PJB-2022-371
Analysis of environmental interaction with conifers; a forest sustainability survey in Murree hills, Pakistan
Afsheen Khan
Abstract
Forest structure describes the status of forest and predicts its fate. Monitoring of forest species, their interaction and survival status is one the contemporary needs of present time. Murree hills in Pakistan are known for its beautiful forest, which has undergone into disturbance as the pollution and population is expanding around the hills. Current study is carried out with the perspective of monitoring present forest structure to evaluate and predict the existence of conifers in the forest. Due to different purposes and biological interference, conifer species are depleting from forests worldwide. Present study provides a detailed analysis on sustainability and interactions of conifers with other tree species and with certain environmental variables lying in this ecosystem. For such analysis, multivariate techniques are employed using density of conifer and associated tree species. Four conifer species and three broad-leaved species invaded the study area i.e., Pinus wallichiana A. B. Jacks (PW), Pinus roxburghii Sarg. (PR), Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) G. Don (CD) and Abies pindrow (Royle ex D. Don) Royle (AB) along with Quercus baloot Griffith (QB), Quercus dilate Raf. (QD) and Aesculus indica (Wall. ex Cambess.) Hook (AI). Stem sizes of all dominating tree species were recorded from thirty stands, P. wallichiana observed with the highest sizes classes with gaps in various classes while other conifers did not show greater size and density in the study area indicating an alarming condition of C. deodara and A. pindrow. Cluster analysis showed largest group of P. wallichiana while Detrended Component Analysis (DCA) provided four different groups with overlapping among groups. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) showed greater significance level (p < 0.01) of P. wallichiana with PC2 while C. deodara and A. pindrow showed significance (p < 0.05) with PC1. Conifers were non significant with each other except that of C. deodara which is significant with Quercus baloot and Aesculus indica. From the dynamics of studied forest, it is concluded that conifers are in vulnerable state in which pines possess a broader tolerance capacity hence maintaining their survival even in the disturbed conditions. Whilst C. deodara and A. pindrow need to be conserved as they showed their positive interactions with the environmental variables even with low density in forest indicating their chances to be recovered if properly managed.
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