Life-form Classes Research Articles

Floristic composition and phenology of vegetation in district Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

The present study explores the floristic composition and phenology of vegetation in district Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This district features diverse biological and climatic conditions, creating a unique environment for ecological studies. The research was conducted from May to November in 2018 and 2019, documenting 206 plant species across 182 genera and 82 families. The dominant families were Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae. Using Raunkaier’s life form classification, the study found a dominance of therophytes (41%) and nanophanerophytes (13%), indicating the local ecosystem’s adaptation to annual climatic changes. In terms of leaf size spectrum, microphylls were the most abundant (39%), followed by mesophylls (27%) and Nanophylls (22%). The distribution of plant species in the research area reflects the adaptation of the local flora to specific environmental conditions. Phenological observations revealed two distinct flowering seasons: the primary season from May to August and the secondary season from September to November. During the first season, the majority of plants (85%), predominantly herbs, were in bloom. In contrast, the second season showed a smaller diversity of blooming plants, including six fern species. Fruiting patterns mirrored the flowering trends, with a higher fruiting rate observed from May to August (106 species) compared to September to November (100 species). This research provides a comprehensive overview of the floristic diversity, biological spectrum, and phenological patterns in district Dir Lower, contributing valuable information to plant ecology and conservation in the region.

Vascular epiphytes of the South America Dry Diagonal: characterising their occurrence and richness in this neglected region

ABSTRACT The South America Dry Diagonal (SADD) is the most extensive and continuous portion of dry vegetation on the continent, characterised by lower rainfall and a marked dry season. Epiphytes are very poorly known and understudied in this area, even though they represent a high proportion of plant diversity in South America. Here, we compiled a dataset of epiphyte records from the SADD. The compiled epiphyte records date from 1859 to 2021, covering all four SADD domains, four countries, and 24 ecoregions. We utilised two databases for life form classification: Epilist and Brazil Flora Group. Our dataset contains 41,039 records distributed among 1119 epiphyte and hemiepiphyte species belonging to three main groups: angiosperms, ferns, and lycophytes. The SADD domains host a high number of unique species in each domain, with the Cerrado and Caatinga regions serving as primary hosts for the majority of species in the SADD dataset. Despite notable differences in species composition among domains, the least significant differences were observed between the Caatinga and Cerrado, as well as between the Chaco and the Pantanal. Orchidaceae, Bromeliaceae, and Polypodiaceae families exhibited the highest species diversity within the region. However, the species containing the highest number of specimens collected varied considerably among the domains. Herein, we also outlined some inconsistencies in the life-form classification across taxonomic bases, acknowledging the challenges of categorising epiphyte species while considering their intraspecific life-form variation.

Eco-systematic assessment of the spring herbaceous vegetation under edaphic and topographic effects

The distribution and composition of the vegetation are greatly affected by the edaphology and topography of an area. The current study explores the vegetation structure of the herbaceous layer at various habitats of district Kohat for the first time. A survey was conducted during the spring seasons of 2021, 2022 and 2023 selecting 40 sites on the basis of edaphology, topography, altitude, aspect and status. Data was collected via quadrat approach to establish plant communities by species Importance Value (IV), point out dominant species by Total IV (TIV) and dominant families via Total Family IV (TFIV). The quantitative biological spectrum was also calculated. Communities’ phytosociological characteristics were analyzed via various diversity indices (Shannon’s Index (H), Simpson’s Index (D), Species Richness (SR), Evenness (E) and Maturity index (Mi)) while similarity between the communities was calculated by using Sorensen’s Index. The findings revealed a total of 253 species belonging to 57 families having the dominant species Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (TIV, 484.3) followed by Saussuria heteromalla (D. Don) Hand. (TIV, 360.4), Anagallis arvensis L. (TIV, 353.2) and Aristida adscensionis L. (TIV, 349.65). Among 40 plant communities, Poaceae (TFIV, 2706.6), Asteraceae (TFIV, 2018.8), Fabaceae (TFIV, 1071.5) and Brassicaceae (TFIV, 825.9) were the dominant families. Therophytes (TIV, 7882) class was the dominant life form class followed by hemicryptophytes (TIV, 2517) while microphylls (TIV, 4669) class was the dominant leaf size class followed by nanophylls (TIV, 5469). Environmental factors i.e. topography and edaphic characteristics, showed significant effects on the diversity of the communities. The study concludes in a diverse pattern of distribution with a rich flora in the area warranting its documentation which will preserve the valuable species opening vistas for future research.

