[Environment] Chief Editor Iftikhar A. Raja comsats institute of Information Technology Abbottabad (Pakistan)

DAE-10

CORRELATING PLANTS IMPORTANCE VALUES WITH ITS USE VALUE TO ASSESS SUSTAINABLE USE OF THE WESTERN HIMALAYAS’ VEGETATION; A METHOD DEVELOPMENT

Shujaul M Khan^1,2,*, Habib Ahmad³, Sue Page⁴, Inayat Ur Rahman¹ & Shamyla Nawazish⁵, David Harper ⁶

¹Department of Botany Hazara University Mansehra, Pakistan

^{2, *}Department of Plant Sciences Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan

³Department of Genetics Hazara University Mansehra, Pakistan

⁴Department of Geography University of Leicester, UK

⁵Department of Environmental Sciences,

COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Abbottabad, Pakistan

⁶Department of Biology University of Leicester, UK

[e-mail]

ABSTRACT

The Western Himalayas support high biodiversity and are home to pastoralists, who employ traditional ecological knowledge to utilise a range of plant resources. They derive essential goods from nature, yet linkages between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being are poorly understood. The Naran Valley occupies a distinctive geographical and geological setting on the edge of the Western Himalaya near the Hindu Kush and Karakorum ranges. There have been no previous botanical or environmental studies in this region. This study was undertaken to quantify the vegetation ecosystem services and the anthropogenic pressures on them. Phytosociological attributes of species like density, cover and frequency were measured alongside environmental variables. Abundance in terms of Importance Values (IV) from field data were calculated for total of 198 species from 68 families at 144 stations along 24 transects across an elevation range of 2450-4400 m. Questionnaires data collected through social surveys provided information on indigenous knowledge of local plant resources. Use Values (UV) for all species were calculated and the IV and UV data were brought together in their analyses to understand vegetation ecosystem service values. Integration of data sets gave residual and predicted values of use and revealed that 93 species (50.8% of the total species) had residual values greater than the standard deviation, signifying they are overused by the inhabitants in the project area. Most of these species were highly faithful to specific habitats with a continuous population decrease according to trend mentioned by indigenous people. The results contribute to an enhanced understanding of (i) plant diversity management in the Western Himalaya, (ii) anthropogenic influences on plant resources; (iii) local and regional plant conservation priorities.

DAE-11

GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS of LEAF RUST oN Wheat Crop in JHELUM DISTRICT
Maria Neelam, Shazia Iftikhar and Sheikh Saeed Ahmad*

Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University

The Mall, Rawalpindi

*[e-mail], [e-mail]

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to assess the past and present damaging effects of leaf rust disease on wheat crop through Geographic information system tools. Wheat is the main cereal crop that is grown in Jhelum district on both irrigated and non-irrigated lands. This study focused on Jhelum district comparing the disease incidence data of leaf rust for last six years (2010-2015). Variation in Climatic Data including Temperature, precipitation and humidity were analyzed for past six years because these variations are responsible for development of leaf rust disease in selected regions. Standard deviational ellipses showed the extent of variation of disease exhibiting the directional trend for past six years. The results demonstrated in the form of graphs showed shift of diseases from one region to another depending on the climatic variation. In contrast to previous year, Leaf rust is more prevalent in Jhelum district. This study provided the information about spread and shift of leaf rust in Jhelum district through broad spectrum of geospatial analysis that result in real time visualization and predictive analysis. Leaf Rust is becoming more prevalent so the wheat varieties resistant against leaf rust needs to be cultivated. Fungicides are also need to be used against development of rust that will ultimately lead to high yield of wheat crop.

DAE-15

ASSESSMENT OF ENDOSULFAN RESIDUES IN COTTON GROWING AREA OF VEHARI, PAKISTAN

A. Ahmad*, M. Shahid*, H. Zaffar**, T. Naqvi**, A. Pervez**, M. Bilal**, M.S. Akhtar***, S. Khalid*, G. Abbas*, W. Nasim*

* Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Vehari, Pakistan

** Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan

*** University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Sub Campus Burewala, Pakistan

[e-mail], [e-mail]

ABSTRACT

Environmental contamination by endosulfan is a worldwide serious dilemma, which causes a serious threat to both ecosystem and human health. However, endosulfan persistence in soil varies with soil properties. Therefore, this field study was performed at COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Vehari to determine residues of endosulfan in Vehari soil in relation with soil physico-chemical properties. Soil samples were taken from nine sites of three tehsils of Vehari district (Vehari, Mailsi and Burewala). Soil samples were collected at three depths: 0–15 cm, 15-30 cm and 30-45 cm. Soils were analyzed for organic matter following Walkly-Black procedures. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to analyze the concentration of alpha (α) and beta (β) endosulfan in soil. Results showed that all the soils were low in organic matter (average 0.60%; range 0.32%-0.94%). Soil concentrations of α- and β-endosulfan range 0-42 μg/mL and 0-43.9 μg/mL respectively. Two endosulfan isomers exhibited variable residual levels at different depths in different soils. Alpha endosulfan was more concentrated at upper soil layer (13.2 μg/mL in 0–15 cm), whereas β-endosulfan at greater soil depth (13.1 μg/mL in 15-30 cm). Based on the results, it is proposed that the extensive use of pesticides has resulted in significant pesticide residual pollution in top 0-30 cm soil of cotton growing fields of Vehari region, which could severely deteriorate soil ecosystem and human health.
DAE-16

SPATIAL ESTIMATION OF SOIL-HERBACEOUS FLORA RELATIONSHIP ALONG THE ROADSIDES OF WAHCANTT USING ORDINATION TECHNIQUES
Hafsa Bashir, Summra Erum, Shiekh Saeed Ahmad*, Asma Jabeen

Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

[e-mail]
ABSTRACT

Roadside vegetation of WahCantt was studied to determine the relationship of herbaceous flora with the soil parameters. Floral data was collected using Braun Blanquet approach which identified 18 species of 36 families with Cynodon dactylon as the most dominant species.Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was employed for finding the correlation of selected environmental variables (Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, O.M, EC, pH) with species distribution/richness. The dominant species of Cynodon dactylon was found to be only affected by EC .Van Dobben Circles were applied to identify theresponse of floristic species against selected environmental variable and Partial ordination for variation portioning of species against every environmental factor. CCA had highlighted Zn²⁺ as the most influencing factor over the species distribution while Mn and O.M had no impact over species richness. Van Dobben Circle of Fe²⁺ was found to be positively affecting the abundant species of Cynodon dactylon whereas no species had recorded its response against Mn and O.M. Cynodon dactylon was emerged to be least emerged species in bivariate scatter plots of partial ordination. The study highlighted the effect of selected soil parameters over herbaceous flora which would be helpful in determining limiting constraint in species distribution.

DAE-17

PHYTOXICITY EVALUATION OF ATRAZINE TO HOST CROPS USING THE MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ZEA MAYS AS END POINTS
Shagufta BiBi, AzizullahAzizullah, Robeena Akhtar,

¹Waheed Murad, ¹Zia ur Rehman, and ¹MK Daud

Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat

¹Department of Biotechnology and GE, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat

[e-mail]