ECOLOGICAL STUDY AND DISTRIBUTION OF PTERIDOPHYTE ALONG THE ELEVATIONAL GRADIENT OF PHULCHOWKI HILL, CENTRAL NEPAL
Date
2023-08-14
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Publisher
Amrit Campus
Abstract
The present study aims to find the relationship between pteridophyte richness along
the elevational gradients of Phulchowki Hill, Central Nepal. The study was carried out
in three elevational zones namely lower (1500-1900 masl), middle (1900-2300 masl)
and upper elevation (2300- 2700 masl), starting from 1550 masl and ending to 2698
masl of Phulchowki Hill at an interval of 100 m. Random number of quadrats having
5m × 5m sizes were laid at each elevation band. SPSS- Software and Microsoft Excel
were used to perform the statistical analysis. All together 46 (39 terrestrials and 7
epiphytic) pteridophyte species belonging to 28 genera and 14 families have been
documented. Among the 14 families Polypodiaceae was found to be the largest family
having highest number of genera followed by Pteridiaceae. However, Pteridiaceae
was found as largest family on the basis of highest number of species followed by
Dryopteridaceae and Polypodiaceae. Plant community properties such as species
richness, diversity, and composition vary along environmental gradients. Species
richness of tree species showed asymmetric hump shaped pattern of distribution with
elevational gradients. The pteridophyte species richness significantly differs along the
elevational gradients within different sites. Pteridophyte species like Selaginella
chrysocaulis, Dryopteris carolohopei were dominant in lower elevational zone;
Polystichum squarrosum, Drynaria moliis were dominant in middle and Polypodiodes
hendersonii, Drynaria moliis were observed dominant in upper elevational sites. The
Spearman's correlation analysis table shows elevational gradient strongly affects the
pteridophytes richnes
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Keywords
Fern, Species richness, asymmetric hump pattern, correlation