Population ecology and habitat suitability modelling of Quercus semecarpifolia Sm. in the sub-alpine ecosystem of Great Himalayan National Park, north-western Himalaya, India

A study identifies 145 km² of suitable habitat within the Great Himalayan National Park for the reintroduction of Quercus semecarpifolia, a vital sub-alpine tree species. Using MaxEnt modeling, precipitation in the coldest quarter emerged as the most influential factor (76.7% contribution), with an AUCmean of 0.899 ± 0.02 indicating strong model performance. The research analyzed 37 populations across 4 habitats and 8 aspects, revealing tree densities ranging from 40 to 840 Ind ha⁻¹ and positive correlations between density and soil nitrogen (p ≤ 0.01, r = 0.35). High seedling and sapling counts suggest potential for regeneration, though anthropogenic pressures threaten populations. Recommendations include monitoring, standardized propagation, and conservation efforts in situ and ex situ.

Singh, A., Samant, S. S., & Naithani, S. (2021). Population ecology and habitat suitability modelling of Quercus semecarpifolia Sm. in the sub-alpine ecosystem of Great Himalayan National Park, north-western Himalaya, India. South African Journal of Botany, 141, 158–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2021.04.022