Chirpine Forest

The investigation as carried out in Himachal Pradesh, India from nearly 1100 m to 1400 m a.m.s.l. revealed the maximum number of recruits of Pinus roxburghii Sarg.(chir) was found in PB-I followed by PB-IN.The maximum regeneration success and established stocking per cent of the species was found in pure crop for PB-I and PB-IV, respectively and floristic composition study revealed that chir. and Pyrus pashia Buch. Ham dominated most of the sites. The maximum dominance of chir. was found at PB-I mixed crop, while for Pyrus pashia Buch. Ham, the maximum dominance was found at PB-IN, mixed crop. Rubus ellipticus Linn.and Carissa carandus Linn.were found to be dominant shrub species in most of the PB's. The similarity index value was more than 50 per cent for both trees and shrubs. The maximum diversity for trees and shrubs was observed in PB-IV and PB-I of mixed crop, respectively. The maximum basal area and total standing volume of chir. were found for pure chir in PB-IV and PB-IN, respectively. The per cent organic C, available N and available P showed a decreasing value with increase in soil depth while, soil pH and available K showed a reverse trend.