Assessment of plant diversity for threat elements: a case study of Nargu wildlife sanctuary, north western Himalaya

Biodiversity crisis is being experienced throughout the world, due to various anthropogenic and natural factors.  Therefore, it is essential to identify suitable conservation priorities in biodiversity rich areas. For this myriads of conservational approaches are being implemented in various ecosystems across the globe. The present study has been conducted because of the dearth of the location- specific studies in the Indian Himalayas for assessing the ‘threatened species’. The threat assessment of plant species in the Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary (NWS) of the northwest Himalaya was investigated using Conservation Priority Index (CPI) during the present study. CPI was calculated using cumulative values of various qualitative and quantitative attributes viz., habitat specificity, population size, distribution range, use values, extraction, nativity and endemism of the taxa. Out of a total of 733 species recorded in the area, 102 species (20 Trees; 14 Shrubs; and 68 Herbs) belonging to 82 genera and 54 families were identified as threatened. The study revealed that 8 species ‘Critically Endangered’, 17 species ‘Endangered’ and 77 species ‘Vulnerable’. These species must be monitored and actively managed with appropriate conservation strategies including periodical assessment of populations using standard ecological methods in order to conserve the high biodiversity in the NWS.