First Report on Genetic Resource Distribution of Acer caesium in Northwestern Himalayas

Acer, a keystone genus in its habitat, has a wide range of distribution across the globe. A total of 15 species of Acer combining both northwestern and eastern Himalayas are reported from India. Among them, A. caesium offers a wide range of ecological and economical value, still this species has neither been studied well nor given the required attention in terms of its conservation and management. To understand the current distribution status of A. caesium in its natural range, extensive field surveys were conducted in Uttarakhand during 2021. The information collected from the literature and field survey, lead us to conclude that the A. caesium is a keystone species occurring in 5 forest types, namely 12/C1, 12/C1e, 12/C1/DS2, 12/C2a and 15/C1, of northwestern Himalayas. It does not only affect the species alone but also the other biodiversity dependent directly and indirectly on it. Hence, the current study provides an overall opportunity to formulate more feasible and sustainable measures for A. caesium conservation in the northwestern Himalayas.