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STUDY OF VEGETATION AND SMOOTH COATED OTTER IN CHOTIARI WETLANDS COMPLEX, SANGHAR, SINDH, PAKISTAN

RAHMATULLAH QURESHI^1*, WASEEM AHMAD KHAN² AND Babar khan²

Abstract: A preliminary vegetation and smooth coated otter survey was carried out in the month of October, 2006. The area was divided into 10 vegetation stands on the basis of physiognomic and habitat types. Various vegetation parameters like cover, frequency and density were recorded along each transect line using the line intercept method. Within vegetation stands, a total of 66 species belonging to 50 genera and 23 families were identified. In all, 10 plant communities were constructed based on Summed Dominance Ratio (SDR). The existing vegetation of the area was identified and categorized into 10 plant communities viz., 1) Fagonia-Senna-Calotropis; 2) Pluchea-Dactyloctenium-Ochthochloa; 3) Dactyloctenium-Desmostachya-Pluchea; 4) Calotropis-Acacia-Alhagi; 5) Dactyloctenium; 6) Indigofera; 7) Desmostachya-Gynandropsis; 8) Desmostachya-Dactyloctenium-Indigofera; 9) Dactyloctenium and 10) Indigofera-Dactyloctenium-Indigofera. There were 16 species which contributed in the formation of plant communities of the area. Among 10 different locations, Desmostachya bippinata was found as a dominant in 4 vegetation stands followed by Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Indigofera argentea, Pluchea lanceolata (each in 3 stands); Calotropis procera, Dactyloctenium scindicum and Gynandropsis gynandra (each in 2 stand). The remaining 9 species e.g., Acacia nilotica, Alhagi maurorum, Corchorus tridens, Fagonia indica, Indigofera sessiliflora, Limeum indicum, Ochthochloa compressa, Pluchea wallichiana and Senna italica shared in one vegetation stand. In addition, Smooth coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata sindica) commonly known Ludhro was found in the project area. However, the Smooth coated otter is one of the least studied species in the country.

¹Department of Botany, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Murree Road, Rawalpindi. Pakistan,

² WWF-Pakistan.