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MULTIVARIATE CLASSIFICATION AND DATA ANALYSIS OF VEGETATION ALONG MOTORWAY (M-2), PAKISTAN

SHEIKH SAEED AHMAD^1*, ABDUL WAHID² AND KHALID FAROOQ AKBAR³

Abstract: A survey of motorway (M-2) roadside vegetation and soils was undertaken. In this study, phytosociological survey using Braun-Blanquet’s approach was undertaken. The floristic data were analyzed by the TWINSPAN and DECORANA, computer programs in order to classify and provide baseline information about the study area. Two major and 16 sub-communities were recognized along 358 km long motorway. Floristic data was collected from 397 quadrats and 227 vascular plants species belonging to 75 families were recorded. TWINSPAN divided the vegetation of whole study area into 2 major communities, which are further divided into 16 sub-communities. The study also provides basic information for the implementation of conservation oriented planning and management to preserve and improve the road verges of M-2.

¹Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

²Institute of Pure & Applied Biology, BZ University, Multan, Pakistan

³Department of Environmental Sciences, Govt. College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan

^*Corresponding author E-mail: drsaeed@fjwu.edu.pk; 00 92 0321-5167726