Spatial Pattern and Key Environmental Determinants of Vegetation in Sand Mining and Non-Mining Sites along the Panjkora River Basin

A specific set of environmental conditions characterizes plant species patterns and distribution on Earth. Similarly, riparian vegetation can be impacted by anthropogenic activities like mining practices involving the removal cover, which destroys structure diversity habitat, adversely affecting ecosystem services. In this study, we explored role variables biotic intervention in deriving spatial at non-mining sites along most depleted Panjkora River basin NW Pakistan. Vegetation data its determining factors 28 (14 each) were sampled using 10 m × (100 m2) systematic plots 50 intervals transects a downstream direction from upper catchments to bottom junction with Swat River. We recorded 186 both sites, belonging 70 families comprising 174 angiosperms, 3 gymnosperms, 9 Pteridophytes. Results show that annual or perennial therophytic life forms predominated system, indicating disturbances. At same time, aggressively invasive species, such as Xanthium strumarium Cannabis sativa, further heightened community Generally, was higher may attributed habitat fragmentation. Likewise, Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA-ordination) revealed geographic coordinate (i.e., latitude r = 0.80; longitude 0.75) elevation (r 0.95) more meaningful predictors than soil texture silt%, −0.30), nutrients potassium, −0.35; phosphorus, 0.38) pH −0.50) shaping pattern structure. Our result implies present composition assemblages are due heavy interventions, especially activities. Therefore, heavily degraded fragile system tributaries needed conserved restored predicting communities response changing climatic conditions.