Predicting Potential Distribution of Tibetan Spruce (Picea smithiana) in Qomolangma (Mount Everest) National Nature Preserve Using Maximum Entropy Niche-based Model

Tibetan spruce (Picea smithiana) is an endemic species of the Himalayas,and it distributes only in a re-stricted area with very low number.To address the lack of detailed distributional information,we used maximum en-tropy (Maxent) niche-based model to predict the species' potential distribution from limited occurrence-only records.The location data of P.smithiana,relative bioclimatic variables,vegetation data,digital elevation model (DEM),and the derived data were analyzed in Maxent.The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to assess the prediction accuracy.The Maxent jackknife test was performed to quantify the training gains from data layers and the response of P.smithiana distribution to four typical environmental variables was analyzed.Results show that the model performs well at the regional scale.There is a potential for continued expansion of P.smithiana population numbers and distribution in China.P.smithiana potentially distributes in the lower reaches of Gyirong Zangbo and Poiqu rivers in Gyirong and Nyalam counties in Qomolangma (Mount Everest) National Nature Preserve (QNNP),China.The species prefers warm temperate climate in mountain area and mainly distributes in needle-leaved evergreen closed to open forest and mixed forest along the river valley at relatively low altitudes of about 2000-3000 m.Model simulations suggest that distribution patterns of rare species with few species numbers can be well predicted by Max-ent.

Studies on Refinement of Container Size and Potting Mixture for Production of Quality Seedlings in Spruce (<i>Picea Smithiana</i>Wall. Boiss)

Spruce (Picea Smithiana) is an evergreen tree and distributed through the temperate Himalaya at the elevation of 2000 - 3500 m. Natural regeneration of spruce (Picea smithiana) is generally slow and almost negligible due to a number of factors e.g. presence of un decomposed raw humus on forest floor low germinative capacity of seed and infrequent good seed years. In order to supplement natural regeneration through artificial means, nursery raising assumes significance. The present study aimed at optimizing the root trainer container size and the potting mixture ingredients and their proportion for the production of quality nursery stock of Picea smithiana. Nine combinations of potting mixture ingredients (Forest Soil, Garden Soil, Sand, FYM and Lake weed) were tested in various ratios for the optimization of potty mixture in different root trainer sizes. Simultaneously, three different volumes (150cc, 250cc and 300cc) of root trainers were tested for suitability of container size. Chemical and physical analysis of potting mixture ingredients was carried out for better understanding of nutrient status. The best seedling growth at seven month age in terms of height (5.53 cm), Collar diameter (1.57 mm), fresh shoot weight (0.34 g), dry shoot weight (0.10 g), fresh root weight (0.27 g) , dry root weight (0.03 g), root shoot ratio(2:52), and total fresh biomass (0.61 g) were observed when seedlings were raised in root trainer container size (300cc) filled with potting mixture of (M8) Soil:Sand:FYM (1:1:2) and the lowest growth parameters were observed in root trainer container size (150cc) filled with forest soil only. Plantable quality seedlings can be recovered within a period of 7 months using potting mixture of Soil, Sand and FYM (1:1:2) and Soil, Sand and Lake weed (1:1:2) ratios in root trainer container size 300cc.