KNP Floral Survey
INTRODUCTION

In spite of its often barren appearance, the flora and vegetation of the Kirthar National Park region is quite diverse. Somewhere between 300 and 500, perhaps as many as 600 species of plants occur in the park.

At the time of publishing the website, the flora survey had completed two field seasons in the Park. The first was at the end of a long period of drought and the second towards the end of a weak rainy season. In combination with the effects of overgrazing, the drought impacts had left many plants species as either leafless stems, grazed root bases or dormant soil-stored seed, which presents many difficulties for identification.

Despite this, around 350 species were identified in 360 survey plots in the dry season survey, including several new records for Sindh, many for the park, and at least one species new to science. Analysis of these data suggested six broad community types, which are illustrated on this page. Of these, two were found to be insufficiently represented in the sample and these areas were targeted for further sampling in the second season.

By the second sampling season rain had fallen over many areas of the park. In addition to the targeted areas recognised as undersampled from the first season, dry season plots were remeasured in the second season.

The aim of this was twofold, firstly to confirm dry season identification of leafless shrubs and grasses, and secondly to identify new species that had arisen as a result of the rains. Curiously, caged field-watering experiments and glasshouse soil seedbank experiments produced no germinations in March and April (dry season).

Identification of voucher specimens and analysis of data from this wet season survey was not completed when the website was published (Nov-2000) but about 400 species were recorded in the survey and at least 30 of these would be ephemeral species, not recorded in the dry season.