Ecological Assessment, Conservation Status and Restoration Strategies for Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff.) Aitch. in the Agency of Bajaur, FATA, Pakistan

Abstract

Nannorrhops ritchiana (Griff.) Aitch (Mazri Palm) is a species of palm family or Arecaceae, di stributed in Iran, Afghan istan, Pakistan, Oman and Arabia. The current study was aimed to study various association formed by Nannorrhops ritchiana with associated flora under various edaphi c and climatic factors. Conservation status of the species was assessed with the help of lUCN (International Union Conservation Nature) red li st categories and criteria's. Ecological data was analyzed with multi variate stati stical techniques e.g Cluster Analysis (CA) and Two Way Cluster Analysis (TWCA) Indi cator Species Analys is (lSA), Canoni cal Correspondence Analys is (CCA) and Oetrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) were carried out using software's PCORD version 5 and CANOCO version 4.5. Total of 70 associated plant species belongs to 27 families were collected. Among these herbs were 89% and shrubs were 11 %. Poaceae with 15 species, Asteraceae and Lamiaceae with 8 species each were the dominant fam ilies. Through CA and TWCA all associated plants were grouped into four associations. These were (\) Aerva javanica- Spergularia c/iandra -Dodoneae viscosa (2) Erodium cicotarium-Tribulus terrestris-Gymnosporea royleana (3) Acrachane racemosa -Cyperus rotundus-Gymnosporea royleana (4) CYl11bopogon martini-Salvia moorcrajiiana-Periploca aphyla associations. It was observed that high Magnesium, Sodium and Grazing pressure were the important edaphic and environmental variables. Extent of occurrence (EOO) of the species was 42.2 Km2 less than 5000 Km2 and area of occupancy (AOO) was 28 .2 Km2 less than 500 Km2 Through ruCN criteria 8 the species was declared as Endangered (EN), 8 I bc (i, ii,iv) +82 bc (i,ii,iv). It was concluded that the Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na) and Grazing pressure (Gp) play important role in the detellllination of vegetation structure, assoc iation fOllllation and its particular indicators. This study could further be used in evaluation of vegetation and conservation of threatened flora .