Disturbance intensity plays an important role in influencing the structural and functional dynamics of ecosystems. The present study was undertaken in the tropical dry deciduous forests of Central India under varying disturbance intensities to understand their influence on structure, diversity and compositional attributes. In total, 242 rectangular plots of 0.5 ha each (50 m × 100 m) were laid in each 8 km2 grid for phytosociological analyses and assessment of disturbance factors and levels. The plots were categorized into four types based on the level of disturbance intensity: 0–20 % {undisturbed forest (UDF)}, 21–40 % {least disturbed forest (LDF)}, 41–60 % {moderately disturbed forest (MDF)} and >60 % {highly disturbed forest (HDF)}. Among the 242 plots, 48, 56, 72 and 66 plots come under UDF, LDF, MDF and HDF categories respectively. The predominant disturbance factors in HDF were fire and fuelwood collection, whereas in the case of MDF, grazing and cut stems were dominant. A total of 202 species (120 genera, 45 families) of adult trees (≥10 diameter at breast height (DBH)) were recorded across the disturbance intensity gradient, with highest species richness in UDF (175 species) and the lowest in HDF (145 species). A significant variation in the stand structure, species composition, richness and tree diversity (Shannon (H′) and Simpson (D) index) has been found across the disturbance intensity gradients. The plots with the highest disturbance intensity (HDF) had the significantly lowest tree density (p < 0.001), basal area (p < 0.001), species richness (p < 0.001), and tree diversity: H′ (p < 0.01), D (p < 0.01) than UDF, LDF and MDF intensity gradients. The diameter-class distribution showed high percentage of small-sized (11–30 cm) trees in UDF (68 %) and LDF (60 %), whereas the medium-sized trees (31–60 cm) were high in MDF (48 %) and HDF (53 %) respectively. The current findings highlight the profound impact of varying disturbance intensities on stand structure, composition and diversity, emphasizing an urgent need for restoration, protection, conservation, and sustainable management for long-term ecosystem services. © 2025 The Author(s)

Treeline ecotone in the Himalayan region is a relevant ecological indicator of environmental perturbations and anthropogenic disturbances. Given this, six representative sites (3 each in protected and non-protected areas) were selected for assessing forest dynamics and anthropogenic disturbances in treeline ecotone in the western Himalaya. The study reveals that treelines under protected areas show higher species richness (27) and species diversity (3.42) compared to species richness (17) and species diversity (2.22) in the non-protected areas. The average TBA of tree species was higher (36) at protected sites compared to 27 in the non-protected sites. Further, the average density of seedlings (7587) and saplings (633) was higher in protected sites than in non-protected sites (seedlings-1720 & 263-saplings). Thus, the better regeneration of dominant tree species with an expanding population structure in the protected area. This showed the efficient role of protected sites in biodiversity conservation and management. Livestock grazing and fuelwood harvesting were the key human-induced pressures in the non-protected sites. Fuelwood consumption was recorded as a maximum (5.4 kg/capita/day) for Kuti village (3800 m) in the Byans Valley, followed by Sipu (3.4) in Darma Valley and a minimum for Martoli (2.4) in Johar Valley. Anthropogenic disturbances have impacted the regeneration and recruitment of tree species in treeline ecotone in the non-protected sites. An increasing number of seedlings and saplings was observed in an open canopy of treeline ecotone, which indicates an expanding number of seedlings and saplings was observed in the open canopy treeline ecotone, which suggests the possibility of expansion of tree species towards higher elevations. Long-term ecological monitoring and observation are suggested to understand better spatial and temporal changes in treeline ecotone considering climate change and anthropogenic disturbances. © 2025 The Author(s)

