img1
Environment
Conservation Journal

"An International Journal Devoted to Conservation of Environment"

(A PEER REVIEWED/REFEREED JOURNAL)

ISSN: 2278-5124 (Online) :: ISSN: 0972-3099 (Print)

img2
Environment
Conservation Journal

"An International Journal Devoted to Conservation of Environment"

(A PEER REVIEWED/REFEREED JOURNAL)

ISSN: 2278-5124 (Online) :: ISSN: 0972-3099 (Print)

img3
Environment
Conservation Journal

"An International Journal Devoted to Conservation of Environment"

(A PEER REVIEWED/REFEREED JOURNAL)

ISSN: 2278-5124 (Online) :: ISSN: 0972-3099 (Print)

img4
Environment
Conservation Journal

"An International Journal Devoted to Conservation of Environment"

(A PEER REVIEWED/REFEREED JOURNAL)

ISSN: 2278-5124 (Online) :: ISSN: 0972-3099 (Print)

img5
Environment
Conservation Journal

"An International Journal Devoted to Conservation of Environment"

(A PEER REVIEWED/REFEREED JOURNAL)

ISSN: 2278-5124 (Online) :: ISSN: 0972-3099 (Print)

previous arrow
next arrow

Phytorestoration in the debris dumping sites of a hydroelectric power project: A case study from Srinagar (Garhwal), Western Himalaya, India

 Dinesh Singh Rawat 

Central National Herbarium, Botanical Survey of India
Howrah West Bengal, India
Radha Ballabha, Surbhi Suri, J. K. Tiwari,  P. Tiwari
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University Srinagar (Garhwal) – 246174, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

The plant propagules migrate into denuded or conditionally created habitats by variety of means and grow, capable species establishes their population successfully and rest abolish. The present study was aimed to identify potential species in such habitats by evaluating naturalized community in conditionally crated habitats i.e. debris dumping sites of a hydroelectric power project in Western Himalayas, India for phytoretoration (eco-restoration) purpose. The data on phytosociological attributes of herbaceous community was collected from both debris dumping area (D) and undumped natural area (N) in the fringe, by quadrat method (1 x 1 m dimension). A total of 54 species from debris dumping sites and 128 species from undumped natural area (N) are recorded in this study. The invasive alien species predominates at dumping sites which covered 37% of the species richness, 50.99% of density, 76.67% of basal cover and 63.15% of dominance (IVI). Thus, invasive species are opportunistic in the process of phytorestoration in degraded habitats, which may not be beneficial for the better functioning of ecosystem but some of them can be considered as potential preliminary soil binder at such cases (dumping area). The development agencies must have an eco-restoration plan for such dumping zones which magnetized the encroachments of invasive alien species and play a pivotal role in degrading the natural ecosystem.

Dumping site, Eco-restoration, Hydroelectric power project (HEP), Invasive species, Soil binder

Agarwal, R. 2013. Hydropower Projects in Uttarakhand. Economic & Political Weekly, 48: 29.

Babu, C.R. 1977. Herbaceous Flora of Dehradun. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. pp. 721.

Bakker, J.D., and Wilson, S.D. 2004. Using ecological restoration to constrain biological invasion. Journal of Applied Ecology, 41:1058–1064.

Ballabha, R. 2011. Floristic Diversity and Quantitative Features of Vegetation around Alaknanda River: A Case Study of the Srinagar Hydroelectric Power Project in Garhwal Himalaya. Ph. D. Thesis submitted to HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand.

Bochet, E., Rubio, J.L. and Poesen, J. 1998. Relative efficiency of three representative matorral species in reducing water erosion at the microscale in a semi-arid climate. Geomorphology, 23: 139–150. 

Curtis, J.J. 1959. The Vegetation of Wisconsin: An Ordination of Plant Communities. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, Wisconsin.  pp. 660.

Durán, Z.V.H. and Rodríguez, P.C.R. 2008. Soil-erosion and runoff prevention by plant covers: A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 28(1): 65–86.

Environment Protection Agencncy, United State. http://www.epa.gov/region6/6en/w/sw/sediment.pdf. (accessed on  March 30, 2015).

Gaur, R.D. 1999. Flora of the District Garhwal North West Himalaya (With Ethnobotanical Notes), Transmedia, Srinagar Garhwal. pp. 519.

Kumar, S. and Kushwaha, S.P.S. 2013. Modelling soil erosion risk based on RUSLE-3D using GIS in a Shivalik sub-watershed.  Journal of Earth System Science, 122(2): 389–398. 

Lee, K.H., Isenhart T.M., Schultz, C., Mickelson, S.K. 2000. Multispecies riparian buffers trap sediment and nutrients during rainfall simulations. Journal of Environmental Quality, 29: 1200–1205. 

Naithani, B.D. 1984–85. Flora of Chamoli. Botanical Survey of India, Howrah. pp. 483.

Rawat, D.S., Tiwari, J.K. and Tiwari, P. 2016. Invasive alien flora of western Ramganga Valley, Uttarakhand. Phytotaxonomy, 16: 11–114.

Rey, F. 2003. Influence of vegetation distribution on sediment yield in forested marly gullies.  Catena, 50: 549–562.

Saleep, S. and Kumar, M. 2014. Vegetation diversity and soil nutrient status of submergence zone of hydroelectric power project in Srinagar of Garhwal Himalayas, India. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 6(12): 729–747.

Sati, S.P., Sundriyal. Y.P., Rana, N. and Dangwal. S. 2011. Recent landslides in Uttarakhand: nature’s fury or human folly. Current Science, 100(11): 1617–1620.

Sorenson, T. 1948. A method of establishing groups of equal amplitude in a plant based on similarity of species content. Det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab. Biologiske Skrifter, 5(4): 1–34.

 Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut, “List of Hydro Projects Being Developed by Various State/Private Agencies in Uttarakhand”. http://uttarakhandjalvidyut.com/bd5. Pdf. (accessed on April 25, 2015).

Van Dijk, P.M., Kwaad, F.J.P.M. and Klapwijk, M. 1996. Retention of water and sediment by grass strips. Hydrological Processes, 10: 1069–1080. 

Wainwright, J., Parsons, A.J., Schlesinger, W.H. 2002. Hydrology-vegetation interactions in areas of discontinuous flow on a semi-arid bajada, Southern New Mexico. Journal of Arid Environments, 51: 319–338. 

Walker, L. R., and del Moral, R. 2003. Primary Succession and Ecosystem Rehabilitation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Wilson, S.D. 1999. Plant interactions during secondary succession. In: Ecosystems of Disturbed Ground. Walker, L.R. (ed.). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier, pp. 611–632.

Zhongminga, W., Leesa, B.G., Fenga, J., Wanningc, L. and Haijingb, S. 2010. Stratified vegetation cover index: A new way to assess vegetation impact on soil erosion. Catena, 83(1): 87–93.

Rawat, D. S., Ballabha, R., Suri, S., Tiwari, J. K., & Tiwari, P. (2017). Phytorestoration in the debris dumping sites of a hydroelectric power project: A case study from Srinagar (Garhwal), Western Himalaya, India. Environment Conservation Journal18(3), 189-197.

:https://doi.org/10.36953/ECJ.2017.18325

Received: 29.05.2017

Revised: 30.07.2017 

Accepted: 02.08.2017

First Online: 21.12. 2017

:https://doi.org/10.36953/ECJ.2017.18325

MANUSCRIPT STATISTICS

Publisher Name:  Action for Sustainable Efficacious Development and Awareness (ASEA)

Print : 0972-3099           

Online :2278-5124