PJB-2012-266
CONTRIBUTION TO THE RED LIST OF THE PLANTS OF PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY OF A NARROW ENDEMIC ASTRAGALUS CHITRALENSIS ALI (FABACEAE-PAPILIONOIDEAE)
HAIDAR ALI1* AND M. QAISER2
Abstract
Narrow endemic plants are more prone to the process of extinction; this is due to their narrow ecological amplitude and habitat specificity as compared to the sufficively rare or widely distributed endemic taxa. In this paper the conservation status of Astragalus chitralensis Ali (Fabaceae-Papilionoideae) is given according to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. It is a narrow endemic plant of district Chitral Pakistan. This taxon was previously reported from one locality i.e. Birmoghlasht-Chitral. Whereas, during our 3 years of field excursions in Chitral we have collected it from 6 more localities. On the basis of the data of population size (174 mature individuals), extent of occurrence (780.49 km2) and area of occupancy (24 km2) this taxon is categorized as Critically Endangered. Furthermore, a continuing decline in number of mature individual plants was also observed with fluctuation in the AOO in all the subpopulations. Whereas, the total number of mature individual plants in each subpopulation was less than 50. These results of low population size with continuing decline and extreme fluctuation collectively suggest the category of Critically Endangered (CR). Grazing and habitat destruction are the main causes of depletion of this taxon. Early conservation measures are extremely necessary in order to protect the taxon from extinction.
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