Ram Prasad Sharma and Bir Bahadur Khanal Chhetri

Pokhara Campus, Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Pokhara, Nepal

This study was conducted in Kankali and Tibrikot Community Forests to explore the status and interrelationship among rocks, soils and vegetation. The rocks, soils and vegetation sample/data were collected from both of the community forests and analysed in different laboratories. The collected data are interpreted by applying descriptive statistics. The species richness in all life form of the species, Shannon-wiener Index and soil characteristics in all geological units in both of the forests were computed and discussed. Geologically, the community forests can be divided into four units based on rock types, grain size and mineral content. Kankali Community Forest contains sandstone and mudstone of the Lower and Middle Siwaliks with quartz, biotite, muscovite, feldspar and opaque minerals. The Tibrikot Community Forest contains phyllite of the Kunchha Formation (Lesser Himalaya) with quartzite with feldspar, quartz, micas and opaque minerals. This paper presents clear and consistent evidences of the role of lithology and grain size of rock, and soil nutrients in shaping the vegetation growth pattern and their distribution