Pak. J. Bot., 47(SI): 71-76, 2015. DISTRIBUTION AND STRUCTURE OF CONIFERS WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON TAXUS BACCATA IN MOIST TEMPERATE FORESTS OF KASHMIR HIMALAYAS HAMAYUN SHAHEEN 1* , RIZWAN SARWAR 1 , SYEDA SADIQA FIRDOUS 1 , M. EJAZ UL ISLAM DAR 1 , ZAHID ULLAH 2 AND SHUJAUL MULK KHAN 3 1 Department of Botany, University of Azad Jammu &Kashmir Muzaffarabad, Pakistan 2 Centre for Plant Sciences and Biodiversity, University of Swat, Pakistan 3 Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad * Corresponding author’s e-mail: hamayunmaldial@yahoo.com Abstract Coniferous forests play important role in sustaining biodiversity and providing ecological services. Present study was conducted in Pir Panjal range, Western Himalayas to assess the present status of the conifers, in particular Taxus baccata population. Field data was obtained systematically using quadrate method. Environmental data including coordinates, altitude, slope gradient, aspect and intensity of anthropogenic disturbance was recorded by field survey method. The quantity of fuel wood consumption was measured using weight survey method. Three conifer species viz., Abies pindrow, Pinus wallichiana and Taxus baccata were found in 5 communities at different aspects in 1800 to 3000 m altitudinal range. Conifer stands showed an average tree density of 306 trees/ha with a regeneration value of 76 seedlings and saplings/ha and deforestation intensity of 82 stumps/ha respectively. T. baccata showed zero regeneration having no seedling or sapling in the whole study area. The stem to stump value was calculated as 4.08. A. pindrow was dominant in all the 5 communities with an Importance value percentage of 72.8% followed by P. wallichiana (19.5%). T. baccata was recorded sporadically throughout the altitudinal range having an IVI value of 7.9%. The T. baccata tree density was 26/ha whereas dead tree and stumps density was 27/ha with a stem/stump value of 0.98.The average fuel wood consumption recorded for the area was 4.08kg/capita/day. Pressure is increasing on conifers due to high level of fuel wood consumption as well as overgrazing due to limited available grazing area. The conifer species, especially T. baccata, demand immediate attention of forest management and policy makers for the conservation of these under pressure species. Key words: Conifer species, Taxus baccata, conservation, Himalayas. Introduction Himalayan forests are considered to be globe’s most depleted forests (Shaheen et al., 2011), de-graded due to nomadic activities, overgrazing and tree cutting (Ahmed et al., 1990, 2012). High elevation ecosystems of Himalayan region are the most vulnerable geographic regions to climate change, considered as the most serious threat to mountain forests (Cavaliere, 2009; Glatzel, 2009). Deforestation is a crucial cause of biotic extinctions in the tropics and temperate forests. Trends of deforestation in the Indo-Pak Himalaya project the likely consequential extinctions of endemic taxa by 2100 A.D. across a broad range. With present levels of deforestation, almost a quarter of the endemic species could be wiped out, including 366 endemic vascular plant taxa (Pandit et al., 2007; Schickoff, 1993; Knudsen, 1994). Coniferous forests are important natural resources to sustain life in the Kashmir Himalayas. The role of these forests lies in the maintenance of biodiversity, watershed protection as well as supplying timber, non-wood forest products, grazing land and habitat for threatened taxa (Ahmed et al., 2006, 2010). These temperate coniferous forests are dominated by A. pindrow and P. wallichiana forming distinct communities at lower altitudes (1500- 2000m). Sporadically T. baccata is present in whole altitudinal range (Bhatt et al., 1994). T. baccata is native to Himalayas, occurring in mixed fir and pine forests at 1800-3400m (Farjon, 2001; Xu et al., 2009). Taxus species have become threatened due to their small population size, poor regeneration, slow propagation, narrow distribution area, habitat specificity, destructive harvesting, over grazing, high value of utilization, climate change and habitat loss (Samant, 1999). Current information on the size and status of Taxus populations is largely unavailable (Anon., 2004). T. baccata is listed as endangered in China (Wu & Raven 1999); and as vulnerable (VU D2) by the IUCN (Anon., 2007, 2009). T. baccata in various parts of the Himalaya is listed as an endangered native species (Samant et al., 1998). The present study was conducted in Pir Panjal range, South Western Himalayas with the aim to assess the present status of the conifers, in particular T. baccata population, and analyze the population structure. Materials and methods Study area: Toli Pir is located in the Western Himalayan foothills of Pir Panjal sub range, between 33 0 55-15-56 North’ latitude and 73 0 58-19-95’ East longitude (Fig. 1). The study was conducted in 5 coniferous communities within 1,800m to 2,800m altitudinal range. The topography of the study site is uneven, characterized by steep mountain slopes varying from 20 0 up to 75 0 . The climate of the study area is temperate to sub alpine with four distinct seasons with relatively long winters from October to March (Shaheen et al., 2011b). Summers are cool, with average temperatures from 9 to 12C o , whereas winters are severe and below freezing down to -10 C o . The area studied remains under snow cover from December to March (Anon., 2012).