VEGETATION ANALYSIS ALONG RIVER INDUS OF DISTRICT SHANGLA: A MULTIVARIATE APPROACH

The study was conducted to explore species diversity and vegetation analysis along Indus River of District Shangla. A total of 118 plant species belongs to 58 families were documented. Two ways indicator species analysis classified the vegetation of the area into four plant communities i.e. (1) Acacia, Cotoneaster, Gymnosporia community, (2) Dodonia, Gymnosporia, Justica community, (3) Zanthoxylem, Colebrookia, Chenopodium community, and (4) Delbergia, Ficus, Verbena community. The total variation for species data were 2.46 SD. In detrended corresponding analysis the highest Eigen value was noted for axis 1 (0.27). Canonical corresponding analysis showed a linear correlation among different axis. The permutations test result of all axis were Pseudo – f =1.2, p =0.012. Among environmental variables, organic matter and phosphorus were more closely correlated as compared to other variables. The canonical corresponding analysisalso showed that soil saturation, potassium and altitude effect species composition much more as compared to electrical conductivity. The results revealed that the distribution of vegetation pattern was mostly correlated to soil characteristics, altitudinal gradient, steepness and exposure of slope. It was noticed that the vegetation of study area was diminishing continuously due to over exploitation of medicinal plant species, fuel wood, timber and overgrazing. This current study will give a foundation for further research and conservation of phyto-diversity.