Form and Biological Spectrum of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

In the present paper, the vascular plants of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, belonging to 204 families, 1045 genera and 2315 species have been put to their exact life forms and percentage belonging to each life form class. The same has been compared with Raunkiaer's normal and other spectra determined in different parts of the country. Phanerophytes, Chamaephytes, Hemicryptophytes, Geophytes or Cryptophytes, Therophytes, Lianas and Epiphytes represent 49.40, 12.14, 7.48, 3.37, 12.31, 9.49 and 5.81 percentage respectively and it has been found that the phyto-climate of these islands is typical phanerophytic which is characteristic of the humid tropics and subtropics.

The Vascular Plant Flora Burabay National Park, Kazakhstan: Composition, Life Form Classification and Ecological Groups

The Vascular Plant Flora Burabay National Park, Kazakhstan: Composition, Life Form Classification and Ecological Groups

Anthropogenic active grassland communities: Floral diversity and biological spectrum analysis in Odisha

Grasslands are the largest biome on earth. There is an urgent need to understand the value of species, plant community productivity, species composition and function of the grassland ecosystem. So, the floristic composition and life-form spectrum of ten different grassland communities in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha was studied from June 2022 to June 2023. The study revealed that the Mayurbhanj district has a unique floristic diversity composition comprising 137 species (55 Grasses and 82 Non-Grasses) belonging to 93 genera and 27 families. Among all the families Poaceae family occupies a greater number of species (i.e. 55 species) followed by Cyperaceae (26 species), Fabaceae (8 species), Asteraceae (7 species), Amaranthaceae (4 species), the species belongs to families Rubiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Convolvulaceae, Lamiaceae and Malvaceae contribute (3 species), Orobanchaceae, Oxalidaceae, Plantaginaceae, Linderniaceae and Commelinaceae, (2 species), while the remaining 12 families represented only a single species. The species richness and growth form were calculated based on the existence (1)/ absence (0) of a particular species in each study site. The species richness of Saraskana was found to be the highest (42.33%) followed by Baripada (39.41%), Bangiriposi (35.76%), and Betnoti (35.03%). About 28.26% of species richness was estimated in Kuliana and Suliapada. A dendrogram was also prepared based on floristic similarity among study sites. There were 5 life form classes were observed in the study sites, among them Therophytes and Hemicryptophytes showed the highest diversity. The Life-form classes of the study sites were compared with Raunkier's Normal spectrum, and the Phyto spectrum of the present study indicates “Thero-Hemicryptophytic” types of Phyto climate. As a result, therophytic flora was found predominated to the extensively grazed site whereas the Hemicryptophytic flora indicated the moderately grazed and disturbed site. It is estimated that the variations in the species composition and life form in different grassland communities might be due to the Geographical distribution, biotic interference and climatic conditions of that region.

Diversity of Aquatic Macrophyte Species of Pardi Wetland, Valsad District, Gujarat, India: Social-economic and Ethnobotanical importance

Wetlands, which serve as a transition between land and water, are a source of concern across the world in terms of resource evaluation and use, environmental protection, pollution control, eco-restoration, biodiversity conservation, and so on. Wetlands are an important aspect of human civilization because they provide drinking water, food, improved water quality, sediment retention, flood storage, transportation, recreation, and climate stabilization, among other things. Despite their numerous advantages, wetlands are increasingly subjected to anthropogenic pressures and are rapidly disappearing. Valsad district is the developing district of Gujarat state, located between 20°37'48.00" N and 72°55'48.00" E, making it one of Gujarat's rainiest districts and having many wetland ecosystems with great aquatic biodiversity. The present investigation aimed to list, find, and investigate wetlands, with a focus on macrophyte species, because of their high socioeconomic and ethnobotanical relevance. The current study identified a total of 43 macrophyte species, which are organized into 35 genera and 24 different families. Out of the 43 macrophyte species, 40 were recorded as angiosperms, 02 as pteridophytes, and 01 as macroalgae. In the present investigation, existing macrophyte species were evaluated based on their ecological classification, life form classification, and their wetland indicator status. This research not only showed the diversity of indigenous macrophytes but also discusses the utilization of aquatic plants for socioeconomic and ethnobotanical purposes, which enhance the traditional medicinal knowledge about the macrophytes.

