Final Technical Report 2006 CONTRIBUTION to the RED LIST
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Final Technical Report 2006 CONTRIBUTION TO THE RED LIST OF THE PLANTS OF PAKISTAN: ENDEMIC PHANEROGAMS OF GILGIT AND BALTISTAN Astragalus gilgitensis Ali Principal Investigator PROF. DR. SYED IRTIFAQ ALI Research Fellow MR. JAN ALAM DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY UNIVERSITY OF KARACHI 2 1. Project Number WWF/Sc/SA (03)/300 2. Project Title Contribution to the Red List of the Plants of Pakistan: Endemic Phanerogams of Gilgit and Baltistan. 3. Project Executant Name Syed Irtifaq Ali 3.1. Title & Organization Professor of Botany 3.2. Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270. Address Department of Botany, University of 3.3. Karachi, Karachi-75270. 4. Project Duration (in months) 33 months Starting Date April, 2003 4.a. Ending Date January, 2006 4.b. Project report for the period Final Report (2006) 4.c. 3 CONTENTS List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………… .4 List of Figures………………… ………………………………………………………...6 Summary. …………………….………………………………………………………….7 INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………8 1. Occurrence and Administrative Division……………………………………..8 2. Human population……………………………………………………………...8 3. Topography………………………………………………………………………8 PROJECT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES………………………………………………..9 MATERIALS AND METHODS…………………………………………………….10 RESULTS……………………………………………………………………………….11 1. Aconitum violaceum var weileri………………………………………………...12 2. Androsace rusellii ……………………………………………………………….14 3. Asperula oppositifolia subsp. baltistanica………………………………………16 4. Astragalus clarkeanus……………………………………………………….…..17 5. Astragalus gilgitensis……………………………………………………………19 6. Berberis pseudoumbellata subsp. gilgitica………………………………………24 7. Haplophyllum gilesii…………………………………………………………….26 8. Rhodiola saxifragoides…………………………………………………………...28 9. Tanacetum baltistanicum………………………………………………………..31 SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS………………………………………………………….33 RECOMMENDATIONS……………………………………………………………..36 1. Short-term conservation measures…………………………………………...36 2. Long-term conservation measures…………………………………………...37 REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………….38 TABLES…………………………………………………………………………………39 4 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Administrative divisions of the project area 39 Table 2. Taxa endemic to Gilgit and Baltistan 39 Table 3. Taxa endemic to Pakistan and also present in Gilgit and 40 Baltistan Table 4. Population size of Aconitum violaceum var. weileri (2005) 44 Table 5. Summary of population size of Aconitum violaceum var. 44 weileri Table 6. Variation in number of seeds per fruit in Aconitum 44 violaceum var. weileri Table 7. Variation in number of fruits per plant of Aconitum 44 violaceum var. weileri Table 8. Grazing Impact Analysis of Aconitum violaceum var. weileri 45 (2005) Table 9. Summary of Grazing Impact Analysis of Aconitum 45 violaceum var. weileri (Grazing Index) Table 10. Analysis of geographic range of Aconitum violaceum var. 45 weileri Table 11. Population Size of Androsace russellii (2005) 45 Table 12. Summary of Population size of Androsace russellii 46 Table 13. Analysis of geographic range of Androsace russellii 46 Table 14. Population size of Asperula oppositifolia subsp. baltistanica 46 (2005) Table 15. Summary of Population size of Asperula oppositifolia subsp. 46 baltistanica Table 16. Grazing Impact Analysis of Asperula oppositifolia subsp. 46 baltistanica (2005) Table 17. Summary of Grazing Impact Analysis of Asperula 46 oppositifolia subsp. baltistanica (Grazing Index) Table 18. Analysis of geographic range of Asperula oppositifolia subsp. 47 baltistanica Table 19. Population size of Astragalus clarkeanus (2005) 47 Table 20. Summary of Population size of Astragalus clarkeanus 47 Table 21. Grazing Impact Analysis of Astragalus clarkeanus (2005) 47 Table 22. Summary of Grazing Impact Analysis of Astragalus 47 clarkeanus (Grazing Index) Table 23. Analysis of geographic range of Astragalus clarkeanus 47 5 Table 24. Population size of Astragalus gilgitensis (2005) 49 Table 25. Summary of Population size of Astragalus gilgitensis 49 Table 26. Variation in number of seeds per fruit in Astragalus 49 gilgitensis Table 27. Variation in number of fruits per individual in Astragalus 49 gilgitensis Table 28. Grazing Impact Analysis of Astragalus gilgitensis (2005) 49 Table 29. Summary of Grazing Impact Analysis of Astragalus 49 gilgitensis (Grazing Index) Table 30 . Analysis of geographic range of Astragalus gilgitensis 49 Table 31 Population Size of Berberis pseudoumbellata subsp. gilgitica 49 (2005) Table 32 Summary of Population size of Berberis pseudoumbellata 49 subsp. gilgitica Table 33 Analysis of geographic range of Berberis pseudoumbellata 49 subsp. gilgitica Table 34 Population Size of Haplophyllum gilesii (2005) 49 