VEGETATION STATUS AND PLANT DIVERSITY OF CHANDRABADANI OAK FOREST ALONG ANTHROPOGENIC DISTURBANCE GRADIENT IN GARHWAL HIMALAYA, UTTARAKHAND, INDIA

A study of vegetation status and plant diversity of an Oak forest along different anthropogenic disturbance gradients was carried out at Chandrabadani forest, a part of Garhwal Hiamlaya in Uttarakhand. A total of 89 species belonging to 38 families and 82 genus were recorded in the studied forest. Out the total species, 23 were found in tree layer, 29 under in shrub layer and 37 species were found in herb layer. The species richness was found higher in moderately and highly disturbed stand. Tree density was recorded maximum at the undisturbed stands followed by moderately and highly disturbed stands while the shrub density was observed greater at moderately and highly disturbed stands. Diversity indices among all disturbance stands showed greater values at moderately and highly disturbed stands.