Floristic diversity of the rocky habitats and plains of the coastal area of Abyan Governorate, Yemen

The present study deals with the floristic analysis of the Plain and coastal area of Abyan governorate. The present study reveals the presence of 266 species belonging to 179 genera and 68 families of vascular plants have been recorded. Based on species contribution, Poaceae, Asteraceae, Mimosaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Solanaceae, Capparaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Caesalpinaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Asclepidiacea, were found as dominant families. Life-forms in order of importance were Hemicryptophytes (25.93%), Chamaephytes (24.81%), Therophytes (24.43%), and Phanerophytes (21.05%), while the least frequent life form class was Geophytes (3.38%), and Epiphytes (0.37%). The proportion of plant life forms in the study area is very close, indicating that the study area is predominantly desert in nature. The large spread of Acacia sp. shrubs indicates the desert climate in the study area

Ecological Assessment of the Native Flora of Matta Kharari Village, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Plant species composition, diversity and distribution is a hierarchical expression of vegetation determined by different environmental factors. A study was conducted to document the floristic composition and biological spectrum of plant species of the Matta-Kharari region, Swat. The region has not been ecologically explored yet. We used quantitative ecological techniques for sampling plant species. Sixty-seven quadrats of 1x1 m2 for herbs, 5x5 m2 for shrubs and 10x10 m2 size for trees were established. Plant species data were analyzed using multivariate statistical techniques. We evaluated 76 plant species belonging to 42 families. Asteraceae and Rosaceae were the leading families with 8 species each, followed by Ranunculaceae, Lamiaceae and Moraceae with 4 species each. Among life form classes i.e., geophytes were dominant (13 species, 17.10 %), followed by therophytes (12 species, 15.87 %), nanophanerophytes (11 species, 14.47 %), and chamaephytes (10 species, 13.58 %). Moreover, Mesophylls (36.84 %) were the dominant leaf spectra class followed by nanophyll (30.26 %), microphyll (27.63 %), and megaphyll (2.63 %). The two-way cluster analysis classified the vegetation into three clusters. The detrended correspondence analysis shows the distribution of plants in a mixed array because the locations explored are characterized by similar climatic factors and vegetation. We elucidate that the variation in climatic factors and topography brings variation in vegetation. Understanding these responses at the life form and leaf spectra level will provide a better understanding and knowledge that how plant species and their communities or associations respond to changes in climate in the future. The current study could be utilized as a baseline for large-scale studies in the future.

Quantitative Analysis of Aquatic and Associated Macrophytes in Selected Wetlands of North Dinajpur District, West Bengal

Aquatic macrophytes are the taxonomically most diverse and important biotic component of any aquatic ecosystem. They perform significant role in both structural and functional maintenance of the ecosystem. Depth, density, diversity and types of macrophytes also represent as bioindicator of overall water body health. The current research deals with the diversity of macrophytes from 3 selected wetlands of North Dinajpur District. Extensive wetland survey was conducted from November 2021 to March 2023, reporting the presence of total 31 species belonging to 20 families. Asteraceae is the most dominant family followed by Cyperaceae and Polygonaceae. Among various growth forms, helophyte with 12 species showed qualitative dominance over hyperhydrate(06 species) followed by pleustophyte (05 species) and vittate (04 species) consecutively decreased in other form. According to Raunkiaer’s life form classification therophytes (24 species) showed the dominance over other 5 life form followed by hydrophytes and hemicryptophytes (02 species each) Different ecological parameters such as dominance, diversity, species richness and evenness have also been described in the present study.

Characterization of Polylepis tarapacana Life Forms in the Highest-Elevation Altiplano in South America: Influence of the Topography, Climate and Human Uses.

