Understanding the dynamics of mountain ecosystems, especially in relation to global climate change, requires strengthening of ecological databases. This calls for recognizing both the strengths as well as weaknesses of existing data sets. The existing ecological data sets on the Himalayan forests are considered appropriate for inclusion in any predictive model. However, to address issues of regional and global concerns, these databases need further strengthening. We attempt to highlight some of the weaknesses of Himalayan forest database and provide evidences from a case study of Myrica esculenta - a dioecious tree, to establish that hitherto neglected non-dominant species have the potential to reflect changes. Such species also need to be taken into consideration while formulating forest conservation plans in the region.
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