Changes in Agricultural Biodiversity: Implications for Sustainable Livelihood in the Himalaya

Himalayan mountain system is distinguished globally for a rich biodiversity and for its role in regulating the climate of the South Asia. Traditional crop-livestock mixed farming in the Himalaya is highly dependent on forests for fodder and manure prepared from forest leaf litter and livestock excreta. Apart from sustaining farm production, forests provide a variety of other tangible and intangible benefits, which are critical for sustainable livelihood of not only 115 million mountain people, but also many more people living in the adjoining plains. Extension of agricultural land- use coupled with replacement of traditional staple food crops by cash crops and of multipurpose agroforestry trees by fruit trees are widespread changes. Cultivation of Fagopyrum esculentum, Fagopyrum tataricum, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria italica and Pisum arvense has been almost abandoned. Increasing stress on cash crops is driven by a socio-cultural change from subsistence to market economy facilitated by improvement in accessibility andsupplyofstaplefoodgrainsatsubsidizedpriceby the government. Farmers have gained substantial economic benefits from cash crops. However, loss of agrobiodiversity implies more risks to local livelihood in the events of downfall in market price/demand of cashcrops,terminationofsupplyofstaplefoodgrains at subsidized price, pest outbreaks in a cash crop dominated homogeneous landscape and abnormal climate years. Indigenous innovations enabling improvement in farm economy by conserving and/enhancing agrobiodiversity do exist, but are highly localized. The changes in agrobiodiversity are such that soil loss and run-off from the croplands have dramatically increased together with increase in local pressure on forests. As farm productivity is maintained with forest-based inputs, continued depletion of forest resources will result in poor economic returns from agriculture to local people, apart from loss of global benefits from Himalayan forests. Interventions including improvement in traditionalmanureandmanagementofon-farm trees, participatorydevelopmentofagroforestryindegraded forestlandsandpoliciesfavoringeconomicbenefitsto local people from non-timber forest products could reduce the risks of decline in agricultural biodiversity and associated threats to livelihoods and Himalayan ecosystems.

Ethnobotanical Study towards Conservation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Upper Catchments of Dhauli Ganga in the Central Himalaya

The present study broadly focused on medicinal plant species collected from wild by the villagers for different purposes in the upper catchment of Dhauli Ganga in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve(NDBR),in the central Himalaya.A schedule based survey was conducted during the years 2003-2005 in 15 villages of Chamoli district part of the NDBR.Information was collected from collectors, vaidya(medicine man)and those dealing with domestication and marketing of the medicinal plants. The aim of the study was to understand the prioritiesed medicinal plants,their mode of collection and document their ethnobotanical uses by the Bhotiya tribal communities,in this world heritage site. During the survey,50 medicinal plants belonging to 31 families and 44 genera were documented.Out of these,70% were harvested from the wild,22% were cultivated and 8% were cultivated as well as wild harvested.Of the cultivated species,8% were found growing in the kitchen gardens and 14%in the agricultural fields.However,42%of the plants had their roots and rhizomes used followed by leaves (26%),seeds(10%),seed and leaf(8%),bark and whole plant(6%)and flower(1%).Most plants were reported to be used for rheumatism(16),followed by stomach disorder(14),cold and cough(11),and jaundice(9).Thirty three plants species were reported to have more than one therapeutic uses,while 17 species were reported to be used against single ailment.The distance of villages from road head was one of the factors contributing to the decline in the medicinal plant population in their natural habitats. The availability of medicinal plants increased with increase in distance from road head and also the peoples'dependence on them.Documentation of the traditional knowledge will help in conservation of knowledge and also opportunity for using it for future training and use.The result of this study will help in promoting sustainable cultivation and implementation in conservation protocol of those species,which are in the verge of extinction in this region.

Traditional Agrodiversity Management:A Case Study of Central Himalayan Village Ecosystem

Environmental,biological,socio-cultural and economic status variation existing in the Central Himalaya have led to the evolution of diverse and unique traditional agroecosystems,crop species and livestock,which facilitate the traditional mountain farming societies to sustain themselves.Indigenous agroecosystems are highly site specific and differ from place to place,as they have evolved along divergent lines.For maintenance of traditional agrodiversity management the farmers of the Central Himalaya have evolved various types of crop rotations in consonance with the varied environmental conditions and agronomic requirements.In irrigated flat lands two crops are harvested in a year with negligible fallow period but in rainfed conditions if a cropping sequence is presumed to be starting after winter fallow phase then four major cropping seasons can be identified namely first kharif season(first crop season),first rabi season(second crop season),second kharif season(third crop season) and second rabi season(fourth crop season).Highest crop diversity is present in kharif season in comparison to rabi season.Traditionally the fields are left fallow after harvest of the second kharif season crop.Important characteristics of agrodiversity management are the use of bullocks for draughtpower,human energy as labour,crop residues as animal feed and animal waste mixed with forest litter as organic input to restore soil fertility levels.Women provide most of the human labour except for ploughing and threshing grain.The present study deals with assessment of traditional agrodiversity management such as(i) crop diversity,(ii) realized yield under the traditional practices and(iii) assess the differences of realized yields under sole and mixed cropping systems.It indicated that crop rotation is an important feature of the Central Himalayan village ecosystem which helps to continue the diversity of species grown,as are the distribution of crops in the growing period and the management of soil fertility.The cropping diversity existing and the sequences practiced by the traditional farmers seems to have achieved high degree of specialization and thus even when the yield/biomass variations are about 60%,the farmers continue to practice these sequences as they need to maintain diversity and synergistic relationships of crops in addition to manage the food and labour requirements for crop husbandry.Crop yields are generally higher in irrigated systems than rainfed systems and in sole cropping as compared with mixed cropping.However,gross biological and economic yields are higher in mixed cropping than sole cropping systems.