In the upper vegetation limit of the Andes, trees change to shrub forms or other life forms, such as low scrubs. The diversity of life forms decreases with elevation; tree life forms generally decrease, and communities of shrubs and herbs increase in the Andean highlands. Most of treeline populations in the northwestern Argentina Altiplano are monospecific stands of Polylepis tarapacana, a cold-tolerant evergreen species that is able to withstand harsh climatic conditions under different life forms. There are no studies for P. tarapacana that analyze life forms across environmental and human impact gradients relating them with environmental factors. This study aims to determine the influence of topographic, climatic, geographic and proxies to human uses on the occurrence of life forms in P. tarapacana trees. We worked with 70 plots, and a new proposal of tree life form classification was presented for P. tarapacana (arborescent, dwarf trees, shrubs and brousse tigrée). We describe the forest biometry of each life form and evaluate the frequency of these life forms in relation to the environmental factors and human uses. The results show a consistency in the changes in the different life forms across the studied environmental gradients, where the main changes were related to elevation, slope and temperature.

Floristic Composition and Ecological Characteristics of Tehsil Samar Bagh District Lower Dir

Usually identification of the flora all over the world is considered to be important and necessary because it plays a vital role to reserve National flora. The current study was conducted to explore and asses the floristic composition and ecological characteristics of Samar bagh District Dir lower along with their family, botanical name, habit, life form and leaf size classes. The flora of Tehsil Samar bagh comprises up of 120 species belonging 49 families. These 49 families consist of 6 gymnosperm species of family Pinaceae and Cuperassesceae, 8 monocot species of family Amaryllidaceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae and 104 dicot species of 44 different families. As per the plant habit, there are 75 species of herb, 13 species of shrub and 32 species of tree. The leading and well-expressed family was Asteraceae attending 12 taxa, followed by Rosaceae with 10, Solanaceae with 9, papilionaceae with 7, Moraceae and Poaceae with 5, Fagaceae, Brassicaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae and Amaranthaceae contributing 4 plant species. The Life form and leaf size classes were managed by Raunkiaers system which displays that the headmost life form class was therophytes with 47 species, followed by nanophanerophytes with 21 species, chamaephytes with 13, and then by megaphanerophytes, hemicryptophytes, Geophyte and microphanerophytes. In leaf size classes leading class was microphyll representing 38 species followed by mesophyll with 37, nanophyll 24, macrophyll 9, leptophyll 7 and megaphyll with 5 species. Therophytes were observed dominant with high percentage, demonstrating that this area is a part of semi-arid zone of Khyber Pakhtunkhwah, Pakistan and indigenous people of this area thoroughly and extensively demolish and uproot the plants for burning purposes.

Floristic composition, biological spectrum, and phytogeographic distribution of the Bin Dara Dir, in the western boundary of Pakistan

This study assessed the floristic composition, biological spectrum, and phytogeographical elements of the Bin Dara western boundary of Pakistan. The flora consisted of 140 plant species belonging to 47 families. The most dominant family was Poaceae (with 14 species), followed by Asteraceae (11 species). The biological spectrum showed the therophytes (71 species, 50.71%) as the dominant life form class, followed by mega-phanerophytes (27 species, 19.28%), nano-phanerophytes (15 species, 10.71%), geophytes (10 species, 7.14%), chamaephytes (9 species, 6.42%), and hemi-cryptophytes (8 species, 5.71%). Leaf size classes comprised of nanophylls (48 species, 34.28%), microphylls (32 species, 22.85%), mesophylls (22 species, 15.71%), macrophylls (17 species, 12.14%), leptophylls (12 species, 8.57), megaphylls (8 species, 5.75%), and aphyllous (1 species, 0.71%). Cosmopolitan was the most prominent form of phytogeographic elements (with 17 species, 12.14%), followed by pantropical and Euro-Siberian Mediterranean Irano-Turanian (14 species, 10%) each. The pluriregional represented (13 species, 9.28%), Holarctic and Mediterranean Irano-Turanian (10 species, 7.14%), Irano-Turanian and Western Himalayan (9 species, 6.42%) each. It is recommended that further study is needed to map the vegetation, its indicators, and rare species that face a huge threat of endangerment.