Table 35 Summary of Population size of Haplophyllum gilesii 49 Table 36 Variation in number of seeds per fruit in Haplophyllum 50 gilesii Table 37 Variation in number of fruits per plant in Haplophyllum 50 gilesii Table 38 Analysis of geographic range of Haplophyllum gilesii 50 Table 39 Number of individuals of Rhodiola saxifragoides per patch 50 Table 40 Population Size of Rhodiola saxifragoides (2005) 51 Table 41 Summary of Population size of Rhodiola saxifragoides 51 Table 42 Variation in number of seeds per fruit in Rhodiola 51 saxifragoides Table 43 . Variation in number of fruits per plant in Rhodiola 51 saxifragoides Table 44 Analysis of geographic range of Rhodiola saxifragoides 51 Table 45 Population size of Tanacetum baltistanicum (2005) 52 Table 46 Summary of Population size of Tanacetum baltistanicum 52 Table 47 . Variation in number of achines per capitulum in 52 Tanacetum baltistanicum 6 Table 48 Variation in number of capitula per individual in 52 Tanacetum baltistanicum Table 49 Analysis of geographic range of Tanacetum baltistanicum 52 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Aconitum violaceum var. weileri: showing habitat, habit 12 and fruits Figure 2 Androsace russellii: showing habit and flowering 14 condition Figure 3 Asperula oppositifolia subsp. baltistanica: showing 16 habitat, habit and flowering condition Figure 4 Astragalus clarkeanus: showing flowering condition 17 Figure 5 Showing deforestation in Skoro La 19 Figure 6 Astragalus gilgitensis: showing habit, flowering 19 condition and fruiting conditions Figure 7 Astragalus gilgitensis: showing grazing impact and 21 deforestation in the core habitat. Figure 8 Astragalus gilgitensis: showing erosion is one of the 22 prominent threats in its habitat Figure 9 Astragalus gilgitensis: skiing area in cone habitat of the 22 species Figure 10 Berberis pseudoumbellata subsp. gilgitica: showing habit 24 Figure 11 Haplophyllum gilesii: showing habit, flowering and 26 fruiting condition Figure 12 Rhodiola saxifragoides: showing habitat, habit & 28 flowering condition Figure 13 Rhodiola saxifragoides: showing vegetative growth and 30 fruits Figure 14 Tanacetum baltistanicum: showing habitat, habit & 31 capitulum 7 SUMMARY Gilgit and Baltistan are located in Northern Areas of Pakistan, having an area of 45224 km2. To date 68 taxa are known to be endemic in the study area. Out of 68, 49 taxa are endemic to Gilgit and Baltistan but are also found in other parts of Pakistan, while 19 taxa are confined only to the project area. Out of these nineteen only nine taxa could be investigated. Innula serratuloides (Gilli) Grierson was wrongly described as new species while it is actually Saussurea jacea (Klotzch) C. B Clarke (not endemic for Pakistan). The deficiencies are attributable to short growth period, seasonal fluctuations, incomplete information available about the localities and the severe environmental conditions (as result the growing period is restricted to only six months). A comprehensive field programme was arranged according to their phenological status. Field observations were conducted twice a year in the years (2003-2005). These endemic taxa were collected from some fresh localities as well as other adjacent localities from they were reported earlier. Field information including habit, quality of habitat, phenological status, life form, population size, range of distribution, mode of reproduction. These taxa were classified according to IUCN Red list Categories and Criteria (2001). Astragalus gilgitensis, A. clarkeanus, Asperula oppositifolia subsp. baltistanica, Berberis pseudoumbellata subsp. gilgitica, Haplophyllum gilesii and Tanacetum baltistanicum are found critically endangered (CR), Aconitum violaceum var. weileri and Rhodiola saxifragoides are vulnerable (VU) and Androsace russellii is data deficient (DD). Remedial conservation measures were recommended for each taxon according to their nature of threat(s) in order to protect them from extinction. 8 INTRODUCTION Location and Administration Gilgit and Baltistan are located in the Northern Areas of Pakistan between 34.60-37.40 N and 740–77.50 E with total area of 45224 sq. km. The altitude varies from ± 1400 m to 8611 m (K-2). Bordering China on the eastern side connected through high Khunjerab pass (±4634 m), having Central Asian states on its northern frontiers, Afghanistan on northwestern border while western and southern sides are delimited by means of Ghaizer, Astore and the valleys of occupied Jamu and Kashmir. Administratively the project area has been divided into three districts i.e. Gilgit, Skardu and Ghanche. These districts have been further sub divided into eight sub-divisions and twelve tehsils (Table1). Human Population Population of the area is 546538, of this total, 95607 people were classified as urban while the rest of population (450931) was classified as rural. Similarly annual population growth rate for the whole