Abstract

The present study was conducted in two different ecosystems, that is, Site I (village site) and Site II (protected site) in the lower part of Dachigam National Park (Jammu and Kashmir) in all seasons during 2010-2011. Site I is located towards the periphery of the National Park near habitations and is under heavy grazing pressures while Site II is located inside the National Park with mild interferences and is a controlled site. The values of diversity (H=2.228) as well as richness index (R= 0.867) were higher for Site II while dominance index showed higher value at Site I (C = 0.113). The evenness index showed more or less similar values for both sites (Site I = 0.497 and Site II = 0.499). The frequently occurring dominant shrub species during the study period based on importance value index (IVI) were Plectranthus rugosa, Rosa webbiana, Indigofera heterantha, Cotoneaster nummilaria and Daphnae oleoides at Site I and Indigofera heterantha, Clematis montana, Rosa macrophylla, Clematis grata and Rosa brunoni at Site II. The abundance to frequency ratio (A/F) indicated that most of the species present contagious pattern of distribution.

Key words: Shrub, biodiversity, species, grazing, Dachigam.