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Chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) is the most important tree species used for afforestation programs in the Himalayan regions. In the present study, fourteen forest stands were selected in four different altitudes, i.e., < 1000, 1001–1400, 1401–1800, and > 1801 masl in Garhwal Himalayan of Uttarakhand, India, to assess carbon stock potential of the forest. The study was conducted during 2013–2015. Among the study sites, the maximum tree density (575 ± 90.14 ind. ha−1) was reported in New Tehri (altitude: > 1801 masl) and minimum (135 ± 5.00 ind. ha−1) in Daddi (altitude: 1001–1400 masl). The highest (96 ± 18.36 t ha−1) above-ground carbon stock was estimated in Kandikhal where bole, branch, and foliage contribute 89.93 ± 19.47, 5.17 ± 1.04 and 0.90 ± 0.14 t ha−1, respectively, while lowest (26.68 ± 9.48 t ha−1) was in Gumkhal, and contribution from the same component was found as 20.72 ± 7.84, 4.50 ± 1.58, and 1.47 ± 0.11 t ha−1, respectively. Further, highest value of below-ground carbon was in Kandikhal (28.58 ± 4.81 t ha−1) with an altitude range between 1001 and 1400 masl and the lowest in Gumkhal (9.19 ± 2.87 t ha−1) between 1401 and 1800 masl. Besides, litter production was found higher in the summer season followed by winter and rainy seasons. The study concluded that the density, height, basal area, and volume of Pinus roxburgii varied with altitude, but it was not directional. However, growth patterns and tree density were the key factors in estimating total carbon stocks and further to know the behavior of carbon dynamics (source/sink). Litter production had an inverse relation with altitude; however, increase in litter biomass at > 1801 masl was observed due to new plantations of pine. This study will be highly helpful to the forester and policy-makers in planning carbon mitigation strategies (e.g., catchment area treatment, afforestation activities) at regional and global scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IPCC in its Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) described the Himalayan Region as data-deficient in terms of climate monitoring. This is a serious impediment to global research initiatives and thus necessitates long-term ecological monitoring (LTEM) across the Himalaya. Being governed by low temperature conditions, the high-altitude regions in Himalaya are more responsive to changing environmental conditions and hence serve as better indicators. We identified few Protected Areas (PAs) and selected forest core area and ecotones along the temperate, sub-alpine, alpine and cold desert ecosystems in Himachal Pradesh to establish a network of permanent monitoring plots (PMPs). Land and vegetation cover map of three selected PAs has been prepared using Landsat TM satellite data. Among the 10 PMPs, the temperate and tree line forests in the GHNP were found to have the highest tree diversity with Taxus wallichiana showing good stand density and regeneration. The soil pH was found to be higher for cold desert and lower for tree line forests and alpine meadows. Soil total carbon and nitrogen contents ranged from 1.08% to 13.37% and 0.094% to 1.14% respectively. It was observed that the herbs diversity showed a positive trend with increasing soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations. Satellite remote sensing proves to be a useful tool in an LTEM study, including biodiversity assessment and climate change research in complex terrains such as the Himalaya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]