STRUCTURAL ATTRIBUTES AND GROWING STOCK VARIATIONS ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF HIGH HIMALAYAN AND SIWALIK CHIR PINE FORESTS

Abstract

In a comparative analysis of high Himalayan and Siwalik chir pine forests, Pinus roxburghii (chir pine) recorded in the former, higher values of density (980 trees ha^-1 on SW aspect), total basal cover (60.30 m² ha^-1 on NE aspect), importance value index (300 on SW aspect) and concentration of dominance (0.8447 on NE aspect), while in the latter, higher values of diversity (maximum 0.5248 on SW aspect) in the tree layer. The maximum total growing stock value (440 m³ ha^-1 on the NE aspect) was observed in the high Himalayan chir pine forest, whereas the minimum value (67.76 m³ ha^-1 on SW aspect) was observed in the Siwalik chir pine forest Generally the soils of the high Himalayan chir pine forests are more suitable for Pinus roxburghii.