Assessment of Tree Diversity Along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Wangchu River Valley of Western Bhutan
- Author
- Richart, Olivia
- Published
- [University Park, Pennsylvania] : Pennsylvania State University, 2020.
- Physical Description
- 1 electronic document
- Additional Creators
- Habashy, Noel B. and Schreyer Honors College
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- honors.libraries.psu.edu , Connect to this object online.
- Restrictions on Access
- Open Access.
- Summary
- The forests of Bhutan are repositories of terrestrial biodiversity which are home to a panoply ofunique tree species. Not only do they serve as crucial reservoirs of genetic material and offset thenegative effects of climate change, they provide valuable social, economic, and environmentalcapital to the Bhutanese people 80-90% of which directly rely on forests for food and fuel.While the Department of Forest and Parks Services catalogued Bhutans forest assets in the 2017National Forest Inventory, this assessment failed to capture the impact of the most recent pinedieback on forest structure and health. This study aimed to assess the relationship betweenelevation and Himalayan forest characteristics such as biodiversity, stand density, and mortalitystatus. Plots were established along an elevational gradient in the Wangchu river basin fromNovember 18th to November 26th, 2019 in predominantly Pinus wallichiana stands. Species,diameter at breast height (DBH), and mortality status were recorded for every woody individualwith a DBH greater than five centimeters. Biodiversity indices were calculated to assess speciesdiversity and richness. While differences in forest composition were observed between lower,middle, and upper elevation plots, they were less significant than originally anticipated. Thisstudy provides a broad framework for assessing structural and compositional changes in forestsat various elevations which can serve as a foundation for environmentally consciouspolicymaking.
- Other Subject(s)
- Genre(s)
- Dissertation Note
- B.S. Pennsylvania State University 2020.
- Technical Details
- The full text of the dissertation is available as an Adobe Acrobat .pdf file ; Adobe Acrobat Reader required to view the file.
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