Forage offering and seasonal intake comparisons to evaluate European rabbit threat in Nothofagus forests of southern Patagonia

BackgroundThe European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L. 1758) was introduced into different regions of the world, generating significant trade-offs that critically impacted native vegetation. Here, we evaluate the rabbit's forage intakes in three vegetation types (forests, shrublands, and grasslands) along the four seasons in a temperate forest landscape in Southern Patagonia and discuss the potential threats over native vegetation. We formulated the following questions: (i) what is the forage offer at each vegetation type? (ii) what is the rabbit's forage intake and how it varied across the seasons along the year? and (iii) which vegetation types and plant life forms were more used according to the rabbit's forage intakes?MethodsWe censused understory vegetation to characterize the forage offer at each vegetation type and determined seasonal dietary intakes using microhistological analysis of pellets. The plant species identified in the field were grouped according to life form classes (tree regeneration, shrubs, forbs, graminoids, orchids, ferns, bryophytes, and hemiparasites). Data were analysed through uni- and multi-variate analyses, determining relationships between forage offer and the rabbit's forage intakes.ResultsForage intakes revealed changes in plant life form consumption across vegetation types, where intake pressure was considerably different for tree regeneration (p = 0.001), graminoids (p = 0.001), and hemiparasites (p = 0.001). Besides, significant changes in consumption among seasons were detected for shrubs (p = 0.001), ferns (p = 0.030), and hemiparasites (p = 0.002). Although many species play an important role in the rabbit's forage intake networks (e.g., Chiliotrichum diffusum, Holcus lanatus), the strongest intake linkages were found in exotic grasses (e.g., Poa pratensis and Festuca sp.), native hemiparasites (e.g., Misodendrum sp.), native shrubs (e.g., Empetrum rubrum), and native trees (e.g., Nothofagus sp.). The summer and autumn seasons presented higher intake compared to the winter and spring seasons. Furthermore, hemiparasites intake (e.g., Misodendrum sp.) suggests that rabbits utilize different forage sources depending on the vegetation types.ConclusionsRabbits regularly inhabit the forest, even though it is not their preferred vegetation type to live. Rabbit management entails isolating regions that are more favourable to intake and emphasizing the year's season for rabbit control efforts.

Assessment of Coral Reef Life-Form Classification Scheme using Multiresolution Images on Parang Island, Indonesia

Spatial information on the varying composition of coral reefs is beneficial for the management and preservation of natural resources in coastal areas. Its availability is inseparable from environmental management goals; however, it can also be used as a means of supporting tourism activities and predicting the emergence of certain living species. A satellite image is one of the effective and efficient data sources that provide spatial information on coral reef variations. This study aimed to evaluate the classification scheme of coral reef life-form using images with different spatial resolutions on Parang Island, Karimunjawa Islands, Central Java. These images were from PlanetScope (3m), PlanetScope resampling (6m), and Sentinel-2A MSI (10m), whose spatial resolutions functioned as the base for building the 3m, 6m, and 10m classification schemes producing 12, 11, and 9 classes, respectively. As for the classification method, it integrated both object-based and pixel-based approaches. The results showed that the highest overall accuracy (60%) was obtained using Sentinel-2A MSI image (10m), followed by PlanetScope (3m) with 48% accuracy, and PlanetScope resampling (6m) with 40% accuracy. This finding indicates that multiresolution images can be used to produce complex coral reef life-form maps with different levels of information details.
 Keywords: Coral reef; Life-form; Planetscope; Spatial resolution; Classification scheme
 
 Copyright (c) 2021 Geosfera Indonesia and Department of Geography Education, University of Jember
 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share A like 4.0 International License

Classification and Characterization of the Manoor Valley's (Lesser Himalaya) Vegetation from the Subtropical-Temperate Ecotonal Forests to the Alpine Pastures along Ecological Variables.

