The elevational gradient is one of the important factors that determine the distribution pattern ... more The elevational gradient is one of the important factors that determine the distribution pattern of many wild ornamental plants. In this study, we explored the diversity of the orchid flora along different elevation gradients from Thumki to Thapley viewpoint in Siureni forest, Syangja, Nepal. The study was done by the transect walk method. In all 11 transect points altogether 25 orchid species were found belonging to 12 genera out of which 10 genera were of medicinal importance i.e., Acampe, Aerides, Calanthe, Coelogyne, Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Oberonia, Pholidota, Rhynchostylis, Vanda, etc. One of them was endemic orchid i.e., Oberonia nepalensis. The larger genera found were Bulbophyllum and Coelogyne with seven and three species respectively followed by Dendrobium, Rhynchostylis, Vanda, Aerides, Oberonia each with two species. The remaining genera had one species of each. This research output will be helpful in sustainable management and acquiring knowledge about the diversity of orchids in Aadhikhola Rural municipality, Syangja district, Gandaki Province, Central Nepal.
Agro-morphological traits are the features of cultivated rice i.e. Oryza sativa L. Rice landraces... more Agro-morphological traits are the features of cultivated rice i.e. Oryza sativa L. Rice landraces differ from the other landrace in morphological features such as grain weight, culm number, and height of the plant. Nineteen different landraces of cultivated rice from Paiyunpata village, Baglung were studied and their quantitative characters were measured. The most varied landraces in morphological characters (Khate, Rato, Nepale, Anadi etc. i.e. species far from quadrants in PCA) are suggested for crop improvement. Findings from this research could be helpful for germplasm conservation.
The study was carried out in Paiyunpata, Baglung-13, which lies in the southern part of Baglung B... more The study was carried out in Paiyunpata, Baglung-13, which lies in the southern part of Baglung Bazaar, Central Nepal. The main objective of the present study was to study the agro-morphological traits of rice varieties cultivated in the study area and make easy ways for germplasm conservation. Direct observation and measurements were carried out to collect primary data.Agro-morphological characters of 19 landraces of rice in the study sites were measured in terms of qualitative characters and made ways easy for germplasm conservation. Besides, the varied landraces may be suggested to breeding for crop improvement, but patents should be that of the community.
Wetlands support exceptionally high biodiversity and provide valuable ecosystem services, yet the... more Wetlands support exceptionally high biodiversity and provide valuable ecosystem services, yet they are among the most threatened habitats due to anthropogenic activities. Conservation and management planning of wetlands requires, among others, a comprehensive floristic account. In this study, we prepared a checklist of the flowering plants found in the wetlands of the Lake Cluster of Pokhara Valley (LCPV), a Ramsar site of Nepal, located in a rapidly urbanizing capital city of Gandaki Province in Central Nepal. Voucher specimens were collected from the study sites through multiple visits during the monsoon (June-August) and autumn (September-November) seasons. Species were categorized based on their life forms (Raunkiaer’s classification) and native distribution range (native, naturalized, invasive). Ethno-botanical uses of the plant species were compiled from the published literature. We identified 230 plant species belonging to 70 families and 177 genera. Asteraceae (25 species), ...
