Abstract

Floristic composition and diversity patterns of vascular plants along an altitudinal transect (3300‒3900m a.s.l.) in relation to anthropogenic disturbance, edaphic variables and slope were studied in an alpine rangeland of Gurez valley, Kashmir. A total of 111 plant species belonging to 36 families and 86 genera were recorded over 245 quadrats that were placed at seven sites. Evaluated on species richness, diversity (alpha and beta) and composition was negatively correlated to altitude, though the relationship was not monotonic. Matching the changes in floristic composition and richness to various environmental variables through canonical correspondence analysis further strengthened the importance of altitude in influencing species composition. Species tolerant of trampling and other disturbances were dominant at largely disturbed lower altitudes (<3500m) while at higher altitudes (>3700m) their dominance decreased considerably, suggesting that anthropogenic disturbance is also important in influencing species composition. Our results showed that species turnover rates were high at higher (>3500m) altitudes. The study provides an insight on the plant composition of this region and accentuates the need for its proper conservation.

Keyword: Alpine plants, altitudinal gradient, beta diversity, Gurez valley, species composition.