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SOME NOTES ON THE VEGETATION OF ACHHRO THAR (WHITE DESERT) OF NARA REGION, SINDH, PAKISTAN

RAHMATULLAH QURESHI^*1 AND MUSHTAQ AHMAD²

Abstract: A preliminary survey was carried out in the month of October 2001 from Achhro Thar (White desert) of Nara region, Sindh with the aim to record the flora and vegetation of the area in question. Four microhabitats were delineated based on the topography and physiognomic features. 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 76 species belonging to 58 genera and 26 families were identified. In all, 4 plant communities were constructed based on Summed Dominance Ration (SDR). The existing vegetation of the area was identified and categorized into four plant communities viz., 1) Calligonum-Indigofera-Dipterygium in Crest; Calligonum-Aerva-Indigofera on Slope; Prosopis-Tamarix in flat plain and Desmostachya-Pluchea-Zygophyllum in Marshland. In all, 8 species viz., Calligonum polygonoides, Indigofera argentea, Dipterygium glaucum, Prosopis cineraria, Tamarix aphylla, Desmostachya bipinnata, Pluchea lanceolata and Zygophyllum simplex contributed in the formation of plant communities of the area. Amongst the two microhabitats, Calligonum polygonoides and Indigofera argentea were constantly found in crest and slope habitats and rest of the habitats had different vegetation makeup. The highest species richness was recorded from flat habitat having 61 species followed by slope (37 species), marshland (27 species) and crest (15 species). 

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

²Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Pakistan.