Structural variation in Riparian and adjacent Terrestrial Forests along the Sharda River in Central Himalaya, India

The present study deals with plant species composition and community structure in riparian and terrestrial forests along the Sharda River. A total of 62 plant species were recorded, comprising 27.42% trees, 29.03% shrubs, 40.32% herbs, and 3.22% climbers. Five tree species were common in both the forests, while distinct species were found exclusively in either riparian or terrestrial forests. Tree density was significantly higher in terrestrial forests (p < 0.01). The basal area of trees was significantly greater in terrestrial forests than in riparian forests (p< 0.01). The Shannon-Wiener diversity index and evenness were significantly higher in terrestrial forests (p< 0.05), whereas the concentration of dominance was reverse (p < 0.01). In Himalayan mountains and lower valleys large number of populations inhibits near the river for availability of water and other natural resources, thus the restoration and conservation of these forests will be a paramount importance.