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VEGETATION ASSESSMENT OF SAWAN WARI OF NARA DESERT, PAKISTAN

RAHMATULLAH QURESHI

Abstract: Vegetation assessment of Sawan Wari of Nara Desert was carried out in the month of October, 2001. Different vegetation parameters like cover, frequency and density were recorded using Quadrate method. These values were computed to obtain Importance Value Index (IVI) and plant communities were delineated. Five plant communities were constructed from 5 distinct habitats i.e., 1) Phragmites-Typha-Saccharum in wetland; 2) Calligonum-Dipterygium-Salvadora in desert; 3) Saccharum-Pluchea-Typha in marshland; 4) Desmostachya-Brachiaria-Cynodon in agriculture habitat and 5) Salvadora-Desmostachya-Posopis in protected forest. The most densely populated species was Typha elephantina followed by Salvadora oleoides, Saccharum bengalense, Phragmites karka, Saccharum spontaneum, Prosopis juliflora and Dipterygium glaucum with various IVI values. The most frequent species Euphorbia prostrata was present in all habitats, followed Alhagi maurorum, Desmostachya, Saccharum spontaneum found in 4 habitats. A total of 136 plant species belonging to 73 genera and 44 families have been identified. In addition one species of fern, one species of gymnosperm, 6 sedges and 25 species of Poaceae were determined. The leading plant families which played a key role in the formation of vegetation of the study were Poaceae (18.38%), Fabaceae (8.82%), Amaranthaceae (5.15%) and Convolvulaceae, Cyperaceae (4.14% each).

Department of Botany, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Tel. +9251-9290093; +92300-6730496