Ecological studies of different plant communities of Malasaid Hills, District Bajour, Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, Pakistan

Ecological evaluation was conducted of the vegetation in Malasaid Hills (Bajaur Agency), Khyber Pakhtonkhwa, Pakistan. Overall, 12 different plant cummunities were recorded in this area. The Cynodon-Morus-Vitex (CMV) community had a total of 22 plant species comprising nine herbaceous, 5 shrubby, and 8 tree species. The community was dominated by Cynodon dactylon, Morus alba, and Vitex negundo. The species richness (S.R) of this community was 0.880, similarity index (S.I) 25.80 and maturity index (M.I) 50.37. The Dodonea-Quercus-Teucrium (DQT) community comprised a total of 29 plant species. Of these, 11 were herbaceous, 14 shrubby, and 4 tree species. The species richness (S.R) of the community was 1.63, similarity index (S.I) 20.79 and maturity index (M.I) 51.92. The Berberis-Olea-Ajuga (BOA) community had a total of 34 plant species comprising 15 herbaceous, 12 shrubby, and 7 trees. The species richness (S.R) of the community was 1.23, similarity index (S.I) 15.38, and maturity index (M.I) 46.94. The Salvia-Cynodon-Berberis (SCB) community comprised 16 herbaceous, and 8 shrubby plants, but not a single tree species was found in this community. The species richness (S.R) was 1.31, similarity index (S.I) 33.33 and its maturity index (M.I) 49. The Cyperus-Calotropis-Ziziphus (CCZ) community comprised 20 herbaceous, 8 shrubby, and 5 tree species. The species richness (S.R) of the community was 1.14, similarity index (SI) 24.39, and maturity index (M.I) 58.37. The Juglans-Rumex-Viola (JRV) community contained 22 herbaceous, 12 shrubby, and 3 tree species. The species richness of this community was 1.45, similarity index 19.17 and maturity index 43.94. The Reinwardtia-Geranium-Olea (RGO) community comprised 19 herbaceous, 14 shrubby, and only one tree species. The species richness of this community was 1.60, similarity index 16.49, and maturity index 51.60. The Rumex-Medicago-Cynodon community (RMC) had 15 herbaceous, 7 shrubby, and 13 plants as trees. The species richness of this community was 1.31, similarity index 19.75 and maturity index 50.25. The Duchesnea-Acacia-Neriuum (DAN) community had 7 herbaceous, 8 shrubby, and 4 plants as tree species with species richness 0.954, similarity index 40, and maturity index 48.33. The Viola-Berberis-Quercus (VBQ) community contained 13 herbaceous, 9 shrubby, and 4 tree species. Overall, the communities observed in this area had a different composition.