Effect of mixed-cropping and water-stress on macro-nutrients and biochemical constituents of rhizomatous medicinal plants in Central Himalaya,India

Plants in the alpine zone mainly depend on the reserved food materials stored in their rhizomes for the next growing season. We investigated the effect of mixed cropping （Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Pinto） with four rhizomatous medicinal plants, i.e., Angelica glauca, Arnebia benthamii, Rheum emodi and Pleurospermum angelicoides as well as three levels of water stress treatment under two conditions （shade net and open field） on macronutrients （NPK） and biochemicals （carbohydrates and protein）. The experiment was conducted by completely randomized design （CDR）. The data were analyzed with ANOVA as well as CDR. The experimental results show that in all the species shade conditions with sever water stress （SSWS） increased the level of macronutrients （NPK）. However, （N） concentration was highest under shade with mixed cropping （SMIX）. Under SMIX, carbohydrate content was highest than open field control conditions （CONT）. This investigation results demon- strate that mixed cropping of medicinal plants with Phaseolus vulgaris could be a good livelihood option in the mountainous regions of Indian Central Himalaya. And the water-stress conditions along with mixed cropping could improve the biochemical constituents in the rhizome of these species.

Fuelwood assessment at the micro-watershed level:a case study in Garhwal Himalaya,India

Biomass,as fuelwood,is one of the major sources of energy in rural areas,especially in the mountainous regions of the world.As the increasing human population exerts more pressure on the forest thereby inducing an adverse effect on the sustainability of the ecosystem,which consequently causes fuelwood crisis at a local level,this crisis is spatio-temporal in nature.Thus,the major objective of this study is to assess the sustainability of fuelwood at different probable scenarios at a micro watershed level.The present study was conducted in the Phakot watershed,the Tehri Garhwal district of central Himalaya in India,during 2006-2008.Based on the vegetation composition in the study area,the net primary productivity(NPP)value of the Oak forest,and mixed oak and sal forests,was used for the quantification of fuelwood availability in evergreen and deciduous forests,respectively.The fuelwood demand was calculated on the basis of seasonal fuelwood consumption values.Nine probable permutations for availability-demand scenarios assuming the existence of high(H),low(L)and average(A)conditions were analyzed for evaluating the stress.The available annual harvestable fuelwood in the watershed is in the minimum and maximum ranges of 2283.28 to 4066.00 tons,respectively,per year whereas it has a demand of 110.76 tons as the minimum to 3659 tons as the maximum annually.This shows that in the current availabilitydemand scenario,the watershed does not have fuelwood crisis in the present situation but needs to maintain the sustainability of the system.Based on our study,it is concluded that,globally,more spatio-temporal study is required to understand the issues at the local level.

Soil moisture controls the spatio-temporal pattern of soil respiration under different land use systems in a semi-arid ecosystem of Delhi,India

Background:Soil respiration(S_(R))is a critical process for understanding the impact of climatic conditions and land degradation on the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems.We measured the S_(R) and soil environmental factors over 1 year in four land uses with varying levels of disturbance and different vegetation types viz.,mixed forest cover(MFC),Prosopis juliflora(Sw.)forest cover(PFC),agricultural field(AF),and vegetable field(VF),in a semi-arid area of Delhi,India.Our primary aim was to assess the effects of soil moisture(S_(M)),soil temperature(S_(T)),and soil microbial activity(S_(MA))on the S_(R).Methods:The S_(R) was measured monthly using an LI-6400 with an infrared gas analyser and a soil chamber.The S_(M) was measured using the gravimetric method.The S_(T)(10 cm)was measured with a probe attached to the LI-6400.The S_(MA) was determined by fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis.Results:The S_(R) showed seasonal variations,with the mean annual S_(R) ranging from 3.22 to 5.78μmol m^(−2) s^(−1) and higher S_(R) rates of~15-55%in the cultivated fields(AF,VF)than in the forest sites(MFC,PFC).The VF had significantly higher S_(R)(P<0.05)than the other land uses(AF,PFC,MFC),which did not vary significantly from one another in S_(R)(P<0.05).The repeated measures ANOVA evaluated the significant differences(P<0.05)in the S_(R) for high precipitation months(July,August,September,February).The S_(M) as a single factor showed a strong significant relationship in all the land uses(R^(2)=0.67-0.91,P<0.001).The effect of the S_(T) on the S_(R) was found to be weak and non-significant in the PFC,MFC,and AF(R^(2)=0.14-0.31;P>0.05).Contrasting results were observed in the VF,which showed high S_(R) during summer(May;11.21μmol m^(−2) s^(−1))and a significant exponential relationship with the S_(T)(R^(2)=0.52;P<0.05).The S_(R) was positively related to the SMA(R2=0.44-0.5;P<0.001).The interactive equations based on the independent variables S_(M),S_(T),and S_(MA) explained 91-95%of the seasonal variation in S_(R) with better model performance in the cultivated land use sites(AF,VF).Conclusion:S_(M) was the key determining factor of the S_(R) in semi-arid ecosystems and explained~90%of the variation.Precipitation increased S_(R) by optimizing the S_(M) and microbial activity.The S_(MA),along with the other soil factors S_(M) and S_(T),improved the correlation with S_(R).Furthermore,the degraded land uses will be more susceptible to temporal variations in S_(R) under changing climatic scenarios,which may influence the carbon balance of these ecosystems.

