Seasonal variation in herbaceous vegetation along three different altitudes of Benhama, Kashmir

Abstract

The present study entitled “Seasonal Variation in herbaceous vegetation along three different altitudes of Benhama, Kashmir” was conducted at Faculty of forestry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Benhama, Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir during the year 2015-2016 with the aim to assess the seasonal change in floristic composition and phytosociology of herbaceous species at selected site. The Vegetational analysis was done by harvesting sampling plots. Study site was divided three alitudes. At each altitude, five quadrats of size 1.25m x 1.25m were laid for herbaceous species. The floristic surveys conducted in the study area during the study period resulted in the identification of 64 plant species belonging to 18 families. The phytosociology of the different elevations revealed that Cynodon dactylon dominates all the three altitudes at the site. The phytosociological attributes of herbaceous species decreased along the altitudinal gradient. There is an increasing trend in the number of species mostly during spring and summer season and declining trend towards autumn season.