Editing Pinus roxburghii (section)

==Ecology==
Owing to its shallow roots it is attributed to [[soil erosion]], particularly in the Himalayas. It does not allow any vegetation to grow around it by making soil more [[Soil pH|acidic]] through its fallen needles.

Usually, the accumulating carpet of needles on the forest floor under these trees makes conditions unfavourable for many common plants and trees to grow. The most common trees which are able to grow in this environment are ''[[Rhododendron]]'', banj oak (''[[Quercus leucotrichophora]]'') and trees from the family [[Ericaceae]] (known locally as ''eonr'' and ''lodar''). This could possibly be due to the relative immunity from fire that the thick bark of these species gives them. The [[Himalayan nettle]] (''Girardinia diversifolia'') is another plant which seems to thrive well under this tree.

The [[caterpillar]]s of the [[moth]] ''[[Batrachedra silvatica]]'' are not known from foodplants other than chir pine. The [[white-bellied heron]] (''Ardea insignis''), a large [[critically endangered]] [[heron]], is known to roost in chir pine.{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}}