Abstract

Community structure is a key marker of long-term vegetation change in ecosystem. In the present investigation, 11 plant communities were recorded in plains area. The cluster analysis gives rise to 5 groups on the basis of important value and 4 groups on basis of soil. The vegetation changed with change of distance. As a whole in plains, the CZS community was developed. There were 6 tree, 7 shrub and 19 herb species. The Importance value contributed by three dominants species was 79.5. The contribution by tree was 50.6, shrubs (IV = 62.06) and herbs (IV = 187.3). The soil texture was found from sandy clay to sandy clay loam. These results emphasize the continuous need for long-term ground-based ecological monitoring in conjunction with satellite-based monitoring of changes in vegetation cover.

Key words: Altitudinal effect, community, soil, plains, life form, leaf size classes.

Abbreviation

RD, Relative density;  RF, relative frequency; RC, relative cover; CSP,Cenchrus-Saccharum-Prosopis; ECP, Eragrostis-Calotropis-Prosopis community; PSC,Phoenix-Saccharum-Cenchrus; APS, Aerva-Prosopis-Saccharum; TPS, Tribulus-Prosopis-Saccharum; EC, electrical conductivity; CZS, Cenchrus-Zizyphus-Saccharum;CSA, Cenchrus-Saccharum-Acacia; ZCS, Zizyphus-Cenchrus-Saccharum; SCZ,Saccharum-Cenchrus-Zizyphus; CCA, Cenchrus-Calligonum-Acacia; ZCC, Zizyphus-Cenchrus-Calligonum community.