ECOLOGY OF SOME MEDICINAL HERBS OF SHIWALIK FORESTS

Shiwalik forests of Kumaun in Uttarakhand, India forms a fragile and complex Himalayan Ecosystem where topography, availability of resources and land use pattern differ graeatly while compared to the othe other parts of Indian Central Himalaya. Currently, they are degrading because of incessent pressure of fodder & fuel wood which is unscientific and excessive. Present work concentrates on variations of plant diversity & soil status in three forest types (i.e., Pure Shorea robusta Gaertn F.forest, Shorea robusta Gaertn F. mixed with broad leaved & Shorea robusta Gaertn F. mixed with Pinus roxburghii Sarg.) along with elevationsl gradients and regeneration pattern & producitivity of some selected forested medicinal herbs. Shiwalik forests of Kumaun Himalaya, Uttarakhand are suffering from a tremendous pressure of human & livestock. Due to this some of the plant species are under threat. Therefore, it is neccessary to study the vegetational status with respect to their site characteristics.