Rubus ellipticus Sm. is native to the northern hemisphere particularly in south east Asia. Several phytochemicals including gallic acid, beta-carotene, tormentic acid, histidine, leucine, quinic acid, sericic acid and ursolic acid have been extracted from various parts of the plant. The plant has also been shown to contain minerals such as calcium, sodium, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron, zinc, copper, lead, manganese and chromium. Owing to the presence of such biologically active chemicals, the extract of the plant shows several pharmacological activities like antinflmatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, antitumor and anticancer. Moreover, the plant is being traditionally used to treat hypothermia, colic pains, cure fever, cough, diarrhea, antifertility, stomach pain, constipation and mouth ulcers. In this study we are providing the updated information in progress of research related to his plant. The current study focuses on its morphology, nutritional value, photochemistry, ethnobotanical uses, economic significance and commercialistaion prospects. It acknowledges the fragmented nature of existing knowledge suggesting that consolidating available data could aid researchers in maximizing its potential benefits particularly in pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. © The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Society for Plant Research 2025.

Ecosystem functioning and management are primarily concerned with addressing climate change and biodiversity loss, which are closely linked to carbon stock and species diversity. This research aimed to quantify forest understory (shrub and herb) diversity, tree biomass and carbon sequestration in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. Using random sampling methods, data were gathered from six distinct forest communities. The study identified 271 vascular plants from 208 genera and 74 families. A notable positive correlation (r2 = 0.085, p < 0.05) was observed between total tree density and total tree basal area (TBA), shrub density (r2 = 0.09), tree diversity (D) (r2 = 0.58), shrub diversity (r2 = 0.81), and tree species richness (SR) (r2 = 0.96). Conversely, a negative correlation was found with the concentration of tree dominance (CD) (r2 = 0.43). The Quercus leucotrichophora, Rhododendron arboreum and Quercus floribunda (QL-RA-QF) community(higher altitudinal zone) exhibited the highest tree biomass (568.8 Mg ha−1), while the (Pinus roxburghii and Quercus leucotrichophora) PR-QL (N) community (lower altitudinal zone) in the north aspect showed the lowest (265.7 Mg ha−1). Carbon sequestration was highest in the Quercus leucotrichophora, Quercus floribunda and Rhododendron arboreum (QL-QF-RA) (higher altitudinal zone) community (7.48 Mg ha−1 yr−1) and lowest in the PR-QL (S) (middle altitudinal zone) community in the south aspect (5.5 Mg ha−1 yr−1). The relationships between carbon stock and various functional parameters such as tree density, total basal area of tree and diversity of tree showed significant positive correlations. The findings of the study revealed significant variations in the structural attributes of trees, shrubs and herbs across different forest stands along altitudinal gradients. This current study’s results highlighted the significance of wildlife sanctuaries, which not only aid in wildlife preservation but also provide compelling evidence supporting forest management practices that promote the planting of multiple vegetation layers in landscape restoration as a means to enhance biodiversity and increase resilience to climate change. Further, comprehending the carbon storage mechanisms of these forests will be critical for developing environmental management strategies aimed at alleviating the impacts of climate change in the years to come. © 2025 by the authors.

Prioritizing native and endemic species for conservation is fundamental to achieve broader objectives of safeguarding biodiversity, as these species are vulnerable to extinction risks. Forecasting the climatic niche of these species through species distribution models can be crucial for their habitat conservation and sustainable management in future. In this study, an ensemble modelling approach was used to predict the distribution of Bergenia stracheyi, a native alpine plant species of Himalayan region. The results revealed that the distribution of B. stracheyi is primarily influenced by Annual Mean Temperature (Bio1) and Annual Precipitation (Bio12). Ensemble model predictions revealed that under the current climatic conditions, the suitable habitats for B. stracheyi are distributed across higher elevations of Jammu and Kashmir and future ensemble model predictions indicate that, across all future climatic scenarios, the majority of the currently suitable habitats will remain suitable for the species. The model predicts a significant expansion in suitable habitats for B. stracheyi, particularly under more severe climate change scenarios (RCP8.5). However, some areas currently identified as suitable, including parts of the Pir Panjal range and Mirpur (Pakistan), are projected to become unsuitable for the species in the future. These shifts in plant distribution may have far-reaching consequences for ecosystem functioning and stability and the services provided to human communities. Additionally, these shifts may lead to mismatches between the plant phenological events and pollinators potentially causing more ecological disruptions. Thus, the predicted range shifts in the distribution of B. stracheyi highlight the importance of local conservation measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Copyright © 2025 Wani, Dar, Lone, Pant and Siddiqui.