Assessment of above- and belowground carbon pools in a semi-arid forest ecosystem of Delhi, India

Background:Assessment of carbon pools in semi-arid forests of India is crucial in order to develop a better action plan for management of such ecosystems under global climate change and rapid urbanization.This study,therefore,aims to assess the above-and belowground carbon storage potential of a semi-arid forest ecosystem of Delhi.Methods:For the study,two forest sites were selected,i.e.,north ridge(NRF)and central ridge(CRF).Aboveground tree biomass was estimated by using growing stock volume equations developed by Forest Survey of India and specific wood density.Understory biomass was determined by harvest sampling method.Belowground(root)biomass was determined by using a developed equation.For soil organic carbon(SOC),soil samples were collected at 0–10-cm and 10–20-cm depth and carbon content was estimated.Results:The present study estimated 90.51 Mg ha−1 biomass and 63.49 Mg C ha−1 carbon in the semi-arid forest of Delhi,India.The lower diameter classes showed highest tree density,i.e.,240 and 328 individuals ha−1(11–20 cm),basal area,i.e.,8.7(31–40 cm)and 6.08m2 ha−1(11–20 cm),and biomass,i.e.,24.25 and 23.57 Mg ha−1(11–20 cm)in NRF and CRF,respectively.Furthermore,a significant contribution of biomass(7.8 Mg ha−1)in DBH class 81–90 cm in NRF suggested the importance of mature trees in biomass and carbon storage.The forests were predominantly occupied by Prosopis juliflora(Sw.)DC which also showed the highest contribution to the(approximately 40%)tree biomass.Carbon allocation was maximum in aboveground(40–49%),followed by soil(29.93–37.7%),belowground or root(20–22%),and litter(0.27–0.59%).Conclusion:Our study suggested plant biomass and soils are the potential pools of carbon storage in these forests.Furthermore,carbon storage in tree biomass was found to be mainly influenced by tree density,basal area,and species diversity.Trees belonging to lower DBH classes are the major carbon sinks in these forests.In the study,native trees contributed to the significant amount of carbon stored in their biomass and soils.The estimated data is important in framing forest management plans and strategies aimed at enhancing carbon sequestration potential of semi-arid forest ecosystems of India.

Assessment of soil microbial and enzyme activity in the rhizosphere zone under different land use/cover of a semiarid region, India

Background:Land use/cover and management practices are widely known to influence soil organic matter(SOM)quality and quantity.The present study investigated the effect of different land use,i.e.,forests viz.mixed forest cover(MFC),Prosopis juliflora(Sw.)DC-dominated forest cover(PFC),and cultivated sites viz.agriculture field(AF),vegetable field(VF),respectively,on soil parameter,microbial activity,and enzymes involved in soil nutrient cycle in a semiarid region of India.Results:The results showed a significant reduction(P<0.05)in soil carbon(SC),soil nitrogen(SN)content(~30–80%)and consequently the soil microbial biomass carbon(SMBC)(~70–80%),soil basal respiration(SBR),soil substrate-induced respiration(SSIR),and soil enzyme activities(β-glucosidase,acid phosphatase,and dehydrogenase)under cultivated sites in comparison with forest sites.Pearson’s correlation showed that a positive correlation of SC with SMBC,SBR,SSIR(P<0.01),and enzymatic activities(i.e.,β-glucosidase,dehydrogenase)(P<0.05)may imply the critical role of SC in regulating microbial and enzymatic activity.Also,a positive correlation of soil moisture with urease activity(P<0.01)was found suggesting it as a significant abiotic factor for soil biological functions.Additionally,based on the PCA analysis,we observed the clustering of SMBC/SC ratio and qCO_(2) nearby AF.Conclusion:Our study suggests that soil microbial parameters(SMBC,SBR,SSIR,SMBC/SC,qCO_(2))and enzyme activity are key indicators of soil health and fertility.Land use/cover alters the SOM content and soil microbial functions.The management strategies focusing on the conservation of natural forest and minimizing the land disturbances will be effective in preventing soil carbon flux as CO_(2) and maintaining the SC stock.