedling survival and establishment in a grazing‐dominant forest of Bhutan, Eastern Himalaya

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