Plant species are distributed in different types of habitats, forming different communities driven by different sets of environmental variables. Here, we assessed potential plant communities along an altitudinal gradient and their associations with different environmental drivers in the unexplored Manoor Valley (Lesser Himalaya), Pakistan. We have implemented various ecological techniques and evaluated phytosociological attributes in three randomly selected 50 m-transects within each stand (a total of 133) during different seasons for four years (2015–2018). This phytosociological exploration reported 354 plant species representing 93 different families. The results revealed that the Therophytic life form class dominated the flora, whereas Nanophyll dominated the leaf size spectra. There were a total of twelve plant communities identified, ranging from the lowest elevations to the alpine meadows and cold deserts. The maximum number of species were found in Cedrus–Pinus–Parrotiopsis community (197 species), in the middle altitudinal ranges (2292–3168 m). Our results showed that at high altitudes, species richness was reduced, whereas an increase in soil nutrients was linked to progression in vegetation indicators. We also found different clusters of species with similar habitats. Our study clearly shows how altitudinal variables can cluster different plant communities according to different microclimates. Studies such as ours are paramount to better understanding how environmental factors influence ecological and evolutionary aspects.

The application of Landsat imageries and mangrove vegetation index for monitoring mangrove community in Segara Anakan Lagoon, Cilacap, Central Java

The only place for estuarine-mangroves in Java Island, Segara Anakan Lagoon, experiences the vast decline of mangrove cover. Satellite remote sensing has a critical role in monitoring that change as it allows to record vast areas over time. However, most studies tend to utilize satellite data to investigate the change of mangrove areas into other land-use types rather than identify the mangrove community’s shifting. This study utilized the mangrove vegetation index (MVI) for monitoring the changes of mangrove communities at the life-form level using satellite data. The study used multi-temporal Landsat images as it has historical systematic archive data. The threshold value of the index for each class is defined by referring to the field data. The class referred to the life-form classification consisting of mangrove trees, Nypa, and understorey. The image analysis was conducted using Google Earth Engine (GEE), while R software was used for determining threshold values through statistical analysis. The result shows that the MVI can differentiate between some life forms of mangroves, with the overall accuracy reaching 78.79% and a kappa coefficient of 0.729. Further, the multi-temporal maps showed the decline of mangrove tree areas, which the understorey and Nypa community have replaced.

Plant Species Classification and Diversity of the Understory Vegetation in Oak Forests of Swat, Pakistan

The forest ecosystem has understory vegetation that plays a vital role in sustaining diversity, providing nutrients, and forming a useful association for developing a balanced ecosystem. The current study provides detailed insights into the plant biodiversity and species classification of the understory vegetation of Swat, Pakistan. The floral diversity of the area was comprised of 58 plant species belonging to 32 families. The physiognomy of the studied area was dominated by herbaceous growth form with 47 species. The dominant life-form class was hemicryptophytes with 19 species (33%), followed by nanophanerophytes with 15 species (26%) and therophytes with 13 species (22%). Of the 58 species, 43 plant species were associated with group III clustered by applying Ward’s agglomerative clustering that indicated wide sociability of the species in the studied oak-dominated forests. Group III had higher species richness (10.3), α-diversity (2.74) and β-diversity (9.85), and Margalef index values (3.95). While the group I had maximum Pielous and Simpson index values of 0.97 and 7.13, respectively. Redundancy analysis revealed that seven variables (i.e., latitude, elevation, clay, wilting point, bulk density, saturation, and electric conductivity) were significantly influential concerning the understory vegetation of oak-dominated forests. The understory vegetation of these forests plays an important role in the forest ecosystem of the region. The present study reveals floral divergence and physiognomic scenario of the unexplored study area, which could be an important reference for future ethnobotanical, phytosociological, and conservational endeavors. Moreover, this information is important to the success of efforts intended to prevent the loss of species diversity in these forests by destroying their natural habitats.

Phytodiversity and Ethnobotanical Features of Plants of Shahbaz Garhi Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Background: Plants provide food, clothing, shelter, medicines, fodder, fuel wood and ecosystem services. The floristic diversity of any area plays an important role in the sustainable livelihood and food security of the inhabitants of that area. The people of the research area Shahbaz Garhi, District Mardan are living in the far flung and backward area. They are dependent on plants and plants products for supporting their livelihood and other needs. They obtain food, fuel, timber, medicines and fodder from plants and also use plants for ornamental purposes. Since the area has a rich flora which was not previously documented. Similarly, the inhabitants use these plants for many purposes. Therefore, the present study was planned to document the flora and its local uses and to know how the local people use these plant natural resources to support their livelihood. Methods: Thorough collection of plants was made from the research area during 2019-2020. Plants were collected and the related data was documented on the spot in the field. Identification was carried out with the help of authentic literature. The ethnobotanical data was collected through questionnaires and 50 informants were interviewed, whose age was ranging from 20-60 years. Standard procedures were adopted for ethnobotanical information collection which includes (Stijfhoorn 1996-1997) and (Martin 2004) procedures and further data authentication was made by adopting artifact (ex-situ) and inventory (in-situ) methods. Results: A total of 85 species belonging to 42 families were recorded. Out of 42 families, 35 families were dicots, 5 were monocots and 2 families were gymnosperms. The dominant family was Asteraceae comprised of 7 genera (9.09 %) and 7 species (8.23 %) followed by Poaceae, Fabaceae and Amaranthaceae with 5 species each, while Cupressaceae, Myrtaceae, Oleaceae, Rhamnaceae, Salicaceae, Solanaceae and Verbenaceae with 3 species each and the remaining families were represented by 2 or less species. The life form class was dominated by Therophytes comprised of 31 spp. (36.4%) followed by Nanophanerophytes 24 spp. (28.2 %) and Chamaephytes 11 spp. (12.9 %). The leaf size spectra showed that Microphylls was dominant with 25 spp. (29.4 %), followed by Mesophylls with 24 spp. (28.2 %), while the Nanophylls with 12 spp. (14.1%) and Leptophylls with 10 spp. (11.7 %). The habit of plants showed that 43 species (50.5 %) were herbs, 28 species (32.5 %) were trees, and 14 spp. (16.4 %) were shrubs. The ethnobotanical analysis of 58 spp. showed that medicinal plants were dominant with 44 spp. (75.8%) followed by fodder 27 spp. (46.5 %), fuel wood 21 spp. (36.2 %), ornamental 15 spp. (27.5 %), food 13 spp. (22.4 %) and timber 11 spp. (18.9 %). All the 85 species were evaluated for conservation status. During the conservation status studies it was found that 1 species (1.17 %) i.e., Ailanthus altissima was endangered, 12 species (14.1 %) were least concern, and 72 (84.7 %) species were not Eealuated. The indigenous species were 34 (40%) and introduced were 51 (60%). Among the total species impacts of 51 introduced species were studied, in which most species were noted for interfering local flora 28 (54.90%),9 (17.64%) for replacing local flora, 6 (11.76%) as weeds /interfering crops, 2 (3.92%) were allelopathic and 6 (11.76%) were without any impacts. Conclusion: It was revealed during the present study that the area has a rich diversity of plants and the people of the area use these plants for medicinal, fodder, fuel wood, ornamental, food, and timber purposes. The people of the area use these plants and their products to support their livelihood and other needs. Keywords: Phytodiversity, ethnobotanical features, Shahbaz Garhi, Mardan, Pakistan.

Ethnoecological, Elemental, and Phytochemical Evaluation of Five Plant Species of Lamiaceae in Peshawar, Pakistan.

The use of medicinal plants as an unconventional health treatment is gaining considerable recognition and popularity worldwide. The current study was designed to inspect five medicinally important species (such as Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds., Mentha piperita L., Mentha spicata L., Ocimum basilicum L., and Rosmarinus officinalis L.) of Lamiaceae, collected from district Peshawar, through ethnoecological, phytochemical, and elemental analyses. Biological spectra expressed that therophytes (60%) were the dominant life-form class, while nanophyll (60%) was the leading class among leaf size. The ethnobotanical profile showed that all the species were medicinal and ornamental (100%) each, while 60% were used in spices. Quantitative analysis for the macro- and microminerals confirmed the presence of 13 elements (C, N, O, Mg, K, P, S, Ca, Al, Si, Fe, Cl, and Na), which were present in varying amounts from species to species. The methanol extract of leaf samples was used for the analysis of phytochemical constituents such as saponins, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, phlobatannins, steroids, and anthraquinones. The medicinal potential of these plants was correlated with the presence of these phytochemicals. Due to the presence of active constituents, the plants had high potential in antifungal, antidiuretic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities.