Life on the edge balancing the needs of nature and people

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Shujaul Mulk Khan

Poster presented in a postgraduate symposium, at University of Leicester

Education Technology Business

Life on the Edge: balancing the needs of nature and people in the remote western Himalayas
Summary: People derive essential goods from nature, yet linkages between Shujaul M Khan1*, David Harper1, Sue Page2, Habib Ahmad3
biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being are poorly understood. 1Department of Biology University of Leicester, UK
Mountain ecosystems support high plant Biodiversity and are home to ~12% 2Department of Geography University of Leicester, UK
3Department of Genetics Hazara University, Pakistan
of the world’s population, many of whom employ traditional ecological *smk26@le.ac.uk, shuja60@gmail.com
knowledge to exploit these resources. Our research
aim to improve knowledge of the floristic We focused on (i) vegetation classification;
diversity and vegetation Ecosystem Services (ii) vegetation ecosystem services
in one remote Western Himalayan valued by local communities; and
valley, the Naran, in Pakistan. (iii) anthropogenic impacts on plants
Fritillaria roylei
Diuretic & emollient
Paeonia emodi Primula denticulata
Backache & UTI Ophthalmia
Critically Endangered Endangered

Polygonatum spp Bistorta amplexicaulis
Stimulate lactation mouth inflammation
Grazing livestock Fodder Grass
Endemic

Dactylorhiza spp Medicinal Podophyllum spp
Aphrodisiac Anti-cancer

Poa annua & Poa alpina Ecosystem Services Vicia bakeri
Best grasses for sheep Alpine pastures above tree line provided by Vegetation of Fodder sps at lower altitudes Fodder & grazing sps
Places for feeding livestock Forage for livestock

Vulnerable

Timber
Food

Rheum australe Abies pindrow
Tonic as a food Best timber wood

Caltha alba Eremurus himamaicus Abies, Pinus & Cedrus sps Pinus wallichiana
Pot herb as digestive Young shoots as vegetable Timber, fuel & other uses Timber & fuel wood
Naran Valley, North-Western
Endangered Himalaya, Pakistan

Aesthetic

Rearing honey bees Bundle of fuel wood
Betula , Salix & Juniperus spss Abies, Pinus & Cedrus spss
Paper and thatching Fuel & variety of uses

Glaciers and Lofty peaks
sceneries Mountaineering
Lalazar a picnic spot
Sky Diving, Ice Skiing
Bergenia strachyei Pinus & Abies sps
Honey bee plant, and recreation Accumulation of wood
Aesculus & Prunus sps Abies pindrow, for severe winter
Also medicinal Agricultural tools DBH measurement
Hotels near Naran
We classified plant communities and identified The study provides understanding of
the most important vegetation-environment Lake Lulusar, Lake Saifal Malook, traditional ecological knowledge amongst
Originating point of Near Naran village,
relationships. We calculated Important Values river Kunhar & the Famous picnic spot people and identifies priorities for plant
& Use Values for each plant species in the field. Naran Valley Hotels near Naran village
in the country conservation.
(North Facing Slope) Aspect (North Facing Slope)

Depth Soil Depth
Altitude at sea level ) Altitude at sea level )

1. Species present above the
regression line are under
Grazing Pressure Grazing Pressure risk due to tremendous
anthropogenic pressure
2. Underlined species refer to
the respective communities
Aspect (South Facing Slope) shown in Figs 1 & 2.
3200 m

3600 m

4000 m
2400 m

2800 m
2400 m

3200 m

3600 m

4000 m
2800 m

Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3.
Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) diagram Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) diagram Relationship between Important Values (IV) and Use
showing distribution of 5 plant communities among 144 showing distribution of 198 plant species among 5 plant Values (UV) of plant species and prediction for the future
stations in relation to various environmental factors communities and their environmental gradient from the high use value (Anthropogenic pressure)

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