Tropical forests, known for their biodiversity and carbon (C) richness, face significant threats from biological invasions that disrupt structural and functional processes. Lantana camara (Family: Verbenaceae) is an invasive shrub that has spread across several Indian landscapes. The present study aimed to assess the changes in tree species richness and total ecosystem carbon (TEC) storage in Lantana camara-invaded (LI) and uninvaded (UI) sites in the tropical dry deciduous forests of Madhya Pradesh, India. Significantly lower species richness (SR), C storage of juveniles, total trees, and total biomass C were observed in LI sites than in UI sites. However, significantly higher C storage of shrubs + herbs (understorey), litter, and soil organic carbon (SOC) were found in LI sites than in UI sites. The percent allocation of C in tree juveniles, adults, understorey, detritus, and SOC to the TEC pool was 2.6, 39.1, 1.4, 5.5, and 51.3 in LI sites and 3.8, 49.7, 0.2, 4.0 and 42.3 in UI sites, respectively. The C stocks of tree juveniles, adults, and herbs were lower by 23.3, 15.7 and 20.3%, respectively, in LI sites than in UI sites, whereas shrub, detritus, and SOC stocks were higher by 95.1, 9.1 and 7.9%, respectively, in LI sites than in UI sites. A significant negative relationship was observed between L. camara density and SR, tree juvenile C, herb C, understorey C, and total ecosystem C storage, while the same had a significant positive relationship with shrub C, litter C, and SOC. The present findings revealed that the plant diversity and total C pools were altered by shrub invasion and have important implications for their quantification in these tropical forests. Copyright © 2025 Lone, Kothandaraman, Dar, Hakeem and Khan.

Valuation of ecosystem services along with the perceptions and attitudes of local communities is crucial for sustainable management of wetlands. This study assesses changes in wetland area and bathymetry, and provides insights into local community's perceptions of ecosystem services, and attitudes towards wetland conservation in Kashmir Himalaya, India. High-resolution satellite data was used to assess land use land cover (LULC) changes within the wetland. The bathymetry changes were assessed by performing depth measurements before and after dredging in 2019 and 2022, respectively. Perceptions of ecosystem services and attitudes of residents towards wetland management were examined through surveys in 182 households from the target population of 334 families. The findings reveal that Khushalsar wetland provides important provisioning (food, fodder, thatching mats, fish, vegetables), regulating (flood control, carbon sequestration, water quality improvement), supporting (habitat, biomass and oxygen production, water and nutrient cycling), and cultural services (aesthetic, education, spiritual). The economic benefits from provisioning services range from 240 USD/yr for minor vegetables to 1201–1802 USD/0.05 ha/yr for Nelumbo nucifera. The analysis of LULC changes indicates a ∼16.5% reduction in wetland area from 1980 to 2017, with a further ∼10% decrease from 2017 to 2021, resulting in an overall loss of ∼25% (27.1 ha) in wetland area from 1980 to 2021. Bathymetric assessments reveal an increase in maximum depth from 427 cm in 2019 to 547 cm in 2022 following dredging activities. Socioeconomic analysis showed the significance of Khushalsar wetland as an important source of livelihood for local communities. Survey results indicate that all the respondents have positive attitudes towards the protection and management of the Khushalsar wetland. The study demonstrates that human conservation activities have significantly contributed to positive changes in the wetland such as increase in depth and flood storage capacity. The study concludes that government protection along with active participation of local communities is indispensable for sustainable management of wetlands. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.