Effects of Human Disturbance in Three Areas of West Himalayan Moist Deciduous Forest

Abstract

The vegetation cover and species richness of seven sites in mature West Himalayan moist temperate (mainly deciduous) forest were investigated. Both the percentage cover and the species richness of the shrub layer were found to have a strong negative correlation with human disturbance, as measured by distance from the nearest habitation. Ground vegetation, on the other hand, was little affected. Reduction of the shrub cover and of the number of shrub species is likely to have an adverse effect on wildlife, and casual observations suggested that this was indeed the case.