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PHYTOSOCIOLOGY OF THE VANISHING TROPICAL DRY DECIDUOUS FORESTS IN DISTRICT SWABI, PAKISTAN, I.A COMMUNITY ANALYSIS

FARRUKH HUSSAIN, MOINUDDIN AHMED¹, MUFAKHARA JAN DURANI² AND GHAZALA SHAHEEN²

Abstract: The vegetation of 20 different graveyards in District Swabi was sampled quantitatively. Three main communities: Dalbergia sissoo-Melia azedarach, Ziziphus mauritiana with 2 subtypes, and Acacia modesta with 5 subtypes, were recognized on the basis of similarity indices, importance values and floristic composition of the stands. A. modesta community was widely distributed in the area. The first two communities represent secondary succession in the area. The vegetation of all the stands was stratified into tree, shrub and herb layers. The variation in the dominant species was dueto edaphic and biotic disturbance. It is suggested that the existing vegetation might funher change due to underground seepage of water from nearby Tarbela dam. A vegetation profile of all the communities is given.

Department of Botany, University of Peshawar; Peshawar; Pakistan.
Plant Protection (Weed Res), Ruakura Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Department of Botany, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan.