New York Science Journal 2010;3(2) Dhaulakhandi, et al, Biomass and productivity Biomass and productivity of alpine pasture in Garhwal

Abstract: The study deals with the biomass and net primary productivity of high altitude grassland at Gangotri in Garhwal Himalaya. Two sites Tapovan and Nandanvan having similar elevation were taken for the investigation. The vegetation of the region was mainly herbaceous in which species richness was 41 and 35 in respective sites. The value of density ranged from 0.3 to 66.95 plants m-2. Among herbs, the density of Kobresia royleana and K. nepalensis were the highest as 57.10 to 55.50 plants m2 on their respective sites. The highest and lowest values of aboveground biomass at Tapovan was 436 and 181 g m-2 and at Nadanvan 325 and 130 g m-2 respectively. The range value of belowground biomass was 1648 to 2264 g m-2 at Tapovan and 1497 to 2251 g m-2 at Nandanvan sites. At Tapovan annual net aboveground production was 268 g m-2 with highest liveshoot production in August and the lowest in May. In Nandanvan pasture annual net production was 243 g m-2 with highest net production in June. [New York Science Journal