Vegetation-environment relationships in the forests of Chitral district Hindukush range of Pakistan

编号 zgly0000818186

文献类型 期刊论文

文献题名 Vegetation-environment relationships in the forests of Chitral district Hindukush range of Pakistan

作者 Nasrullah  Khan  Syed  Shahid  Shaukat  Moinuddin  Ahmed  Muhammad  Faheem  Siddiqui 

作者单位 Department  of  Botany  University  of  Malakand  Dept.  of  Botany 

母体文献 林业研究: 英文版 

年卷期 2013(2)

页码 205-216

年份 2013 

分类号 S 

关键词 environmental  relationship  multivariate  analysis  cluster  analysis  ordination  anthropogenic  factors  forest    Hindukush  range 

文摘内容 We investigated the composition of plant communities to quantify their relationships with environmental parameters in the Chitral Hindukush range of Pakistan. We sampled tree vegetation using the Point Centered Quarter (PCQ) method while understory vegetation was sampled in 1.5-m circular quadrats. Cedrus deodara is the national symbol of Pakistan and was dominant in the sampled communities. Because environmental variables determine vegetation types, we analyzed and evaluated edaphic and topographic factors. DCA-Ordination showed the major gradient as an amalgam of elevation (p〈0.05) and slope (p〈0.01) as the topographic factors correlated with species distribution. Soil variables were the factors of environmental significance along DCA axes. However, among these factors, Mg2+ , K + and N2+ contributed not more than 0.054% 0.20% and 0.073%, respectively, to variation along the first ordination axis. We conclude that the principal reason for weak or no correlation with many edaphic variables was the anthropogenic disturbance of vegetation. The understory vegetation was composed of perennial herbs in most communities and was most dense under the tree canopy. The understory vegetation strongly regulates tree seedling growth and regeneration patterns. We recommend further study of the understory vegetation using permanent plots to aid development of forest regeneration strategies.