Species Richness and Diversity in Sub-Tropical Chir Pine Forest in Abbottabad City
Species Richness and Diversity in Sub-Tropical Chir Pine Forest in Abbottabad City
Hammad Ali, Basheer Ahmad, Asim Karim*, Saifullah and Salman Ahmad
ABSTRACT
Species richness is generally measured by counting the number of distinct species within a specific area or sample. Species richness serves as a physiologically meaningful indicator for alpha (α) diversity. The purpose of this research was to examine the biodiversity of the chir pine forests in the Abbottabad city region. Because this kind of forest is a distinct and significant ecological habitat, the researchers aimed to learn more about the different animals that call it home. The researchers employed a methodology to guarantee that their findings would accurately represent the entire forest. 72 plots, each 20 by 20 meters, were chosen randomly from the forest. They meticulously recorded the quantity and kinds of different tree species they came across in each of these plots. This study’s findings were quite informative. It was discovered that Pinus roxburghii, a species of pine tree, constituted a significant 87% of the total species composition in the forest. 5% of the composition was made up of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, and 1.7% was Quercus incana. Notable species included in the composition of the total species were Platanus orientalis, Dodonaea viscosa, Pistacia integerrima, Juglans regia, and Populus ciliata, albeit in smaller amounts ranging from 0.51% to 0.962%. The study’s key discovery was that, in comparison to other types of forests, the species diversity in the chir pine forest was comparatively low. This implies that a small number of important species, mainly Pinus roxburghii, dominate the ecosystem of the chir pine forest. The study also mentioned the comparatively high frequencies of alien species, such as Eucalyptus camaldulensis. It is important to remember that these exotic species are non-native to the area, which may have an impact on the native species and ecosystem’s equilibrium. A few major challenges to the ecosystem of the chir pine forest were also identified by the study. These dangers included the building of infrastructure, fuelwood gathering, animal overgrazing, and forest fires.
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