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Neutral theory and the functional diversity in the semiarid area of District Karak, Pakistan

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Research Paper 01/05/2019
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Neutral theory and the functional diversity in the semiarid area of District Karak, Pakistan

Zulqarnain, Ayaz Malook, Zain Ullah, Rehman Ullah, Laiq Zaman, Asghar Ali
J. Bio. Env. Sci.14( 5), 31-36, May 2019.
Certificate: JBES 2019 [Generate Certificate]
Key: Abiotic microenvironmentEnvironmental filterPhenotypic diversityRecruitment limitationTaxonomic diversity

Abstract

Environmental gradients and human perturbations greatly involved in community assembly, stability and dynamics of habitat and the exploration of functional diversity support in an understanding communities and ecosystems. Present study is based on trait-based approach to know how species assemble in a random and non-random ways and what is the role of stochastic (random) and deterministic (nonrandom) processes in community assembly of species. This study aimed at advancing understanding about the functional diversity of the area to assess the plant species community assembly of District Karak. Twelve plots of 100 m × 100m, were randomly placed in five different monitoring sites of District Karak. Species were sampled by applying DBH method (Diameter at Breast Height) ≥ 1 cm. In addition to this leaf size and wood density were also calculated. The use of such characters depicts stability of the species in the habitat. CWMs (Community Weighted Mean) were used because these are measurements that account for trait values as well as abundance. Less variation was found among the traits in the species of all the communities. A non-random pattern of traits was recorded in the study area. Results suggest that limiting functional traits are the result of environmental factors prevailing in the area and non-random occurrence may the result of dispersal limitations of the species in the area.

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