ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINANTS OF VEGETATION IN DISTRICT MALAKAND, A SUB-TROPICAL ZONE OF THE OUTER HINDU KUSH MOUNTAIN RANGE

Abstract

This study evaluates plant species composition, distribution pattern, formation of different plant associations and their respective indicators in relation to various environmental factors in the district Malakand, Hindu Kush Mountain. Quadrat quantitative ecological techniques were used for sampling vegetation. All the collected plant species and environmental data were analyzed using PC-ORD and CANOCO software. The present study explored 382 plant species belonging to 91 different families. Based on the number of species, Poaceae (sp., 48), therophytes (169 sp., 44.2%), and microphylls (185 sp., 48.4%) were the dominant family, life form and leaf form class, respectively. Cluster analysis and Two-way cluster analysis identified five plant associations i.e. (1) Acacia-Ziziphus-Asphodelous association (2) Morus-Saccharum-Phalaris association (3) Salix-Debregeasia-Agrostis association (4) Monotheca-Rhazya-Aerva association and (5) Phoenix-Myrsine-Viola association. CCA results showed that topographic and edaphic variables (altitude, aspect, landscape, soil texture, electrical conductivity, pH, total soluble solutes, calcium carbonates, organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) significantly influenced species distribution and vegetation structure. The present study can be utilized in ecology as a baseline for further research for analyzing vegetation structure and identifying its associated indicators.