PJB-2022-152
Plants of the Hunza valley (Central Karakorum), Northern Pakistan: ecology, diversity and conservation
Jan Alam
Abstract
Presents research elaborates the exploratory results of floristic study conducted in the Central Hunza Mountains (Karakorum ranges), northern Pakistan. Field surveys were conducted from June to October, 2010. The field exertion ended with collection of 324 plant species in 183 genera and 48 families. The species diversity decline with elevation and maximum species were recorded in the lower temperate ecological zone. Asteraceae was the most presented family with 83 species followed by Poaceae (29 spp.), Fabaceae (16 spp.), Cyperaceae (16 spp.), Rosaceae (14 spp.) and Caryophyllaceae (14 spp.). Perennial herbs were leading habit i.e.250 species, while, shrubs with 37 species, annuals 29, biennials 5, and tree with 3 species. Regarding life form diversity, hemicryptophytes prevailed with substantial number of Therophytes and nanophanerophytes (29 each). Dry mountain slopes were the common habitat residing 106 (32.72%) species followed by ruderal species (90) (growing among crops fields), moist mountain slopes 84 species and along water bodies with 37 species. Habitat of 28 taxa were destructed, while those of 296 plants were stable and intact. Two fifty three (253; 78.08%) species showed habitat specificity, while the remaining 71 species were observed to be not specific. Similarly, 75 species had small population size and 249 showed considerable population size. Sixty five (65) taxa indicated small geographical range, while 259 species were having considerable geographic range. Eighty (80) plant species (i.e. 24.69%) were fallen in IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria 2001. Accordingly, 38 species fallen under Critically Endangered (CR) category, 10 species were endangered (EN) and the remaining 32 species were vulnerable (VU). The current study offers a baseline appraisal of the flora of Central Hunza Mountains and may be helpful in devising conservation strategies of the montane flora of Gilgit-Baltistan.
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