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A
CONTRIBUTION TO THE AUTECOLOGY OF
CAPPARIS DECIDUA
(FORSK.) EDGEW. II. EFFECT
OF EDAPHIC AND BIOTIC FACTORS ON GROWTH AND ABUNDANCE.
M.
Qaiser And S. A. Qadir
Abstract:
Soil samples were collected at surface and subsurface levels from
several sites of occurrence of
Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew. The community associates and community dominants of
C. decidua
were recorded. Soil was analyzed for texture, structure, consistency,
maximum water holding capacity, wilting coefficient and hydrogen ion
concentration. In angular blocky soil growth was found to be the best
and the abundance was low, while in granular and crumb soil highest
abundance with poor growth was found. In sub-angular blocky soil
structure intermediate growth and abundance were observed. Best growth
was found in clay loam followed by sandy clay loam soils but the
abundance was less in these soils. The highest abundance coupled with
poor growth was found in sand while sandy loam and loamy sand soils
occupied an intermediate position between clay loam and sandy clay loam
soils for these features.
Growth and abundance of
C. decidua
were also correlated with maximum water holding capacity and wilting
coefficient of all the soils studied. High maximum water holding
capacity and high wilting coefficient were found to be good for growth
while low values of these soil moisture constants were better for
abundance of the plant. The abundance of
C. decidua
was highest in the soils having the sub-surface soil pH range of 7.2-8.2
while the growth was better in a pH range of 6.7-7.6 in the sub- surface
soil.When
C. decidua
was found growing with the climatic climax species the growth was
observed to be the best but there was low abundance. When it was found
associated with
Lycium europaeum
Linn, and
Cordia rothii
R. & S. as first community dominants, good abundance with poor growth
was observed.
C. decidua
has a wide ecological amplitude as it was found growing with a large
number of community associates.
Department of Botany, University of Karachi.
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