scholarly journals Plio-Pleistocene Plant Megafossils from the Lukundol Formation (Nakkhu Khola, Lalitpur District, Central Nepal)-First Results

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khum N. Paudayal
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology ◽  
Lacustrine Sediments ◽  
Left Bank ◽  
Plant Debris ◽  
Pinus Roxburghii ◽  
Rhododendron Arboreum ◽  
Plant Fossils ◽  
Central Nepal ◽  
First Results ◽  
Leaf Impressions

The lacustrine sediments of the Kathmandu Basin are rich in plant mega and micro fossils. The Lukundol Formation which is distributed in the southern part of the Kathmandu Basin yielded nicely preserved plant megafossils from different locations. A 5.5 m thick carbonaceous clay bed at the left bank of the Nakkhu Khola, near Chyasikot village, Lalitpur contains abundant plant debris, leaf impressions, seed and fruits, gymnosperm needles and cones. The plant fossils discovered from this location are identified as Berberis asiatica (leaf), Rhododendron arboreum (leaf), Rhododendron barbatum (leaf), Litsea elongata (leaf), Pinus roxburghii (needles and cones) Trapa bispinosa and Trapa quadrispinosa (fruits). Many leaf impressions are also collected from Bungmati and Chovar area. This paper deals with the first reporting of plant fossils from Nakkhu Khola section. The findings from other sections will be reported separately.Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 2015, 20(1): 141-144

FEEDBACK OF WATER STRESS ON WOOD PROPERTIES OF TREES: EXPERIMENTS WITH MISTLETOES ON RHODODENDRON ARBOREUM SM.

1970 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohan P. Devkota ◽  
Gerhard Glatzel
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Wood Anatomy ◽  
Wood Properties ◽  
Vessel Diameter ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Rhododendron Arboreum ◽  
Central Nepal ◽  
Inhibition Of Growth ◽  
Infected Area ◽  
Anatomical Parameters

Effects of infection by the mistletoe Scurrula elata (Edgew.) Danser, on wood properties of its common host Rhododendron arboreum Sm., were studied in the Annapurna Conservation Area of Central Nepal Himalaya. Heavy infection by mistletoes invariably causes decline of the host. Infested branches show inhibition of growth, defoliation and eventual death of branch parts distal to the site of infection. Anatomical properties of wood were compared in samples of branches proximal to the infection and in uninfected branches. The hypothesis that infection induces changes in basic wood anatomy could not be proven. Vessel density, vessel area, percentage lumen area and mean vessel diameter of the wood of infested and uninfected branches did not show any significant differences. The studied anatomical parameters were not correlated to the diameter of the host branch. These results show that infection by S. elata did not cause any changes in basic wood anatomy of its host R. arboreum. It appears that the studied anatomical parameters of Rhododendron wood are fairly stable and are not changed by stress due to infection by mistletoes. The damage to the host distal to the infected area most likely results from an insufficiency of total conductive area to supply both mistletoe and host. Unfortunately we could not determine annual conductive area increment, because R arboreum does not develop usable annual tree rings in the climate of the study area. Key words: Himalayas, mistletoe. Rhododendron arboreum, Scurrula elata, water stress, wood anatomy. Ecoprint Vol.11(1) 2004.

scholarly journals Carbon stock estimation of Shree Rabutar Forest of Gaurishankar Conservation Area, Dolakha, Nepal

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 61-67
Author(s):  
Karishma Gubhaju ◽  
Dipesh Raj Pant ◽  
Ramesh Prasad Sapkota
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Shannon Index ◽  
Tree Biomass ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Absorption ◽  
Pinus Roxburghii ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Rhododendron Arboreum ◽  
Alnus Nepalensis ◽  
Below Ground ◽  
Stock Estimation

