Abies

Rahman, A. U., Ullah, Z., Qureshi, R., Burslem, D. F. R. P. & Mashwani, Z. U. R., 2022, Composition and structure of plant communities in the Moist Temperate Forest Ecosystem of the Hindukush Mountains, Pakistan, Brazilian Journal of Biology (e 266637) 82, pp. 1-14 : 7

3.10. Abies - Berberis - Carex community (ABC)

ABC community was recognized in 18 sampling sites started in the lower elevation range of 1970m at Dunkacha area, with latitude(35°08’08.48” - 35°09’16.81”N) and reaches at higher elevation range at Julba area, with longitude (72°22’28.35” - 72°21’06.09 “E). TWINSPANS clustered a total of 62 plant species for ABC plant community. The leading dominant tree species of this community were Abies pindrow (95.5 IVI) followed by a shrub specie Berberis pseudoumbellta (37.1 IVI) and the herb specie Carex cardiolepis (16.7 IVI). The topmost leading co-dominant 4 tree species with importance values were Abies pindrow (95.5 IVI), Picea smithiana (56.6 IVI), Quercus semecarpifolia (33.1 IVI) and Pinus wallichiana (32.2 IVI). Among shrubs Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana (36.1 IVI), Viburnum cotinifolium (32.6 IVI) and Daphne mucronata (26.9 IVI) were recorded as the top most co-dominant species. While Plantago major with IVI 14.6, Oxalis corniculata with IVI 13.2, Heliotropium strigosum IVI 12.9 and Bergenia ciliate with IVI 12.1 were stood second co-dominant herbs of this community. In overall recorded species of ABC community A. pubiflora with IVI 2.8 and F. nubicola with IVI 2.9 were highly rare (supplementary material 3). In this community the soil contained sand 31.5-15.3%, clay 5.3-2.9%, silt 44.6-31.9%, 5.3-4.8% calcium carbonate, 143.27- 73.97mg /Kg potassium, 3.09- 1.83mg / Kg phosphorus, 0.36-0.18%nitrogen, 4.6-2.9% organic matter and EC 0.26-0.11 dSm-1. Soil were comparatively neutral with pH value of 7.3-4 while deforestation and grazing pressure was moderate with the high frequency of regenerates.