ANALYSIS OF VEGETATION PATTERN AND SOIL CHARACTERSTICS OF ASTORE VALLEY GILGIT- BALTISTAN

Abstract

A survey was conducted to analyse the vegetation pattern and soil characteristics of Astore valley at different altitudes (1250m-4200m) and localities. It was observed that the herbaceous plant species were dominant in the natural habitat, particularly in the alpine and sub-alpine zones. At lower altitude i.e. Bunji and adjacent areas xerophytic and halophytic plant species were found and upper altitudes i.e. Deosai, Kalapani and surrounding areas herbaceous plant species were common. Total 668 plant species were recorded from the Astore valley during the survey period (2005-2009). Out of these 631 belonged to naturalized flowering plants, including to 291 genera and 76 families, 4 species of Pteridophytes belonged to two genera and two families while 33 cultivated species belonged to 30 genera and 17 families. The study area was categorized into five ecological zones on the basis of microclimatic conditions and topography. For comparison of vegetation pattern in these zones similarity index and Beta Diversity were calculated. Seriphidium brevifolium (Wall. ex DC.) Ling & Y. R. Ling was the most dominant plant species in the study area. The soil was fine to coarse in texture ranging from clay loam to sand and acidic to slightly alkaline in nature, containing considerable amount of calcium carbonate (up to 16 %) and appreciable amount of organic matter(up to 33.094 %). Maximum water holding capacity (21.415-63.179) and pH values (5.35-7.20) were also determined. The amount of organic matter was high; in these habitats and the vegetation was dense. It is concluded that certain edaphic factors, altitudinal variation, soil texture and amount of organic matter are responsible for variation in vegetation.