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VEGETATION STRUCTURE OF OLEA FERRUGINEA ROYLE FORESTS OF LOWER DIR DISTRICT OF PAKISTAN

MOINUDDIN AHMED, NASRULLAH KHAN, MUHAMMAD WAHAB, SALMA HAMZA, MUHAMMAD FAHEEM SIDDIQUI^*, KANWAL NAZIM AND MUHAMMAD UZAIR KHAN

Abstract: Thirty stands were sampled in forests dominated by Olea ferruginea during summer in 2008. Phytosociological attributes like relative frequency, density, basal area and absolute values such as density ha^-1 and basal area m² ha^-1 of stands and species are presented. Based on importance values and floristic composition following 10 communities were recognized. 1, Olea- Punica community 2, Olea- Ficus community 3, Platanus-Morus communities 4, Olea– Ailanthus community 5, Morus-Celtis community 6, Olea-Acacia community 7, Olea- Morus community 8, Olea- Monotheca community 9, Olea- Quercus community 10, Pure Olea community. Most of these showed similar floristic composition with different quantitative values. Though no significant relation between density/basal area, elevation/density and elevation/basal area was obtained, however trends of these possible relations are described. Structure of Olea ferruginea and associated tree species in each stand is presented. Due to unbalanced forest structure and continuous disturbance, no future trends could be predicted for these forests. 

Laboratory of Dendrochronology and Plant Ecology, Botany Department, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi 75300, Pakistan.

*Government Degree Science/Commerce College Landhi/Korangi, Karachi 74900.