PJB-2020-223
Estimating abundance, density and frequency of some woody plants in markhor (Capra falconeri falconeri Wagner 1839) habitat Toshi Shasha Conservancy Chitral Pakistan
Syed Fazal Baqi Kakakhel
Abstract
The Hindu Kush mountain range is rich in dry temperate forest with conservation importance. The government have declared a number of conservation areas in these ranges with the aim to conserve biodiversity but their effectiveness is often questionable. The Toshi Shasha Chitral conservancy is also established in dry temperate forest of Hindu Kush mountains. In order to assess the ecological status of the woody plants a study was conducted for the first time in Toshi Shasha conservancy Chitral. Woody plant species abundance, densities and frequencies were estimated. A total of 50 sampling plots 10m X 10m were laid down in the study area covering different altitudes. The Toshi Shasha conservancy Chitral is well known for its diverse flora and fauna that harboring the near threatened markhor (Capar falconeri falconeri). We found occurrence of 11 woody plant species with abundance 165 over an area of 0.5 hectare in the elevation ranged between 1554 to 2614m. Out of the 11 species occurred Sophora mollis was the dominant species with abundance 93. The density of this species was recorded as 180 per hectare and the frequency observed was 242. The second dominant species was Pistacia integerrima with abundance 13, density 26, frequency 34. The third dominant species was Artemisia brevifolia with abundance 11, density 22, frequency 29. However, the abundance of the remaining 8 species ranged between 3 to 5, density 8 to 20, frequency 9 to 26. Key words: Plant abundance, density, frequency, Chitral, Pakistan
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