Successional changes in Shrub community composition in an age series of restored mined sites and natural forest in Uttarakhand, India

The present study was carried out to understand the successional changes, which take place in shrubby vegetation in an age series of 23, 22, 21 and 20 years old mine restored sites at Dehradun district in Uttarakhand, India and an adjoining natural forest was also studied for comparison of composition of shrubs species community in all sites. Phytosociological survey was conducted in all the restored sites and the natural forest for composition of shrubs species community by using quadrat method. The critical examination of the data shows that although some of the planted species like Agave sisalana, Dodonea viscosa and Rumex hastatus are still present but their density has declined considerably through the entire years of successional development. The results reveal that higher successional species had invaded the area and some of the shrub species which were planted in the initial phase of restoration had declined in their density and some species have vanished from the area altogether. The results confirms the fact that as the age of succession increases, the restored area gets occupied by the higher successional species and also an ecologically sound restructured system forms which is an indication of the efficacy of the restoration programme leading to a self sustaining system.