Biological invasions have significant impacts on ecosystems, the services provided by ecosystems,... more Biological invasions have significant impacts on ecosystems, the services provided by ecosystems, and associated economies. In wetlands, invasion by alien plants can impact the ecosystem services that are fundamental to human well-being. We conducted a stakeholder analysis in Ramsar sites in the Pokhara Valley to understand ecosystem services, the economic valuation of provisioning services, invasive alien plants, and their impacts. We collected information from locals living near the Ramsar site using focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household (HH) surveys. We identified five invasive alien plants in the Ramsar sites in Pokhara Valley. A total of 18 ecosystem services were recorded from discussions with residents living near the Ramsar sites. Our study found that the economic benefits generated from the provisioning service, calculated based on the market price in the year of data collection, were worth a total of International$ 9.05 million. The value of provisioning services was International$ 0.1 million HH -1 year -1 . Our estimate showed that the value of provisioning services before the occurrence of invasive alien plants in 1989 was International$ 0.19 million HH -1 year -1 higher than in 2019. Those who benefit from the Lake clusters mentioned that the invasive alien plants led to a decrease in economically important plants such as medicine and fruits and decreased fish production. Other impacts have included: reduced natural beauty, loss of biodiversity, and obstruction of recreational boating, which has discouraged tourism in recent years, among other impacts. Our results show that the rampant spread of invasive alien plants has a severe impact on ecosystem services. The impact on the associated economic value is alarming. There is an urgent need for proper management of wetlands. The findings from our results can help make decision-makers aware of the need to act in order to restore and maintain the services provided by the wetlands.
Livestock farming in Nepal have a common feature of temporary shelter called goth. In recent year... more Livestock farming in Nepal have a common feature of temporary shelter called goth. In recent years, young people in the villages go for foreign jobs and there is severe lack of labour force and the Gothpractice has gradually been abandoned. In the abandoned got fallows, plant succession is observed. In Panchase, abandoned fallows of one year, two years, five years, 15 years were sampled. The sampling included species-wise count of plants and their coverage. Density, frequency and coverage were determined to obtain species diversity. Soil samples were taken from each of the fallow studied. It was found that the species diversity increased with the age of the fallow land, while beta diversity decreased with the successive fallow age. Soil samples were analyzed for pH value, organic matter, water holding capacity, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium value. Aluminum and phosphorus were the determinants in succession of herbs by shrubs and then by tree species to climax.
Livestock farming in Nepal have a common feature of temporary shelter called goth. In recent year... more Livestock farming in Nepal have a common feature of temporary shelter called goth. In recent years, young people in the villages go for foreign jobs and there is severe lack of labour force and the Gothpractice has gradually been abandoned. In the abandoned got fallows, plant succession is observed. In Panchase, abandoned fallows of one year, two years, five years, 15 years were sampled. The sampling included species-wise count of plants and their coverage. Density, frequency and coverage were determined to obtain species diversity. Soil samples were taken from each of the fallow studied. It was found that the species diversity increased with the age of the fallow land, while beta diversity decreased with the successive fallow age. Soil samples were analyzed for pH value, organic matter, water holding capacity, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium value. Aluminum and phosphorus were the determinants in succession of herbs by shrubs and then by tree species to climax.
The succession in areas once vegetated before the disturbance to a forest as climax community is ... more The succession in areas once vegetated before the disturbance to a forest as climax community is called secondary succession. Secondary succession is influenced by soil type and the vegetation that invades the community. During the literature survey we found that the cropping areas are abandoned in different parts of the world and the fallows left are under secondary succession. There the socio-economy of the people has been found to affect the succession. Species diversity, species richness, rate of replacement and the soil type etc. have been studied by succession researchers. Succession study has also been carried out by using the tools like remote sensing, geographical information system etc.
