Author(s):

Afshan Anjum Baba, Syed Naseem Ul-Zafar Geelani, Ishrat Saleem and Mohit Husain

Abstract: Kashmir Valley has vast land area (16%) under grasslands which play an important role in providing economic goods and ecosystem services to the society. Livestock, particularly the migratory flocks, are entirely dependent on these grasslands. They serve as bedrock for sustaining the core economic activity of livestock rearing in the region. Apart from sustaining this pivotal economic activity, grasslands harbour a rich and endemic biodiversity, and regulate the regional carbon, nutrient and hydrological cycles (Masoodi, 2003 [8]; Anonymous, 2014) [1]. The data pertaining to Grazed site (Yousmarag) revealed the presence of twenty four herb species in spring season, the highest density was shown by Cynodon dactylon (415800 ha-1), maximum frequency (100%) was observed by Achillea mill folium and highest abundance was reported in Cynodon dactylon (554200 ha-1). It is evident from the data that out of the twenty four herbaceous species a total of nineteen were recorded in summer season, the highest density was shown by Cynodon dactylon (554200 ha-1), the maximum frequency (100%) was observed in Cynodon dactylon while maximum abundance was reported in Cynodon dactylon (554200 ha-1). A total of nineteen herbs species were found in autumn season amongst the twenty four species reported at this site. Maximum density was recorded in Cynodon dactylon (284100 ha-1), maximum frequency (100%) were recorded in Cynodon dactylon, while highest abundance was reported in Cynodon dactylon (284100 ha-1). In all three seasons, it was observed that Cynodon dactylon had maximum importance value index (IVI). IVI for Cynodon dactylon was maximum in autumn (64.20 ha-1) season followed by summer (58.42 ha-1) and minimum was in spring (39.39 ha-1).

Pages: 339-342  |  2066 Views  378 Downloads

Download (531KB)