A study of Angiospermic diversity and their ecological attributes from eroded areas along the River Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

This study, conducted from ۲۰۱۷ to ۲۰۲۲, assessed and annotated a checklist of angiosperm species and their ecological attributes from the eroded areas along the River Kurram across an altitudinal gradient. The annotated list comprises ۴۲۵ species belonging to ۹۱ families, including ۳۴۲ dicotyledonous species (۸۰.۴۷%) and ۸۳ monocotyledonous species (۱۹.۵۲%). Among the families, Poaceae was dominant, comprising ۴۲ species (۹.۸۸%), followed by Asteraceae with ۳۷ species (۸.۷۰%). Fabaceae and Amaranthaceae each had ۳۲ species (۷.۵۲%), with an additional ۲۳ species (۵.۴۱%) for Amaranthaceae. Solanaceae also had ۳۲ species (۷.۵۲%), followed by Brassicaceae with ۱۵ species (۳.۵۲%), and Euphorbiaceae and Polygonaceae each with ۱۳ species (۳.۰۵%). The remaining families had ۱۲ species (۲.۸۲%) or fewer. The biological spectrum showed that therophytes were the most prevalent life form, with ۲۲۸ species (۵۳.۶۴%), followed by hemicryptophytes with ۴۴ species (۱۰.۳۵%), nanophanerophytes with ۳۹ species (۹.۱۷%), and geophytes with ۳۲ species (۷.۵۲%). The leaf size spectrum revealed that nanophylls accounted for ۱۳۸ species (۳۲.۴۷%), followed by microphylls with ۱۱۹ species (۲۸.۰۰%), while ۱۰ species were aphyllous. Additionally, ۲۸۶ species (۶۷.۲۹%) had a simple leaf lamina, and ۲۴ species (۵.۶۴%) had a spiny leaf lamina. The habitats in the study area are severely affected by continuous landslides and soil erosion, primarily due to overflooding and other natural disasters

A study of Angiospermic diversity and their ecological attributes from eroded areas along the River Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Keywords:

: Angiosperm , Conservation status , Life Form , Soil Erosion , River Kurram