Forests store significant amount of atmospheric carbon in the form of above and below ground biomass and the amount of carbon stored in forests differs along spatial continuum which provides important information regarding forest quality. This study was carried out to estimate the carbon stock of Shree Rabutar Forest of Gaurishankar Conservation Area, Dolakha, Nepal. In total, 20 circular sampling plots with an area 250 m2 were randomly laid in the study area. Ten tree species were observed in the sampling plots laid in the forest. The higher values of density, frequency, abundance and basal area were observed for Rhododendron arboreum, Alnus nepalensis, Pinus roxburghii and Pinus wallichiana. On the basis of Important Value Index, the dominant tree in the forest was Alnus nepalensis followed by Rhododendron arboreum and Pinus roxburghii. Shannon Index of general diversity of trees in the forest was 0.74 with equal value of Evenness Index, whereas the index of dominance was low (0.22) in the forest. Mean biomass of the forest was 464.01±66.71 tonha-1 contributed by above ground tree biomass (384.44 tonha-1), leaf litter, herbs and grasses biomass (2.69±0.196 tonha-1) and below ground tree biomass (76.88±11.13 tonha-1). Mean carbon stock was 262.77±30.79 tonha-1 including soil carbon stock 44.69±2.25 tonha-1. Individuals of trees with 20-30 cm DBH class were observed in maximum number, which shows that the forest has high potential to sequester carbon over time. Carbon stock estimation and forest management can be one of the potential strategies for climate change mitigation especially through carbon dioxide absorption by the forests.

scholarly journals Preliminary study of fossil freshwater molluscs from the Plio-Pleistocene Kathmandu Basin sediments, central Nepal

2001 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damayanti Gurung ◽  
Katsumi Takayasu ◽  
Hasko Nesemann
Keyword(s):  
Lacustrine Sediments ◽  
Early Pleistocene ◽  
Bivalve Species ◽  
Faunal Composition ◽  
Late Pliocene ◽  
Freshwater Molluscs ◽  
Central Nepal ◽  
Molluscan Fauna ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Molluscan Species

Fossils of freshwater Mollusca from the fluvio-lacustrine sediments of the Kathmandu Basin are collected from localities in the upper part of the Lukundol Formation, of Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene age, and the Gokarna Formation, of Late Pleistocene age. Despite the temporal differences of the two localities, the dominant molluscan species in each locality are similar. The fossil molluscan fauna in the older Lukundol Formation is entirely composed of prosobranch gastropod shells belonging to the genus Bellamya and opercula of the genus Digoniostoma. The fauna in the younger Gokarna Formation includes similar prosobranch species with addition of one prosobranch species, along with three pulmonate gastropods, an unidentified terrestrial gastropod and a bivalve species. The additional prosobranch species belong to the genus Gabbia, and the pulmonate gastropods are of the genera Lymnaea, Gyraulus, and Planorbis. The only bivalve species belong to the genus Pisidium. In the Lukundol Formation, fossil molluscan shells are abundant but poor in number of species and the assemblage is dominated by lacustrine taxa preferring permanent lentic water body of shallow depth. Conversely, in the Gokarna Formation, species diversity is comparatively higher, with inhabitant of the shallow lacustrine to marginal less stable habitats. The fossil molluscan faunal composition is more similar to the recent fauna that inhabits the warmer southern Terai region of Nepal.

Contribution to the Ethnobotany of Dhading District, Central Nepal

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ripu M. Kunwar ◽  
Bal K. Nepal ◽  
Krishna P. Sigdel ◽  
Narayan Balami
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology ◽  
Local People ◽  
Ethnobotanical Knowledge ◽  
Central Nepal

This paper describes the richness of ethnobotanical knowledge of local people of Pinda, Muralibhanjyang and Dhadingbesi areas of Dhading district in central Nepal. A total of 108 species have been recorded which are being used locally. Of them, 96 are used as medicine, 22 as food, 19 as fodder, 15 as fuelwood and five as religious. Species of the families Moraceae, Leguminosae and Euphorbiaceae contributed the most. <i>Nepal Journal of Science and Technology</i> Vol. 7, 2006

Palynological evidence for the Neogene environment analysis of the Thakkhola Graben, Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 ◽  
pp. 117-129
Author(s):  
Basanta Raj Adhikari ◽  
Khum Narayan Paudayal
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Lacustrine Sediments ◽  
Broadleaf Forest ◽  
Environment Analysis ◽  
Central Nepal ◽  
Broad Leaved Forest ◽  
Neogene Sediments ◽  
Temperate Deciduous ◽  
Deciduous Broadleaf Forest ◽  
Thakkhola Graben

The Thakkhola Graben, a north-south graben, lies in central Nepal Himalayas consisting of Neogene sediments. The presence of pollens in these sediments provides a unique natural laboratory to understand the paleoenvironment during the formation of the graben. This study provides a detailed description of the pollen collected from the Tetang and Thakkhola formations with the help of the Light Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope. A variety of pollen assemblages from the Thakkhola Graben explains that the sediments contain dominant alpine trees with some steppe vegetation. Presence of evergreen subtropical and temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest, needle-leaved element, and high altitude taxa show a mixed pollen assemblage in fluvial-lacustrine sediments of the graben. The presence of evergreen subtropical and temperate deciduous broadleaf forest (Quercus, Betula, Juglans, Alnus), needle-leaved element (Pinus, Tsuga) and high altitude taxa (Picea, Abies) with Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae show mixed pollen assemblages indicating warm and humid paleoclimate. The coniferous pollen indicates the altitude was higher during the deposition time and the presence of Betula, Quercus, and Juglans suggests temperate forest. Domination of Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae shows a strong influence of the Himalayan topographic barrier during the sediment deposition.

