Land-use and vegetation pattern in traditional agroforestry systems in mid-hills of Garhwal Himalaya

The study was carried in traditional agroforestry systems of mid hill situation of Garhwal Himalaya of district Tehri Garhwal (Uttarakhand) between the elevation of 1000 to 2000 m asl. The study discloses the majority of land-use of the study sites fall in forest area adjacent to different villages followed by area under cultivation including traditional agroforestry practices. The remaining area spread in the category of orchards, habitats, roads, barren, uncultivable and cultivable waste. The traditional agroforestry systems in the area recorded are agrisilviculture (AS), agrihortisilviculture (AHS), agrihorticulture (AH), agrisilvipasture (ASP), silvipasture (SP) and hortisilviculture (HS) etc but the predominant systems are agrisilviculture (AS), agrihortisilviculture (AHS), agrihorticulture (AH). The major tree under agrisilviculture systems were Grewia optiva, Celtis australis, Melia azedarach and Ficus roxburghii etc. alongwith agricultural crops. The average tree density of agrisilviculture system (AS) was recorded 620 trees ha−1 with average species of 15 trees ha−1 on the northern aspect and 465 trees ha−1 on the southern aspect with average 13 species in a hectare. The another major system is agrihortisilviculture systems that included the combination Grewia optiva + Malus domestica (apple) + wheat; Quercus leucotrichophora + Malus domestica (apple) + wheat/potato; Grewia optiva + Prunus domestica (wild apricot) + barnyard millet etc. The average tree density of agrihortisilviculture systems (AHS) was recorded 495 trees ha−1 with average highest number of tree species 20 trees ha−1 on the northern aspect and 340 trees ha−1 on the southern aspect with average 14 species in a hectare. The major fruit-tree based agrihorticulture systems are comprised of Malus domestica (apple), Prunus domestica (Plum) and Prunus armeniaca (wild apricot) alongwith routine agricultural crops. The average tree density of agrihorticulture system (AH) was recorded 705 trees ha−1 with average species of 9 trees ha−1 on the northern and 435 trees ha−1 on the southern aspect with average 8 species in a hectare.