Multivariate Analysis Of Vegetation In Wet Temperate Forests Of Pakistan

Abstract

The present investigation focuses on the floristic composition in wet temperate forests of Pakistan. This area was selected as it has variation and diversity i.e. downward the tropical thorn forests and upward the alpine meadows. Wet temperate forest has high diversity of vulnerable plant species. It is situated in the Galiat Forest plants division of Abbottabad between 34◦-1' to 34◦-3.8' N latitude and 73◦-2222.8' to 73◦-27.1' E longitude over an area of about 1684 hectares. Five hierarchy levels of classification of 27 sites were analyzed by (DCA). Four plant associations were recognized on the basis of cluster analysis. Deterended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) and Correlation Coefficient to detect the relationship between altitude and some environmental factors with the composition and structure of plants communities. The major families were Rosaceae, Pteridaceae, Pinaceae, Lamiaceae and Asteraceae. I. Introduction Pakistan is a sub-tropical country which is situated between 20 and 37° N latitude 75° E longitude. Ayubia national park lies in the Himalayan wet temperate forest. Ayubia National Park is a protected area of 3,312 hectors (8,184 acres) located in Abbottabad District, Khyber Pakhtunkhaw province, northern Pakistan. It was declared a national park in 1984. The area supports temperate forest and temperate and broad mixed forest eco-region habitats, with an average elevation of 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above the sea level. Ayubia National Park is surrounded by seven major villages and four small towns of Thandiani, Nathiagali, Ayubia and Khanspur. Here precipitation may sometimes exceed 600mm, the making of these montane forests a sort of enclave in which the plants and diversity of natural sites make it a sort of bio-geographical crossroad between the sub- montane and alpine meadow vegetation (1). For the temperate species the knowledge of habitat association is limited (2). These forests are most attractive in the Himalayas with varying degree of coniferous species including Abies pindrew, Pinus wallichiana, Taxus wallichiana, and Cedrus deodara with varying admixture of evergreen and deciduous patches of broad leaved forests. After the snow melts, a variety of ferns being the first to develop in the spring season, followed by a variety of perennial species. There is also a good deal of mosses and lichen on the tree trunks (1). The impact of snow pressure and strong winds on vegetation structure and species composition in expected at high altitude (3-10). Chemistry of soil is influenced by the vegetation while the composition, physiognomy, productivity and its communities is influenced by soils (11). The vegetation of the study area is dominated by conifers species, principally pine and fir with scattered individuals broad leaves trees, i.e.; oak (12). The primary objective of this study is to explore the factors that determine the boundaries and composition of plant communities on the wet temperate forest of Ayubia National Park.