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Effect of Altruistic Surrogacy of Treefall on Herbaceous Flora Colonisation in Subalpine Forest of Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, Eastern Himalaya, Sikkim, India

Arun Chettri, Arun Kumar Rai, Sailendra Dewan, Srijana Mangar

Indian Journal of Ecology
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5 February 2026

The present study represents the herb species’ colonisation on the fallen trees in the subalpine forests in the Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP) West Sikkim, Eastern Himalayas. Around 5 per cent of the forest floor was taken up by fallen logs in various stages of decomposition. The study indicated that there must be no less than 13.50 trees with a diameter of at least 50 cm per 0.25 ha for successful colonization. Seedlings of herbaceous species differed in their probabilities of colonising under fallen logs, pits, and mounds but colonization of most species was substratum-specific. Several species generally colonised on pits, mounds, and logs. Pit colonisation by seedlings appeared to be larger in numbers than on logs and mounds. Most colonisation appeared to be local, from plants within 1 m of the log or pit.

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