Influence of environmental factors on tree species diversity and composition in the Indian western Himalaya

Understanding patterns in forest communities and its driving factors play a critical role ecological studies. In view of this, present study attempts to understand the environmental anthropogenic towards shaping species diversity composition along altitudinal gradient (700–3800 m asl) Indian western Himalaya. A total 51 tree (28 families) were recorded; Pinaceae (5) Fagaceae rich families. ?-diversity indices i.e., Margalef's richness index (R), Shannon (H?) Simpson showed humped shaped distribution, whereas Evenness (E) an inverted distribution altitude range. Based on non-metric dimensional scaling (NMDS), four different community types identified. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed strong relationship with (41.73% variation) (17.35% variation). RDA further indicated that bulk density (BD), disturbance (DI), mean diurnal temperature range (Bio2) solar radiation (SR) are significantly associated sub-tropical (below 1200 m) lower temperate (1200–1700 types. Likewise, soil organic carbon (SOC), precipitation driest quarter (Bio17) pH upper (1700–2900 m), subalpine (>2900 m). Both NMDS classification ordination clearly demonstrate spatial variability properties.