Volume 26, Issue 78, July - December, 2025

Biodiversity Boost: Polygonatum punctatum Royle ex Kunth, a new distribution record from the Western Himalaya, India

Bhupendra S Adhikari^♦

Ecodevelopment Planning and Participatory Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

^♦Corresponding Author
Bhupendra S Adhikari, Ecodevelopment Planning and Participatory Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

ABSTRACT

High-altitude wetlands in the West Himalaya, fed by glaciers and snow, play a crucial role in sustaining downstream landscapes through vital ecosystem services. Mid-elevation oak forests, particularly Quercus floribunda (Tilonj oak), are essential for carbon sequestration, soil stabilization, water filtration, and biodiversity support. The study focuses on Devriya Tal, a high-altitude lake surrounded by Tilonj oak forests, which recently revealed the range extension of a new plant species, Polygonatum punctatum. The wetland faces serious threats from uncontrolled tourism, waste mismanagement, conflicting economic needs, insufficient conservation efforts, climate change, and overuse of oak forests by local inhabitants. The recommendations have been proposed through adaptive management and sustainable forest practices to preserve habitats, support sustainable livelihoods, and improve ecosystem resilience.

Keywords: Devriya Tal, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Polygonatum, Quercus floribunda, Uttarakhand

Species, 2025, 26(78), e47s3215

PDF

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v26i78.e47s3215

Published: 27 October 2025