ABSTRACT
The regeneration potential of the composing tree species dramatically influences the structure of a forest ecosystem. The current study analyzes the regeneration status of tree species concerning edaphic and disturbance gradient in the temperate forests of Kashmir Himalaya. Based on the degree of disturbances, two comparable sites, that is, low-disturbed (LD) and high-disturbed (HD) sites, were selected for the sampling of vegetation. Preliminary results showed that the seedling/tree ratio of LD sites (15.33) was higher than that of the HD sites (6.26). A sapling to tree ratio followed the same trend, that is, higher (10.98) at LD sites and lower (4.16) at HD sites. The regeneration performance of the tree species was not very much satisfied because most of the species had low seedling: tree and sapling: tree ratios. In the case of HD site, 17%, 33%, 33%, and 17% of the tree 192species had moderate, absent, establishing, and hampered regeneration performance respectively while at LD site moderate, sufficient and high regeneration performance was observed as 50%, 25% and 25% of tree species. The higher nutrient content and disturbances at the HD sites make light and nutrients available, thereby facilitating resources for partitioning among colonizing plant species. Anthropogenic disturbances usually limit natural regeneration recovery of forest ecosystems. The researchers, land managers, and the common public need to highlight the issue, and the local government needs to reduce the intensity of anthropogenic disturbances so that their regeneration performance is improved.
