BASELINE DATA ON WILD FLORA OF CROP FIELD BOUNDARIES IN THE AGRO-ECOSYSTEM OF POTHWAR PLATEAU, PAKISTAN

摘要

Wild flora along crop field boundaries in farmlands not only increases habitat heterogeneity but also serves multiplebeneficial functions. We collected baseline data on wild flora bordering the crop fields of Pothwar plateau. Overall weselected four study sites including two sites of wheat-maize/millet and two of wheat-groundnut cropping system. Werecorded 51 species of plants including 12 species of trees, 14 species of shrubs and 25 species of grasses/herbs. Twotree species namely Acacia modesta and Zizyphus mauritiana and two shrub species namely Calotropis procera andZiziphus nummularia were common indicating their widespread presence in the area. Among herbs/grasses Abutilonindicum, Amaranthus spp., Cyperus rotundus and Erogrostis poroles were common at sites with wheat-maize/milletcropping pattern while Chenopodium album, Datura stramonium and Tribulus terrestris were common at sites withwheat-groundnut cropping system. The tree and shrub densities did not differ significantly among the study sites. Wheatgroundnutcropping system had higher populations/diversity/species of shrubs as compared to wheat-maize/milletcropping system. Density of grasses/herbs significantly differed across the study sites but there was no association ofherb/grass density with cropping practice.