Dendrochronological studies of Pinus roxburghii and Pinus wallichiana from Ghora Galli, Murree

Abstract

Abstract The present study described the dendrochronological studies of Pinus roxburghii and Pinus wallichiana growing in Ghora Galli, Murree. Study area was subdivided into roadside and away from roadside. It was found that along road side the maximum diameter, age, growth rate and height of Pinus roxburghii were 71 inches, 304 age, 0.277 and 97 feet respectively. Similarly maximum diameter, age, growth rate and height of Pinus roxburghii growing away from road side were 93.5 inches, 328 years, 0.358 inches/year and 99 feet height respectively. Maximum DBH, age, growth rate and height of Pinus wallichiana growing along the roadside was 63 inches, 223 years, 0.392 inches/year and 83 feet height respectively. While, studying the trees of Pinus wallichiana growing away from road side it was found that the maximum DBH, age, growth rate and height were 56.5 inches, 158 years, 0.437 years/inches and 62 respectively. It was also found that growth rate of trees growing away from the road was greater than those growing along the road. A significant correlation between growth rate and height was found While studying the correlation between height and growth rate, it was found that there was no any significant correlation. In vegetation studies, it was found that dominant trees were from Pinaceae family. Shrubs were with three families while herbs contained eleven families and ferns were found with only two families. Maximum IVI from trees was of Pinus wallichiana with 11.07 belonging to Pinaceae family and 7.73 for Hedera nepalensis belonging to Araliaceae family. Similarly, 4.27 was maximum IVI for Artemisia vulgaris of Asteraceae family and 5.44 from ferns the maximum IVI of Adiantum capillus belonging to Adiantaceae family.