Pak. J. Bot., 47(6): 2161-2169, 2015.

PRESENT STATE AND FUTURE TRENDS OF PINE FORESTS OF MALAM JABBA, SWAT DISTRICT, PAKISTAN

MUHAMMAD FAHEEM SIDDIQUI1, ARSALAN1, MOINUDDIN AHMED2, MUHAMMAD ISHTIAQ HUSSAIN3, JAVED IQBAL4AND MUHAMMAD WAHAB5

1Department of Botany, University of Karachi, 75270, Pakistan

2Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA 47809-1902 3Centre for Plant Conservation, University of Karachi, 75270, Pakistan 4Department of Botany, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi 5State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change,

Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China *Corresponding author e-mail: mfsiddiqui@uok.edu.pk; mfsiddiqui2011@yahoo.com

Abstract: Present state and future trend of pine forests of Malam Jabba, Swat district, Pakistan explored. We focused on vegetation composition, structure, diversity and forests dynamics. Thirteen stands were sampled by Point Centered Quarter method. Among all stands four monospecific forests of Pinus wallichiana attained highest density ha-1 except in one stand where Picea smithiana attained 401 trees ha-1. Unlike density, the basal area m2 ha-1 of these stands varies stand to stand. Based on floristic composition and importance value index, five different communities viz Pinus wallichiana-Picea smithiana; Picea smithiana-Pinus wallichiana; Abies pindrow-Pinus wallichiana; Pinus wallichiana-Abies pindrow; Abies pindrow-Picea smithiana and 4 monospecific forests of Pinus wallichiana were recognized. Size class structure of forests showed marked influence of anthropogenic disturbance because not a single stand showed ideal regeneration pattern (inverse J shape distribution). Future of these forests is worst due to absence trees in small size classes. Gaps are also evident in most of the forest stands. Stand diversity, richness, equitability and Simpson’s dominance values formulated on single stand basis. Diversity of Abies pindrow and Pinus wallichiana stand was highest because these stand occupied dominant species, while lowest diversity observed in some Pinus wallichiana and Picea smithiana stand as these stands have mark difference between the dominance of two species. In the monospecific forests, the diversity level was zero, suggesting the monopolization of resources by one species or elimination of other tree species in these stands.

Key words: Vegetation composition, Structure, Diversity and forests dynamics.