A new Oligocene fern of Dryopteridaceae from the Českéstředohoří Mts (Czech Republic)

2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-16
Author(s):  
Zlatko Kvaček ◽  
Vasilis Teodoridis
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
New Species ◽  
Leptosporangiate Fern ◽  
Pyroclastic Rocks ◽  
European Species ◽  
Plant Fossils ◽  
City District ◽  
Leaf Impressions ◽  
The City ◽  
A New Species

A new palaeobotanical site was recovered at artificial excavations within the city district of Ústí nad Labem called Mojžíř in northern Bohemia (Czech Republic) that yielded slabs of Oligocene tephritic pyroclastic rocks with plant impressions. The fossiliferous layer belongs to the Děčín Formation of the České středohoří Mts. dated to the Oligocene (30.8–24.7 Ma). One of the recovered fossils belongs to a new leptosporangiate fern matching modern representatives of Polystichum Roth (Dryopteridaceae Herter). These frond fragments are partly fertile and allow studying the position of sori and details of indusia and spores. This fossil fern is described here as a new species of Polystichum, P. pacltovae Kvaček sp. nov., which matches the modern European species of Polystichum, namely Polystichum braunii (Spenner) Fée . Accompanying plant fossils include another fern frond described as "Aspidium "elongatum Heer (non Swartz) of unknown affinities, fragmentary needles assigned to Pinus cf. hepios (Unger) Unger of the Pinaceae and leaf impressions of Betulaceae comparable to Betula brongniartii Ettingshausen.

scholarly journals Growth performance of planted population of Pinus roxburghii in central Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Achyut Tiwari ◽  
Nita Thapa ◽  
Sugam Aryal ◽  
Prabina Rana ◽  
Shankar Adhikari
Keyword(s):  
Growth Performance ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Radial Growth ◽  
Himalayan Region ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Pinus Roxburghii ◽  
Central Nepal ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Climate change has altered the various ecosystem processes including forest ecosystem in Himalayan region. Although the high mountain natural forests including treelines in the Himalayan region are mainly reported to be temperature sensitive, the temperature-related water stress in an important growth-limiting factor for middle elevation mountains. And there are very few evidences on growth performance of planted forest in changing climate in the Himalayan region. A dendrochronological study was carried out to verify and record the impact of warming temperature tree growth by using the tree cores of Pinus roxburghii from Batase village of Dhulikhel in Central Nepal with sub-tropical climatic zone. For this total, 29 tree cores from 25 trees of P. roxburghii were measured and analyzed. Result A 44-year long tree ring width chronology was constructed from the cores. The result showed that the radial growth of P. roxburghii was positively correlated with pre-monsoon (April) rainfall, although the correlation was not significant and negatively correlated with summer rainfall. The strongest negative correlation was found between radial growth and rainfall of June followed by the rainfall of January. Also, the radial growth showed significant positive correlation with that previous year August mean temperature and maximum temperature, and significant negative correlation between radial growth and maximum temperature (Tmax) of May and of spring season (March-May), indicating moisture as the key factor for radial growth. Despite the overall positive trend in the basal area increment (BAI), we have found the abrupt decline between 1995 and 2005 AD. Conclusion The results indicated that chir pine planted population was moisture sensitive, and the negative impact of higher temperature during early growth season (March-May) was clearly seen on the radial growth. We emphasize that the forest would experience further moisture stress if the trend of warming temperatures continues. The unusual decreasing BAI trend might be associated with forest management processes including resin collection and other disturbances. Our results showed that the planted pine forest stand is sub-healthy due to major human intervention at times. Further exploration of growth climate response from different climatic zones and management regimes is important to improve our understanding on the growth performance of mid-hill pine forests in Nepal.

scholarly journals Magnetic Susceptibility as a Tool of Lithological Mapping: A Case Study from Malekhu-Damauli Area of Central Nepal, Lesser Himalaya

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajendra Acharya ◽  
Kabiraj Paudyal
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Susceptibility ◽  
Large Range ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Lesser Himalaya ◽  
Rock Outcrops ◽  
Lithological Mapping ◽  
Intermediate Range ◽  
Central Nepal

Magnetic susceptibility (MS) along different roads, foot-trails and river sections has been measured in rock outcrops. The measured major sections are Malekhu-Dhading road, Mugling-Jugedi road, Ghumaune-Damauli road, Mugling-Anbu Khaireni-Badinpur road, Shivapur- Gwaslung road, Malekhu Khola section, Trishuli and Seti river sections and other small tributaries near road sections. A pocket susceptibility meter (ZH Instruments SM30) was used to measure MS values of rocks which belong to the Nawakot Group, Bhimphedi Group and the Tanahun Group. For the values of MS in the study area, site mean MS (average of 10 to 15 readings at each outcrop) data gave the following variations: (i) a large range of average MS between (-0.0097 - 387) x 10-3 SI; (ii) lowest MS magnitudes (<0.1 x 10-3 SI ) for quartzite, limestone, dolomite, which are predominantly composed of diamagnetic minerals (e.g. quartz, calcite and dolomite); (iii) intermediate range of (0.1-1.0 x 10-3 SI) was found in most shales, slates, phyllites, sandstones and schists; and (iv) high values (>1.0 x 10-3 SI) for amphibolites, green-schists, metasandstones, and iron rich beds. The range of unique values of MS could be used for lithological mapping and hence the stratigraphic as well as structural interpretations.Nepal Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 16, No.1 (2015) pp.49-58

scholarly journals A Checklist of Angiospermic Flora of Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale, Eastern Nepal

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilkumar Limbu ◽  
Madan Koirala ◽  
Zhanhuan Shang
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology ◽  
Rhododendron Arboreum ◽  
East Part ◽  
North East ◽  
The World

Tinjure–Milke–Jaljale (TMJ) area, the largest Rhododendron arboreum forest in the world, an emerging tourist area and located North-East part of Nepal. A total of 326 species belonging to 83 families and 219 genera of angiospermic plants have been documented from this area. The largest families are Ericaceae (36 species) and Asteraceae (22 genera). Similarly, the largest and dominant genus was Rhododendron (26 species) in the area. There were 178 herbs, 67 shrubs, 62 trees, 15 climbers and other 4 species of sub-alpine and temperate plants. The paper has attempted to list the plants with their habits and habitats. Nepal Journal of Science and Technology Vol. 13, No. 2 (2012) 87-96 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njst.v13i2.7719

scholarly journals Geology of the area between Bardibas and Sindhuli Madi, Sub-Himalaya, Central Nepal

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 131-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Shrestha ◽  
Govind Joshi ◽  
Lalu Prasad Paudel ◽  
Soma Nath Sapkota ◽  
Rafael Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Calcareous Sand ◽  
Gangetic Plain ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Plant Fossils ◽  
The North ◽  
Central Nepal ◽  
Middle Siwalik ◽  
Siwalik Group ◽  
Salt And Pepper

The Siwalik Group (Sub-Himalaya) is the east-west extending youngest mountain belt formed by the sediments derived from the rising Himalaya on the north. The Siwalik Group is separated from the Lesser Himalaya to the north by the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT), and the Indo-Gangetic Plain to the south by the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT). The study was carried out mainly along the Ratu Nadi, Kamala Nadi river sections and was lithostratigraphically divided into the Lower Siwalik, Middle Siwalik, and Upper Siwalik, from the bottom to the top section, respectively. The Lower Siwalik is composed of fine-grained greenish grey calcareous sandstone (subarkose and lithic arenite), variegated mudstone, and calcareous siltstone. The Lower Siwalik is exposed due to the Marine Khola Thrust in the Gadyauli Khola, and sandstone there is more indurated and non-calcareous. The Middle Siwalik is mainly comprised of the medium- to coarse-grained salt-and-pepper sandstone (arkose and subarkose) with large cross lamination, calcareous sand lenses, convolute bedding, dark grey siltstone and mudstone. Plant fossils are also present in the finely laminated clay bed of the Middle Siwalik along the Ratu Nadi section. The Upper Siwalik comprises of mud- to sand-supported pebble to cobble conglomerates.  

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