Grasses in Semi-Arid Lowlands—Community Composition and Spatial Dynamics with Special Regard to the Influence of Edaphic Factors

Edaphic properties have been widely shown to influence community composition and distribution. However, the degree which edaphic factors can affect grasses in semi-arid lowlands is still little researched. We assessed significance of nine explain distributions 65 grass species with various ecological traits (i.e., indicator values for their preferred habitat) Pakistan. To record information on related conditions, we selected 10 random sampling locations between 2020 2021. For each species, determined important value index (IVI) looked at primary that were identified using analysis approach. The major genera Setaria, Brachiaria, Cenchrus 6.15% followed by Aristida, Panicum, Eragrostis 4.61% wild Bothriochloa, Bromus, Phragmites, Polypogon, Saccharum, Poa, Echinochloa, Dactyloctenium 3.07% whereas other had a single each. In total, 80% native, while only 20% introduced species. Microphylls accounted 49.23% leaf size spectra flora study area. frequent included macrophylls (21.53%), nanophylls (20%), leptophylls (9.23%). life forms therophytes (56.92%) hemicryptophytes (38.46%) geophytes (4.61%). results an ordination indicated distribution was significantly (p ? 0.002) influenced several parameters, pH having greatest impact analyses showed EC most powerful determining plant communities significant ecosystems Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. [email protected] Leptochloa chinensis Nees (agroecosystem), Brachiaria reptans C.A. Gardner C.E. Hubb, Dichanthium annulatum (Forssk.) Stapf, Saccharum spontaneum L. (forest ecosystem), biflorus Roxb., ciliaris L., Desmostachya bipinnata Stapf (urban Arundo donax Echinochloa crus-galli, Phragmites australis (wetland crus-galli P. Beauv. (riparian ecosystem). discovered different groupings habitat preferences soil beneficial effect variety. These provide scientific roadmap restoration lowland habitats.