Present study focuses on ecology of Myrsine capitellata Wall. and its rapid decline due to over-e... more Present study focuses on ecology of Myrsine capitellata Wall. and its rapid decline due to over-exploitation in forests of Paiyunpata Village, Baglung district. Ecological parameters like importance value, species diversity, etc. have been studied. Besides, soil characters and causes and consequences of its deforestation have been discussed. The Myrsine capitellata Wall. is important forest component of the study area. Community diversity is less in North facing slope than in south facing slope. Soil is acidic, with high WHC value, low moisture content and sandy type of texture. After this study, it is recommended to begin for the extensive plantation and other conservation efforts of Myrsine before being extinct. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i2.10504 International Journal of the Environment Vol.3(2) 2014: 55-62
Urban areas often provide suitable microhabitats for the establishment of invasive alien plants (... more Urban areas often provide suitable microhabitats for the establishment of invasive alien plants (IAPs), which subsequently disseminate their propagules for further spread in surrounding landscape. Periodic survey of IAPs in urban areas not only brings opportunities for early detection and eradication of the invaders but also generate science-based information for the management of established IAPs. In this study, we inventoried IAPs and documented their spatial distribution in Pokhara valley, a popular tourist destination in Nepal. Using a checklist of 26 IAPs that have been reported from Nepal, we examined roadside vegetation in 201 plots (size: 5 m 5 m) located at the interval of ca. 500 m in the valley. In each plot, the IAPs present were recorded along with geographic coordinates and land use type. Field data were used to calculate species richness, frequency, and prepare distribution maps of the IAPs. In Pokhara valley we recorded 20 IAPs, i.e. 77% of the total number of IAPs reported from Nepal. Four of the recorded IAPs: Chromolaena odorata, Eichhornia crassipes, Lantana camara and Mikania micrantha were among the 100 of the world's worst invasive species. Bidens pilosa had the highest frequency (63%), followed by Ageratum houstonianum (61%) and Lantana camara (44%). Small population of Alternanthera philoxeroides, and Mesosphaerum suaveolens were spotted at a single locations and Mikania micrantha at two locations, suggesting that they were at the early stage of invasion in the valley. Richness of IAPs was the highest in shrub land, followed by agriculture fallow land, and forest. Our data revealed that the Pokhara valley has already been invaded by a large number of IAPs, with possibility of arrival of new IAPs in near future. Periodic inventory and mapping of the IAPs would be helpful in identifying new IAPs and making management decisions timely.
Present study focuses on ecology of Myrsine capitellata Wall. and its rapid decline due to over-e... more Present study focuses on ecology of Myrsine capitellata Wall. and its rapid decline due to over-exploitation in forests of Paiyunpata Village, Baglung district. Ecological parameters like importance value, species diversity, etc. have been studied. Besides, soil characters and causes and consequences of its deforestation have been discussed. The Myrsine capitellata Wall. is important forest component of the study area. Community diversity is less in North facing slope than in south facing slope. Soil is acidic, with high WHC value, low moisture content and sandy type of texture. After this study, it is recommended to begin for the extensive plantation and other conservation efforts of Myrsine before being extinct. Key words: Setikath, deforestation, conservation, Nepal
Present study was carried out in Paiyunpata VDC,
Baglung that lies in southern part of Baglung Ba... more Present study was carried out in Paiyunpata VDC, Baglung that lies in southern part of Baglung Bazaar. The main objective of the present study is to explore ethno botanical knowledge on rice varieties cultivated in the study area and suggest ways for their conservation. For this purpose direct observation, interview and group discussion was carried out to collect primary data. Convenient sampling method was also applied for the primary data collection. Twenty three rice varieties were cultivated in the study area. Rice varieties were recognized in relation to wet land, dry land, fertile land, less fertile land etc.
A study was carried out in Paiyunpata village development committee (VDC), Baglung district, with... more A study was carried out in Paiyunpata village development committee (VDC), Baglung district, with a focus on documentation of non timber forest products. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from local healers and elderly people. A total of 113 species, 105 genera and 71 families of plants were in use as non-timber forest products (NTFPs), including both medicinal and non-medicinal. Forty one medicinal plants were used to treat 17 different ailments.
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Key words: Setikath, deforestation, conservation, Nepal
Baglung that lies in southern part of Baglung Bazaar.
The main objective of the present study is to explore
ethno botanical knowledge on rice varieties cultivated
in the study area and suggest ways for their
conservation. For this purpose direct observation,
interview and group discussion was carried out to
collect primary data. Convenient sampling method was
also applied for the primary data collection. Twenty
three rice varieties were cultivated in the study area.
Rice varieties were recognized in relation to wet land,
dry land, fertile land, less fertile land etc.