Moinuddin AHMED, Syed Shahid SHAUKAT, Muhammad Faheem SIDDIQUI

A multivariate analysis of the vegetation of Cedrus deodara forests in Hindu Kush and Himalayan ranges of Pakistan: evaluating the structure and dynamics

This investigation focuses on the multivariate analysis of the vegetation of the Hindu Kush and Himalayan ranges of Pakistan, concentrating on the dynamics of Cedrus deodara (Roxb. ex D.Don) G.Don. The study includes 47 stands from 23 different locations in the Himalayan region of Pakistan. The point-centred quarter method and 1.5-m radius circular plots were used for the sampling of tree and understorey vegetation, respectively. The size, age structure, and growth rates of Cedrus deodara were also examined in order to trace its dynamics, and an attempt was made to determine the relationships between environmental factors and vegetation. The quantitative distribution of understorey vegetation was also assessed as a way of evaluating the floristic association of the forests. The underlying group structure in the vegetation was exposed using Ward's clustering technique. Results of the cluster analysis showed that 6 groups of vegetation could readily be superimposed on DCA ordination. The vegetation was potentially continued. Among the environmental variables, factors such as elevation, pH, organic matter of soil, total nitrogen, and magnesium showed significant correlations with ordination axes. The size-class structure of Cedrus deodara exhibited many gaps. In most stands, Cedrus deodara exhibited ample recruitment, and relationships between diameter, age, and growth rate were significant in many stands. The study also proposes some recommendations for the maintenance and proper management of these forests.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Key words: Cluster analysis, DCA ordination, vegetation description, dendrochronology, management plan, Cedrus deodara

A multivariate analysis of the vegetation of Cedrus deodara forests in Hindu Kush and Himalayan ranges of Pakistan: evaluating the structure and dynamics

Keywords:

Key words: Cluster analysis, DCA ordination, vegetation description, dendrochronology, management plan, Cedrus deodara,

PDF

___

Ahmed M (1986). Vegetation of some foothills of Himalayan range of Pakistan. Pak J Bot 18: 261-269.
Ahmed M, Ashfaq M, Amjad M & Saeed M (1991). Vegetation structure and dynamics of Pinus gerardiana forests in Baluchistan, Pakistan. Plant Ecol 2: 199-124.
Ahmed M, Hussain T, Sheikh AH, Hussain SS & Siddiqui MF (2006). Phytosociology and structure of Himalayan forest from diff erent climatic zones of Pakistan. Pak J Bot 38: 361-382.
Ahmed M., Nagi EE & Wang ELM. (1990a). Present state of Juniper in Rodhmallazi Forest of Baluchistan, Pakistan. Pak J For 40: 227-236.
Ahmed M & Naqvi SH (2005). Tree-ring chronologies of Picea smithiana (Wall) Boiss. and its quantitative vegetational description from Himalayan Range of Pakistan. Pak J Bot 37: 697-707.
Ahmed M & Sarangezai AM (1991). Dendrochronological approach to estimate age and growth rate of various species from Himalayan region of Pakistan. Pak J Bot 23: 78-89.
Ahmed M, Shaukat SS & Buzdar AH (1990b). Population structure and dynamics of Juniperus excelsa in Baluchistan, Pakistan. Plant Ecol 1: 271-276.
Ahmed M, Wahab M, Khan N, Siddiqui MF, Khan MU & Hussain T (2009). Age and growth rates of some gymnosperms of Pakistan: a dendrochronological approach. Pak J Bot 41: 849- 860.
Ashton PS (1981). Th e need for information regarding tree age growth. Yale University, School of Environmental Studies, Bulletin No. 94.
Champion H, Seth SK & Khattak GM (1965). Forest types of Pakistan. Pakistan Forest Research Institute, Peshawar, Bulletin No. 7.
Cottam G & Curtis JT (1956). Th e use of distance measures in phytosociological Sampling. Ecol 37: 451-460.
Daubenmire RF (1968). Plant Communities. A Textbook of Plant Synecology. New York: Harper and Row.
Dawson JW & Sneddon BV (1969). Th e New Zealand rainforest: A comparison with tropical rainforest. Pacifi c Science 23: 131- 147.
Drewa PB, Platt WJ, Kwit C & Doyle TW (2008). Stand structure and dynamics of sand pine diff er between the Florida panhandle and peninsula. Plant Ecol 196: 15-25.
Fritts HC (1976). Tree Rings and Climate. London: Academic Press.
Gauch HG (1981). Hierarchical classifi cation of community data. Journal Ecol 9: 537-557.
Grub PJ, Lloyd JR, Pennington TD & Whitmore TC (1963). A comparison of mountain and lowland rainforest in Ecuador. I. Th e forest structure, physiognomy and fl oristics. Journal Ecol 51: 567-601.
Hutchins DE (1981). Waipoua kauri forest, demarcation and management. Department of Land and Survey. New Zealand J Agri 16: 136-141.
Hussain F & Illahi I (1991). Ecology and Vegetation of Lesser Himalayan Pakistan. Department of Botany Publication, University of Peshawar.
Lafon CW & Speer JH (2002). Using dendrochronology to identify major ice storm events in oak forests of southwestern Virginia. Climate Research 20: 41-54.
McCune B & Meff ord MJ (2005). Multivariate Analysis of Ecological Data, PC. ORD Version 5.10. MjM Soft ware, Gleneden Beach, Oregon, USA.
Mueller-Dombois D & Ellenberg H (1974). Aims and Methods of Vegetation Ecology. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Ogden J (1980). Dendrochronology and dendroecology, an introduction. New Zealand J Ecol 3: 154-156.
Ogden J (1981). Dendrochronological studies and the determination of tree ages in Australian tropics. J Biogeography 8: 405-420.
Orloci L & Kenkel NC (1985). Data Analysis in Population and Community Ecology. Fairland, Maryland, USA: International Publishing House.
Pickett STA, Kolasa J, Armesto JJ & Collins SL (1989). Th e ecological concept of disturbance and its expression at various hierarchical levels. Oikos 54: 129-136.
Pickett STA & White PS (1985). Th e Ecology of Natural Disturbance and Patch Dynamics. San Diego: Academic Press.
Rentch JS, Fajvan MA & Hicks RR Jr (2003a). Spatial and temporal disturbance characteristics of oak-dominated old growth stands in the central hardwood forest region. Forest Science 49: 778-789.
Rentch JS, Fajvan MA & Hicks RR Jr (2003b). Oak establishment and canopy accession strategies in fi ve old-growth stands in the central hardwood forest region. For Ecol and Manage 184: 285-297.
Robbins RG (1962). Th e podocarp broadleaf forests of New Zealand. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1: 33-75.
Stokes MA & Smiley TL (1968). An Introduction to Tree-Ring Dating. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Wahab M, Ahmed M & Khan N (2008). Phytosociology and dynamics of some pine forests of Afghanistan. Pak J Bot 40: 1071-1079.
Warnock AD, Westbrooke ME, Florentine SK & Hurst CP (2007). Does Geijera parvifl ora Lindl. (Rutaceae) facilitate understorey species in semi-arid Australia? Th e Rangeland J 29: 207-216.
Worrall JJ, Lee TD & Harrington TC (2005). Forest dynamics and agents that initiate and expand canopy gaps in Picea-Abies forests of Crawford Notch, New Hampshire, USA. J Ecol 93: 178-190.