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Estimation of epiphytic lichen litter fall biomass in three temperate forests of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India

Lichen plays an important role in nutrient cycling through litter fall. Currently there is no biomass estimation available on the lichen litter fall from temperate forest of Himalayas. Hence the lichens fallen on the forest floor from canopy and main branches at an altitude in and around 3000 m were studied using 10 randomly-placed, 1 m x 1 m quadrats at each of the three major forest types of the Himalayas in Ghangaria (Valley of Flowers), Chopta and Kanchula Khark Musk Deer Park forest area (Kedarnath Wild Life Sanctuary) of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. The lichen litter fall biomass was recorded in September 2007. Lichen biomass was highest in the Quercus semecarpifolia forest (Oak) of the Chopta area, followed by Acer oblongum forest (mixed forest) in Kanchula Kharkh Musk Deer Park and Pinus wallichiana, Taxus baccata, Abies pindrow (coniferous forest) of Ghangharia (Valley of Flowers), with values of 1.32 g m -2 , 0.71 g m -2 and 0.41 g m -2 , respectively. It was also observed that foliose lichen (Parmelia type) group showed maximum lichen litter fall biomass followed by