Kashmir University Scientists Map Fern Diversity Across Himalayas, Offer Climate Change Insights

SRINAGAR: In a groundbreaking study, scientists from the University of Kashmir have, for the first time, mapped how fern species grow and evolve across different altitudes of the Himalayan ranges in Jammu and Kashmir, offering critical insights into the region’s biodiversity and its vulnerability to climate change, ETV Bharat reported.

Conducted by the Centre for Biodiversity and Taxonomy at the university, the research surveyed 225 species of pteridophytes, non-flowering vascular plants such as ferns and their relatives, spanning an elevation from 300 to 4,700 metres above sea level. The study revealed that these ancient plants thrive most abundantly between 1,901 and 2,000 metres, where species richness peaks.

“We found a unimodal hump-shaped curve in species richness along the elevational gradient,” the study stated. “The number of species increased from just 3 at 300–400 m to a maximum of 135 at 1,901–2,000 m, followed by a steep decline up to the highest band, which recorded only a single species.”

The research, titled Elevational patterns and drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of pteridophytes: A case study from the Himalaya, was authored by Sajad Ahmad Wani along with Shabir Ahmad Zargar, Firdous Ahmad Dar, Aadil Abdullah Khoja, Akhtar Hussain Malik, Irfan Rashid, and Anzar Ahmad Khuroo. It highlights how environmental variables such as rainfall and temperature shape the distribution of these moisture-loving plants, which are among the oldest plant groups on Earth.

The study identifies the family Aspleniaceae (78 species) as the most dominant among the recorded pteridophytes, followed by Polypodiaceae (70 species) and Pteridaceae (46 species). Among genera, Dryopteris led with 28 species, followed by Asplenium (21) and Polystichum (19).

Researchers divided the elevation range into 43 vertical bands, each 100 metres wide, to assess both species richness and evolutionary diversity. They found that precipitation, especially during the driest month, was more influential than temperature in determining species distribution. However, evolutionary traits, such as phylogenetic clustering and overdispersion, were more responsive to temperature changes.

“This suggests niche conservatism and environmental filtering play major roles in shaping the composition of fern communities along elevation,” the authors noted. In simpler terms, ferns tend to stay within environmental conditions their ancestors adapted to, making them particularly sensitive to changing climates.

The research found that while mid-altitude bands were biodiversity hotspots, low-elevation areas exhibited greater phylogenetic overdispersion—meaning species with more varied evolutionary backgrounds coexisted—while mid- and high-elevation zones showed more clustering.

Crucially, the study underscores the role of ferns as climate indicators due to their high sensitivity to moisture and low stomatal control. “This reduced stomatal control leads to decreased water use efficiency, making these plants highly dependent on consistent water availability,” the researchers wrote.

Supported by the University Grants Commission and the Department of Botany at the University of Kashmir, the study provides the first comprehensive assessment of pteridophyte diversity across elevational gradients in the western Himalayas. Though yet to be peer-reviewed, the work sets a crucial baseline for future ecological research and conservation policy.

“Our findings can help illuminate the biogeographic processes that shaped mountain biodiversity—dispersal, speciation, and extinction-and thus guide future conservation strategies,” the authors concluded, calling for urgent attention to moisture-dependent plant species amid accelerating climate change in the Himalayan region.